While visiting my in-laws' house last night, I was able to sample some of the programming available to the 13 and under set. When I do flip on the TV I always fly right past the "kiddie channels" and go directly to HGTV, Food Network, History, or Discovery. The programs that my niece was watching on Nickelodeon last night really makes me want to throw the TV out the window for good. The shows all glorified young to mid-teens living extremely adult lifestyles, usually with little or no parental oversight or guidance. All the kids want to be rock stars, and serial dating, even at such a young age, is considered normal behavior. The dialog, which was supposed to be funny, was banal and devoid of any intelligence whatsoever. The ratings box on the show declared it to be appropriate for viewers over 7 years old. Honestly? I wouldn't let a 12 year old watch it! And I would hope that any 12 year old of mine would be able to recognize tripe for what it is, and stay away from it. Maybe I'm terribly old school here, or perhaps it is due to the fact that my parents never had cable TV until I was in college, but I cannot imagine why anyone with a functioning, reasoning brain would let their kids be entertained by that kind of garbage, let alone buy them all of the products that are tied in with these types of shows?
Am I being naive in thinking that I can keep my kid(s) from this type of stuff? Anyone with kids in the Hannah Montana adoration age bracket have any advice? I need to file it away for later.
About Me
- mz
- A mom of two littles, striving to help the older recover from early trauma. Trying to change my perfectionist ways. Working towards parenting by connection. Clinging to faith in Jesus and praying that my failures don't ruin my kids.
3 comments:
My 5-year-old's preschool friends are all Hannah Montana junkies, but that's the only contact we have with kid pop culture. We just don't watch TV. I know a lot of moms say the only way they can get supper made is to turn on a show, but I'd rather put up with some whining while I cook than let that junk into my house and their brains.
Plain old music can go far in calming a fussy baby when you need to get something done (whatever you already have, no need for "Baby" recordings). Once you accumulate a few siblings (DV), they play together and keep each other busy.
Ack. Nickelodeon is bad news.
I haven't been able to protect my kids from it entirely. It's ON everything! But I have managed to brainwash them into thinking they don't like it. You know, that Sponge Bob is only for people who don't know any better.
Music: My babies have all liked James Taylor and Nat King Cole. I don't really know why, but turn on the sappy tunes and they clam right up! My older kids enjoy a movie now and then. We don't pipe TV into the house, but we occasionally find shows on DVD that beat out the pure awful produced by Nick or Disney. I'll round up a list someday and post it over at our place. . .
"Sponge Bob is only for people who don't know any better."
Brilliant!! I am so stealing that trick. : )
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