Look at What TV is Doing to Our Kids…

Have you seen the latest Valentine’s Day Hallmark Commercial aimed at parents and kids?  It’s the one where a group of girls are comparing the special treats their moms (presumably) put in their lunch boxes for Valentine’s Day.

Most of the girls got home-made “I love you’s” in the form of decorated fruit and heart-shaped sandwiches.  And the girls are all, Ho-hum.

Until the one girl pulls out a personalized “Hannah Montana” card, with a voice-message from her mom and some “Rock Star” song clip.  Then eyes light up.  Heads turn.  The whole cafeteria is envious.

The message is:  A store-bought gift is the best way to express love. 

Isn’t it sad?  LOVE has been co-opted.

You may be saying, “Duh, Venus, this is not new.”  I know it isn’t.  But since I watch so little TV these days, my commercial-immunity is low.  Each one I see is a shock to my system.  My jaw drops and I wonder, “Oh my gosh, is this stuff on constantly?”

How can we raise kids who care about what’s real, when they heaping doses of lies every time they watch television?

To keep your kids’ hearts and minds from being poisoned by commercial messages, here are

3 Ways to Boost Your Kids’ Commercial Immunity:

1. Turn Off the TV:  I know this one is hard for some families, but this age of technology can actually make it easier.  Besides listening to audio books and helping them learn to MAKE their own shows (like for YouTube) instead of WATCHING all the time, you can:

     a. View Child-friendly Internet Sites:  There are lots of kids’ channel internet sites, like cartoonnetwork.com, neopets.com, and 4kids.tv.  These sites show more commercials each year, too.  But they seem just a little less pervasive.

     b. Purchase Shows:  Between DVDs and iTunes, your kids can be up on all the latest shows without having to endure all the latest commercials. 

2. Talk Back to the TV:  The younger your kids are when you start, the stronger their immunity will be when they’re older.  Don’t let TV be a one-way medium.  Talk back to it.  Say out loud, “That’s not true.”  Then tell your kids YOUR perspective, so they learn YOUR values, not the ones in the commercials.  The more kids learn to argue back at the TV, the less power it has to control what they think.

3. De-Program Your Kids:  Around age 12 or so, kids are more interested in exploring what they think, rather than hearing about what parents think.  Instead of telling them your beliefs, ask questions that help them examine their own beliefs.  Ask, “What did you think the message was in that commercial?  What do the manufacturers want you to think about their product?  How much do you agree with that?  How much do you disagree?”  This way, commercials can prompt kids to look within themselves, rather than to the TV, for answers.

Most of all, don’t let the commercials infect YOU. 

Show your kid love in natural ways that really count:  hugs, notes, loving words, and fun family activities.  A healthy relationship with you will keep your kid strong.  And the poison darts of commercialism will bounce right off.

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