Disaster, War, the Media and your child

Duke · 01-02-2005, 01:52 PM

From the front page:

Ever turn on the news and see all the heartwarming and uplifting stories before the last 10 minutes of the show? Paparazzi, Reality TV, Survivor, Jerry Springer, etc., have shown us one unarguable fact, misery gets ratings. It's not something that we're likely to see and end to anytime soon so it's better to understand how this type of media affects our children.

MSN Family has a great article that helps us understand how this media may affect our children and how to deal with it. Quoted from the article, "When disaster strikes, it can affect children profoundly. It doesn't matter whether the event is natural (a flood or a fire) or man-made (a war or a riot) -- it undermines a child's deep need to see the world as a safe and predictable place."

Duke · 01-02-2005, 02:25 PM

Believe it or not, I've actually tried to talk to my daughter about limiting her exposure to the news simply because of all the horror on it. I would never restrict it but I just want her to remember that the world is not the ugly world that's usually depicted in the first 30 - 45 minutes.

Star · 01-02-2005, 03:33 PM

Kassandra doesn't really watch the news. She'll hear us talking about it or hear it on the radio in the car. She did tell me once that it makes her sad all the killings and disasters that happen. She knows that the world isn't as bad a place nor is it a perfect one but she is very careful about her well being and wants to help change the world someday.

The news is reality. Sadly, bad things happen everywhere. It can have a possitive impact on children as well. It can make them more aware of the dangers there are out there so they'll play safer, won't talk to strangers, they'll try to be safer in the things they do. That's what it's taught Kassandra.

We were talking yesterday about Karla Homolka being released this year and how wrong that was. I mentioned that we should have the death penalty for people like her and Kassandra immediately stepped into the conversation and say no, why? She doesn't see how killing a killer will solve anything. I'm proud of her for having her very own thoughts on issues like this, even though I disagree, it doesn't matter. She has an opinion. It's really amaizing how the media can make our kids think about serious issues that happen in the world. It can also be a good thing.

Duke · 01-02-2005, 04:33 PM

It can be a good thing I do agree but it needs to be moderated and mixed in with positive messages IMO. The thing that worries me about my daughter is that she has way too much negativity thrown at her and not enough positive messages, again, IMO.

Star · 01-02-2005, 04:37 PM

I agree that more possitive needs to be addressed with the media. With television in general actually. We don't really hear about too many good things that happen in the world on the news. I agree.

Merika · 01-02-2005, 10:22 PM

My kids are both interested in the news. Jackson less so than Chloe. They talk about it among themselves and we talk about it as a group. We line it up with politics and Revelations and have a quite the family theory from time to time. World events seem to adds more to our lives, conversation wise, than takes away from it. It doesn't seem to bother them.....but then again....either one may post and feel differently.

Duke · 01-02-2005, 10:51 PM

It's funny because my daughter and I talk about stuff that centers around making no sense whatsoever. It's almost as if we live in some fantasy world where only we exist and the rest of the world remains outside and unknown. I think she categorized it best a few days back, staying with me is like an extended slumber party.

Merika · 01-03-2005, 10:47 AM

I think a child's interests in conversation has a lot to do with the people around them. I have a very politicl family....so we have always discussed it (no...not always agreeing) around the kids. As they got older....they ended up jumping in with their own opinions.

Sometimes I wish it WERE more like a slumber party than a political rally....but you can't help what family you come from. LOL!

Stone · 01-03-2005, 11:40 AM

The news in on in my home anytime we're home, my son has his own TV in his room where ihe is only allowed to watch G rates tapes. We don't usually gaurd him from the News but when it comes to Jerry Springer there is no way he will be able to view that.

We had a natural disaster here ( hurricanes) and we had to explain what a hurricane was and why there we're men in uniform wlaking down the streets with guns to protect looters ( witch he thought was pretty cool) So when he see's the Tusaumi things on TV he can relate that to the "scarry storm" as he calls it. Greg also has alot of military pics, awards and such hung in the office he also watches alot of Old War movies, and we go to the airshow where he sees the Military people but he views them in a GIJoe hero way.

I don't think children needed to be "gaurded" from the reality of things but they do need to be thouroghly explained at an age approiprate level.

Duke · 01-03-2005, 12:22 PM

Problem is that many parents have their children babysat by the tv and are not around or available to explain what their child sees on tv. I think that we have a good mix of people in here but we are as far away from a cross section of the population as you can get.

Stone · 01-03-2005, 01:03 PM

Oh I agree People spend way to much time watching the Telly and Kids do the same. Between TV Video games ect.. the time left fo faimly activities and sit down dinners is non existant. I myself have stopped watching t.v now that I am not doing it everyday I see how much dirt and crap there is on it. I WISH I could remove all of the tv's from my house but I think Noah and Greg would move

The average faimly has 2 1/2 tv's in there home... that is ridicilious!!

Star · 01-03-2005, 01:18 PM

We have 3 tv's in our house. 1 in the livingroom, 1 in our room and Kassandra has one. Krystal used to have one but we got rid of it when she started her running away crap.

I was never one to allow TV to be a babysitter for my kids. They were only allowed to watch the children's shows and movies. Now of course, Kassandra watches pretty much anything unless it has way too much sex on the program. The simpsons is her favorite show...of course being almost 13, that's typical.

The same went for nintendo and computer games. Nintendo they had a time limit and they didn't get to play that everyday either. Computer games were also timed but with more time because I had educational games for them to play.

Now the nintendo64 is in Kassandra's room and she hardly ever plays it. she also has a computer in there too that's better then mine....maybe I should switch some hardware... :twisted:

I can't believe how foul television has become. The commercials are no better. all the violence and sex during the day and evening when kids are up and watching is unreal.

Duke · 01-03-2005, 03:16 PM

I think that's why it's important to watch tv with your kids whenever possible. Actually, I believe it's best if you do everything you can with your kids if possible. I'm just dreading the day when my daughter says give me some space dad though.