The media is a powerful tool that affects children at an early age. Children receive a lot of information about the world from television, books, and movies. But what the media teaches is not always right or true.
The media tends to stereotype people and races. In fact many children’s programs are built on stereotypes. Judith Myers-Walls professor of child development at Purdue University points out that the television show “Smurfs, for example, presents characters with one personality trait each, and they are named for that trait. The same is true of the Seven Dwarfs. In general, children’s programs deal in absolutes, showing characters as either good or bad, smart or stupid, happy or sad. This creates a mindset in children that feeds into racism and sexism.”
Children are not experienced with the world and as they try to sort things in their mind they easily latch onto stereotypes. These overgeneralizations make it easy to compartmentalize people in their minds. They don’t realize that being a certain race or gender does not mean you will possess certain traits. They do not realize that the media doesn’t represent reality.
Parents need to be aware of what their children are watching and reading. Then they can help counteract stereotypes and help their children understand the truth.
Comment on “negative images of any societal group.” Growing up my dad used to watch westerns and I honestly thought that Indians still lived like they did hundreds of years ago. In school I learned this wasn’t the case and was sorely disappointed. Children do not realize that what they are seeing is not true. Let them know when the media is not accurately portraying an individual or group of people.
Point out that every person has multiple sides. They are not just good or bad, or stupid or smart. Everyone has moments when they exhibit a wide variety of traits both good and bad.
Share history with your child when it is presented in the media. Often the media takes a certain stand on history. Make sure that your children learn both sides of the issues. Indians did of course fight the white settlers, burn their farms, and scalp them. But what many children do not realize is that the reason they did this was because the white settlers were taking their land and killing their food supply.
Expose your child to people of different cultures and races. As they meet others firsthand their preconceived stereotypes will be easily dispelled. I watched an African-American boy when I did a home daycare. Once my son asked me why he couldn’t have black skin like Adam. I explained that he had white skin and Adam had black and although their skin color was different they were still the same. Four years later whenever he sees someone of African-American descent he comments, “They have skin just like Adam’s.” To him having darker skin is a positive thing.
It is important that as parents we teach our children that racial attitudes in the media aren’t always correct and help them understand that everyone is the same.
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