Children are constantly being influenced by the media from the clothes that they wear to the cereal that they eat. I don’t know how many times my children have said to me “I want this” or “I want that” because they have seen a commercial on television. My four-year-old often comments that she wants to buy things she has seen on T.V. for her brother, sister, my husband, or myself.
In a book titled Who’s Raising Your Child? Battling the Marketers for Your Child’s Heart and Soul authors Laura Buddenberg and Kathleen McGee of Boys and Girls Town, discuss how the media influences children from age two through eighteen. Marketers are trying to influence how parents spend their money by convincing children that they need certain items to be popular or happy. The sad thing is that it is working. Evidence shows that kids are spending their allowance or convincing their parents to spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year on items they believe they need to be “cool”. In one poll, 20% of parents said that by age three their children began asking for brand-name products and by age five half of children were.
The book gives parents advice on how they can combat the media and protect their children from today’s “hyper-commercialized society” and pop culture where “violence, profanity, and sex permeate” the media and advertising. They teach parents how to raise children who are more concerned about people than things. The book gives real-life examples and addresses current marketing tactics for different age groups.
Some of the tips include:
Watch television with your child. If you are watching with your child you can help your child understand what is happening. You can also discuss why purchasing something is not possible or why the advertisments are not realistic.
Teach your child that they can’t have everything. It is important that children learn that just because they saw it on T.V. or a friend has it doesn’t mean that they need it. When my children ask for something they saw on T.V. I reply ask for it for your birthday or for Christmas. They know they don’t get presents any other time.
Don’t reward with things. Give your children rewards of your time or affection instead of things. This works better for younger children.
Get your children involved in serving other people. Providing service helps your child realize that there are others who have less than they do.
See these related blogs:
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Talking with Children About Sexuality
10 Ways To Be A Positive Role Model
The Prevalence And Effects of Sex In The Media
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