Results of Family Activity on "Consuming Kids"

Below are the findings of the two families regarding the video we saw last week, "Consuming Kids." Remember that you need to review this for the final exam, but this will be all you need to know with respect to that video.

BLUE FAMILY (Mary-Elizabeth, Jessica, Kristen)

Our family found that the decrease in creative play in children to be the most destructive. The fact that it has decreased 94% is very disturbing. Products such as video and computer games, movies, toys, etc. have taken such precedence in the lives of children that they do not know how to play unless they have a toy to play with. The imaginations of kids are decreasing as products replace them. No longer can kids just go out in the yard and play, but they have to have toys so they know what to play.

Programs such as "Baby Einstein," which supposedly make children smarter, actually decrease their learning ability. If a child has constant visual stimulation that is always changing colors and moving, it makes it harder for them to hold their concentration later on in the classroom. A child who can't concentrate on the teacher or the lesson can't learn. TV also replaces the relationship that should be developing between a child and a parent. This is a key relationship in the life of a child; not building a strong relationship can be detrimental for both early and later development of the child.


YELLOW FAMILY (Chris, Melanie, Adam, Sarah)

We thought that the movie contained many good points, but after a good bit of debating, we finally decided that the most destructive aspect was that the United States does not have a policy to control or regulate TV advertising to kids. This includes the sheer amount of advertising they are exposed to on a daily basis. The video talked about some experiments done on children for the purpose of being able to take advantage of them. For example, studying their blinking patterns or observing slumber parties to see how they played with certain toys, etc..

The fact that there is no policy in place to protect kids from such manipulative tactics endangers their mental performance, development and stability throughout life. Advertisers only seem interested in wanting to make a buck off of them. So, our group decided that the fact that the United States, in contrast to almost every other country in the world, does not regulate advertising to kids is the most devastating fact presented in the film, "Consuming Kids."

Reminder & Final Family Activity

Remember that your final essay (Essay III) is due tomorrow, and we will begin to discuss The Cheating Culture ( of which I am asking you to read the following: Preface, Chapters 1, 6, 7, 9). Last Thursday we wrapped up Consuming Kids, and in connection with that, a spokesperson for each of the families will present what you found to be the worst or most destructive aspect of the commercialization of childhood brought out in the video program we saw last Tuesday. We will begin the class with that. Finally, Thursday's (4/30) class will be devoted to presentations of your papers on various social problems, and the paper itself is due, of course.


FINAL FAMILY ACTIVITY: We need to start the process of making up questions for the final exam, as you did for the midterm exam. The second half of the course begins with our discussion of The Overspent American, so that is where you should start in terms of making up questions. I want each of the families to come up with 5 short-answer questions and then designate someone to submit these questions to me for consideration NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 6TH. I will then consider them and try to accept at least 3 questions from each family. For each additional question I accept, that family will earn a bonus point. So, you can potentially earn two bonus points for this exercise. These questions and answers will be posted on this blog no later than Friday, May 8th. This activity will count 5 points, and you have to participate to earn those points. I will be setting aside some class time over the next couple classes for you to confer with your family members about this.

Family Activity on "Consuming Kids" & Reminder

FAMILY ACTIVITY: On Tuesday, 4/21, we'll be seeing a documentary entitled, "Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood," which features the author of the book we are reading with the same title. For this activity, following our viewing of this documentary, I will give the families time to discuss the film and identify what you believe is the WORST OR MOST DESTRUCTIVE aspect of the commercialization of childhood revealed in the documentary. You will also have some time during the next class (Thursday, 4/23) to hash this out and designate one family member to write up a couple paragraphs (or one page maximum) on what your family concluded was the worst or most destructive aspect of the commercialization of childhood brought out in the documentary. A family spokesperson will be called upon to present this at the beginning of the following class (Tuesday, 4/28), as well as turn in your summary. I will consider these and then post modified versions of them on this blog, which may be a source of a question on the final exam. This exercise is worth 5 activity points, and you have to participate to earn these points, which means, at a minimum, you MUST see the documentary next week.


Reminder: Essay II is due Thursday, 4/16. And continue reading Consuming Kids. Sometime next week I will announce on this blog and in class what we'll try to cover in The Cheating Culture during the last few classes of the semester.

Update on Looking Ahead

In reading over what I posted on Friday, March 27th (just before Spring Break), I want to make one amendment. Instead of doing a family activity in connection with the video we will see on Thursday ("Advetising and the End of the World"), I have incorporated that video in our next essay, the details of which I will give you in class tomorrow. Also, we will wrap up The Overspent American tomorrow, and begin to talk about Consuming Kids next week. See you tomorrow morning.