Post: Media Savvy Resolutions for 2006
Media Savvy Resolutions for 2006
It’s that time again. As the close of this year approaches and 2006 looms on the horizon, many of us are going through that December tradition of reflection and resolution. We asked the Common Sense staff to think of media resolutions for parents this season. Below are some of their ideas. Read them, think about them…and most importantly, send us your own:
1.) Trade mix CDs with our kids (and try to listen with an open mind).
2.) Use TV shows to spark discussions with our kids about important -- but tough -- topics, like smoking and drinking.
3.) If a movie is based on a novel, we will read the book together first. Then, talk about which we liked better.
4.) Encourage our kids to create their own media, from designing cover art for their favorite albums to making music of their own.
5.) Ask our kids to teach us how to program the TiVo or our iPod.
Critique ads we see on TV rather than letting them wash right over us.
6.) Find one television show we can sit through with our teens (and one they’ll watch with us).
7.) Limit overall daily media usage, but allow our kids to choose which of the many forms of media they wish to use on a given day (including music, TV, Web, games, etc.).
8.) Do our homework before we buy a game, download a song, or go to a movie. Common Sense Media can help us decide if it’s appropriate, and get ideas for how to talk about it.
9.) Watch what we watch, knowing our kids are watching us.
Have a Happy Holiday and New Year! We'll see you in 2006.
Tags: Resolutions
There are 3 replies to this post
Date: December 21, 2005
Here's one: actually bother to look at the ratings, teach our kids the difference between fantasy and reality and oppose any legislative attempts at content-based regulation.
Date: December 30, 2005
A few of my media resolutions:
Continue to teach media literacy in the school library (to 500+ elementary students) and my school district (to educators) including the impact of advertising (and its promotion of greed), among other things.
Proudly display my "TV OFF" vanity plate and answer questions when folks pause to ask them.
Re-direct conversations to reality or philosophy or literature when TV shows become the main topic (goes for adults as well as children).
Date: January 14, 2006
My media resolution is to try and teach my kids(aged 3.10 and 1.9 yrs)that there are other forms of entertainment as well.TV or media is not the only way to enjoy or even while away your time.I wasted several years of my life watching TV...I don't want them do the same.