Archive Index: April 2006
Archive: April 2006
Kids and Portable Media in Public:
Some Thoughts on Etiquette
My husband, daughter, and I had just settled in for lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants when another family was escorted to the next table. The mother helped the little girl, who looked to be about 4, off with her coat and lifted her into the booster seat.
Then, before removing her own coat, the mother placed a personal DVD player on the table in front of her daughter and hit the "play" button. Disney's "Cinderella" started up, and the little girl began to watch. Without headphones.
Even after we moved to a table on the other side of the restaurant, we could hear the strains of "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" as we ate tandoori chicken and talked about how many things were wrong with that picture.
Here's what we concluded:
50 Cent Wants Kids to Eat Healthy.
No Word On What He Thinks They Should Listen To.
"You can find me in the club, bottle full of vitamin water..."
Controversial rapper 50 Cent has drawn the ire of some parents for his misogynistic gansta rap lyrics and his suggestion that parents should buy their kids his ultraviolent video game.
So...50 probably isn't going to win any awards for promoting a healthy media diet for kids. However, he is taking part in an effort to encourage kids to eat healthy.
According to a story from the AP:
"50 is a spokes-rapper and judge for a nationwide cooking competition aimed at preventing childhood obesity by improving high school students' eating habits. It is sponsored by Glaceau, the company partly owned by the rapper and that sells his grape-flavored Vitamin Water drink, Formula 50."
Check out the full article here.
Technorati Tags: 50 Cent 50 Cent drink Formula 50
Chicken Little and Chicken McNuggets: McDonald's to Offer DVD Rentals
"Would you like fries -- and a film -- with that?"
Hoping to boost profits with a new revenue stream, McDonald's is offering a DVD rental service in six trial markets across the country. The service allow customers to use automated kiosks to select and rent movies at a cost of $1.00 a day. Assuming the trials are successful, these kiosks could become commonplace among the 13,000 McDonald's restaurants in the U.S.
Check out a full article on the service here.
So, parents: does this sound like a convenient new way to rent movies, or yet another reason your kids will have to nag you to head under the golden arches?
Technorati Tags: McDonald's fast food DVDs
Cell Phones, iPods, Video Games: Parenting in the Digital Era
"Buy me an iPod! Get me a PSP! I want a cell phone!" Heard this from your kids before? Well, you aren't alone. In an article published Saturday, Seattle Post Intelligencer columnist Michelle Singletary discussed the plight of parenting in an era where kids want lots of electronic gadgets...EXPENSIVE electronic gadgets:
"My 10-year-old daughter can't understand why I won't buy her an iPod. What 10-year-old has lived long enough to have a passion for hundreds of songs they just have to have in their hip pocket?
My 8-year-old son points out that all his friends have video game systems or the hand-held versions -- most of the time, both.
And it's not just about the money.
OK, it is a lot about the money."
Check out the full article here
Technorati Tags: parenting electronics gadgets
Dealing with Prom Drama
Talk about a mixed message: The April edition of Teen Vogue features a big article on out-of-control proms, which blames the media –- specifically movies –- for the increased pressure on teens to buy expensive dresses, snag hot dates, have extravagant after-parties, and make prom night the best night of their lives.
Of course this article is just part of the magazine’s prom package, set among pages of prom dresses –- one of which costs over $400 –- and even an article about getting skin in perfect dance-night condition, starting a month ahead of time.
