Why do they need a love interest?

They are only 13 years old! Have you seen the show Suite Life of Zack and Cody on Disney Channel? Alright, I will admit that they are now, what, 15 years old? But still! I was watching a very old episode and when they were still in middle school, they had episodes about having a crush on a girl,and then lying and using their father's apartment for a private date. Are we seriously trying to ignite issues with our pre-teens? It is one thing for a kids' show to deal with the concept of first crush, first date, first kiss even, but it is another when the boys at 13! are sneaking around with girls. Disney and Nickelodeon shows that have older kids star, feel a need to incorporate dating in almost every episode. In fact, I don't believe Miley Cyrus has kept the same boyfriend for more than two consecutive episodes. What happens to all the love interests when the episode finishes? What is that teaching our youth? They can have a new boyfriend each week? Why not teach them the importance of respecting themselves so then others will respect them?

We want our sons and daughters cared for by individuals who like them for who they are, not for something they can be molded into, or because they have a pretty face. There is so much more to a relationship than the shallow surface a lot of these shows put out there.

I guess I'm just concerned with the fact that this generation of pre-teens and early adolescents are growing up way too fast. Why must these shows perpetuate it even more? I don't think these shows should loose the boyfriend/girlfriend storylines, but definitely tone them down a bit. Let these kids be kids. That's why they are still watching shows on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel.

My Killa App!

1. Let's get going and fix it right!


I bet some of you don't know that I am quite the
handyman. Not as cool as Bob the Builder or Handy Manny of course, but I can hold my own with a hammer and nails. Some of you are probably asking yourselves, what is Dora talking about? Well, in true Dora fashion, I am always trying to find ways to better your life and educate you at the same time! I have found a great internet tool that could help when dealing with any questions you have about raising children in this media driven society.

MINTI is a great tool for parents. The site is actually powered by parents. There are many different sections that allow you to ask questions, post pictures, make blogs, and even create your own family page. Parents are always looking for a way to connect with other parents out there on the internet. I understand that my blog deals specifically with children television, but I also talk about child development and parenting. This site has many different subjects that you can click on and discover something new.That is the best part about MINTI. It has everything you want in one place. Other sites in competition with it only deal with their specific subjects like appropriate television and movies for children, how to get your family more active, and different and effective disciplining techniques.

Here are some important background facts about the site...
[History of Minti]

• Idea and initial research by Rachel Cook early in 2005
• Saw a need for a "parent to parent advice-opedia"
• Saw benefits of Wikipedia
• Wrote the first business plan

[Mission]

Their mission is to create a "the world's largest parent to parent advice-opedia".

[Who is behind Minti?]

• Minti.com Pty Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vibe Capital Pty Ltd which is a privately held Australian company.
• The management team includes:
• Clay Cook - CEO & Co-Founder
• Matthew Macfarlane - CFO & Co-Founder

Here is a fun video tutorial guide that goes more in depth about the various sections on the site...




2. The 6 main ways Minti can help you...


MINTI splits their reasons for using their site into 6 different main points. I thought this was the best way to prove how beneficial it can be for all you parents out there.

1. There are over 8,000 parenting articles to choose from, ranging from advice about newborns to how to handle your overly dramatic teenagers.

2. If you have any parenting questions, any at all, they are answered fast.

3. Share your experiences as a parent in a safe environment.

4. You might be wondering if there are other parents out there that have gone through the same experiences as you. Well, Minti helps you find those people who share similar parenting challenges.

5. Minti has a "moolah" point system with their members. You participate, you earn points, and those can be exchanged for cash! Who doesn't love money?

6. And of course, Minti membership is free!

*I have been writing for months about appropriate television for children. If you are still searching for ideas, this site has a great "TAG" bubble as well as constantly updated articles and blog posts. All you have to do is type in "Children and Television" and you will find a slew of information*

I understand being weary of joining such an open site. However, I am very thorough in my research and have found nothing but positive comments and feedback from its members. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

3. My Killa Presentation!

Alright folks, I get it, I get it. You are still a bit confused by MINTI. As Dora would say, "Can we help you?" Well, I am here to help. That is why I made a pretty cool power point presentation using Google (Man, Google has everything) that walks you through MINTI. The instructional video is also very helpful but I thought my presentation really simplifies the site and all its perks and usefulness.

So it begins:

The first few slides state a general problems for most parents. You want to be a good parent but no one wrote a manual on "Perfect Parenting." So what do you do? You ask advice. You ask your friends, your family, even strangers (Oh come on. Who hasn't asked the nail lady their opinion on something?).

Problem:

The internet has a ton of websites that deal with parenting. That's wonderful! Or is it? These sites help you, that's true, but to what extent? MINTI covers every aspect of parenting and all the tools suiting every need. Other sites only deal with one or two issues regarding raising a family. I mention other parenting sites in my presentation. They are very specific to a certain aspect of being a parent. These serve as examples for how limited a lot of sites are on the internet.
*Side note: One competitor of MINTI might be www.parenthood.com. They do have members and tags like MINTI, but the way each member interacts with the site is less personal than on MINTI.*

Examples and Testimonies:

I show some snapshots of actual pages on the MINTI website that answer some of the questions regarding searching certain key terms and issues. I also included a couple real testimonies so that you can understand that I do not make up how awesome MINTI really is for parents. They are real comments made by real parents out there in the world. Isn't that cool?

Conclusion:

Well I hope you get a kick out of exploring my presentation. I had a blast making it and unwrapping this awesome site for you all. Just click the link below and enjoy!

Minti

View more presentations from guest8889ce4.

Naked Brothers Band vs. The Jonas Brothers

Boy bands certainly have changed since N'SYNC and The Backstreet Boys. I mean, instead of funky dance moves and tight harmonies, these boy bands rock hard and play all their own instruments. I am a frequent watcher of Disney Channel and, therefore, know all about the Jonas Brothers' craze. But recently, I was surfing the channels and came across Nickelodeon's answer to the Jonas Brothers, The Naked Brother's Band. I find it very interesting that Nickelodeon feels a need to compete with Disney. But get this: "Naked" isn't even their real last name. The two brothers are Nate and Alex Wolfe. Unlike the Jonas Brothers, there are other members of the band that play with them. They are a manufactured kids group. The Jonas Brothers have blown up over night, but this band is just as popular with their own special fan base. They perform as if they are a real band and they have real fans. Are these guys going to square off one day? Which band do you prefer? Both are all about rocking out but staying kid appropriate with a wholesome image. I guess it's up to what these pre-teen girls prefer.

The 6 main ways Minti can help you...

MINTI splits their reasons for using their site into 6 different main points. I thought this was the best way to prove how beneficial it can be for all you parents out there.

1. There are over 8,000 parenting articles to choose from, ranging from advice about newborns to how to handle your overly dramatic teenagers.

2. If you have any parenting questions, any at all, they are answered fast.

3. Share your experiences as a parent in a safe environment.

4. You might be wondering if there are other parents out there that have gone through the same experiences as you. Well, Minti helps you find those people who share similar parenting challenges.

5. Minti has a "moolah" point system with their members. You participate, you earn points, and those can be exchanged for cash! Who doesn't love money?

6. And of course, Minti membership is free!

*I have been writing for months about appropriate television for children. If you are still searching for ideas, this site has a great "TAG" bubble as well as constantly updated articles and blog posts. All you have to do is type in "Children and Television" and you will find a slew of information*

I understand being weary of joining such an open site. However, I am very thorough in my research and have found nothing but positive comments and feedback from its members. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Let's get going and fix it right!

I bet some of you don't know that I am quite the handyman. Not as cool as Bob the Builder or Handy Manny of course, but I can hold my own with a hammer and nails. Some of you are probably asking yourselves, what is Dora talking about? Well, in true Dora fashion, I am always trying to find ways to better your life and educate you at the same time! I have found a great internet tool that could help when dealing with any questions you have about raising children in this media driven society.

MINTI is a great tool for parents. The site is actually powered by parents. There are many different sections that allow you to ask questions, post pictures, make blogs, and even create your own family page. Parents are always looking for a way to connect with other parents out there on the internet. I understand that my blog deals specifically with children television, but I also talk about child development and parenting. This site has many different subjects that you can click on and discover something new.That is the best part about MINTI. It has everything you want in one place. Other sites in competition with it only deal with their specific subjects like appropriate television and movies for children, how to get your family more active, and different and effective disciplining techniques.

Here are some important background facts about the site...
[History of Minti]

• Idea and initial research by Rachel Cook early in 2005
• Saw a need for a "parent to parent advice-opedia"
• Saw benefits of Wikipedia
• Wrote the first business plan

[Mission]

Their mission is to create a "the world's largest parent to parent advice-opedia".

[Who is behind Minti?]

• Minti.com Pty Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vibe Capital Pty Ltd which is a privately held Australian company.
• The management team includes:
• Clay Cook - CEO & Co-Founder
• Matthew Macfarlane - CFO & Co-Founder

Here is a fun video tutorial guide that goes more in depth about the various sections on the site...

And all that jazz...

My rough draft made me realize that I wanted to explore the idea of how certain kids' programming can be beneficial to their active imaginations and physicality. I am now working towards using my resources to support my thesis that television shows for children must stimulate ALL their senses, not just the visual and audio sensory. I have already researched the idea of how television on in the background of a child's play area will interrupt their playtime. This play time is crucial to their furthering development.

I still feel children should not be exposed to television at a very young age, but I also understand that certain programs geared toward educating toddlers and infants, can have a positive effect on their development IF they structure their program around the idea of getting their minds and bodies active.

So What?

After much deliberation, I have decided that there really are some great educational shows for kids three years old and younger. I know, I know; "But what about your original thesis, Dora?" I may have been a bit hasty in my original thinking because I forgot how necessary new technology has become. Television is used for entertaining but it is also used for educating. I think that if parents choose to allow television for their children, the shows that they watch must foster active participation physically and mentally. Many educational programs already target certain aspects of a child's initial development. However, there are some shows that say they are age-appropriate but have no educational or beneficial aspects to their episodes. I talked to a mom that has a three year old daughter and she is perfectly fine letting her child watch television. Her only concern is how long she watches it. If her daughter watched the television too long, she becomes unresponsive and grumpy. What other side effects have you guys experienced with your children watching too much television?

Well so what?

I think that producers and creators of new educational programming need to make a list of criteria that they turn to when writing an episode. This list should state ways in which each program can get their viewers moving and exploring, using their own imaginations and playtime. Parents must monitor how much television they view and which shows they watch. It is best to watch with them.

I love children's television shows! They have so much to offer, but some don't live up to their full potential. Parents: Just because a show is animated, does not mean it will be mentally or physically stimulating. Since television and other media devices are growing and changing rapidly each day, we need to make sure kids aren't relying on them for everything, but that they are learning new lessons that they can use AFTER watching a show.

I have a new face!

Did you hear the news? Dora is all grown up! But what does this mean for the show? Where is her signature backpack? Her hiking shoes? Ballet flats are not the most conducive to traipsing through a jungle or climbing a mountain hillside. I guess she will be saving the world on a smaller scale. She is supposed to be 10 years old now. Does she look like a typical 10 year old? I think so. I see girls wearing leggings with long tunic shirts. She has a cute headband to match and of course the ever-so-popular ballet flats. She is a fashionable "chica" with a lot of spunk. I like her!


But back to my previous statement about her saving the environment on a smaller scale. She won't be traveling the world, but she will be using more adult methods to help protect her environment. Dora will expand into the world of solving mysteries that have pro-social themes that young girls and boys can relate to, like volunteerism, water conservation, or planting trees to help the environment.


Well this sounds fabulous! I don't know what you all think but this might be a good change for her. Something to think about: What about Diego from Go Diego Go? What is he going to look like at 10 years old?

What are your thoughts? I would love to hear them...and should I update my profile picture to keep up?

Ideas are forming...thanks to the Topoi

I finally have a thesis! Hold your applause please. Ok are you ready for this?

Television for children three years and younger will negatively effect their early development.

But is it really wrong for babies to watch television if it is made for babies?Isn't the whole point of educational TV for kids, TELEVISION FOR KIDS??? What about shows like "Baby's First Words" and "Baby Einsteins"? If you really think about it, does a baby know the difference from a trombone to a violin? NO! However, they may recognize a color or shape if it is repeated multiple times in front of them. Baby videos and TV shows may have a place in their development, but not necessarily in the way most parents think they do. Many parents want their child to be an overachiever, perfect at sports, music, and math. Therefore, many of these programs for babies have animated characters playing sports, listening to classical music, and counting numbers. Why is this industry obsessed with overachievers?

Television is not the only factor that effects a child's early development. It is also the parents and other people around them; the environment they live in can have a larger impact than a dancing animated pig on a wide screen TV. Who is really calling the shots when a toddler can barely talk? The parents are the most concerned about their child.

How necessary are television programs with commercials that interrupt the program for a baby? Babies and toddlers can barely understand what is even happening. How do they know it's bad for them? They should just watch education DVDs that only will play for an hour and then they can have the rest of time to play with their own toys and with their parents. When they get older, television programs can start making a difference to them. They will know how to count and what letters are. Only then do these programs seem valuable.

Wow...sorry that was a lot. I guess I got more ideas in my head than I thought. Well if you have any thoughts on this shoot a comment my way!

Tour of My New Pageflakes! (UPDATE)

I found this great site that lets me set up my own webpage completely devoted to my research topic. Anything you wanted to know about children's programming or the effects of television on child development can be found on my Pageflakes!

ON THE RIGHT SIDE

If you need something specific check out my RSS Feeds. They allow you to take a link from certain pages on a website. This way I can go directly to the page on the site that relates to what I am looking for. You can find all of my RSS feeds on the right hand side. Some of them are articles and some of them are blogs. Each gives me and anyone else who explorers my page a window-sized view into a specific page that has the content that I want. The fact that I can click on it from my pageflakes and be right at that site is the best part of RSS feeds. If you want to start adding RSS feeds to your page, go to a website and find the little orange button in the URL box. Click on that and save it.

I also have a section that gives you a chance to view some other more academic resources that I found. Within the bibliography, I have also included an annotation that gives a bit of background and summary of what the particular book or article is about. I used Zotero and Citeline together to create a bibliography from all the works I had collected through my tireless hours of research. I would pay particular attention to my abstract for the book, Early Childhood Television Viewing and Adolescent Behavior: The Recontact Study by Daniel R. Anderson, and also read my abstract from the journal entry entitled, TV distracts young children: study; Could be hazardous to their development by Shannon Proud. Both these and my other sources provide a more specific outlook on some of the effects television viewing can have on a young child. Anderson's book also holds multiple information on various studies he has gathered from other researchers and scientists.

I thought you might like having the option of reading something more academic than just my featured blogs through my RSS feeds.

ON THE LEFT SIDE

If you look to your left you will see my social bookmarking soulmate on my pageflakes as well as a snapshot of my Diigo account. Diigo is another awesome way to gather websites, bookmarks, and tags, but also network with other people interested in your field of study. Do you remember when I found Claire_drinkwater on Delicious.com? Well, she has a bunch of great bookmarks and tags that relate to children's television and even some that talk specifically about its effect on younger kids!

But that's not all. Instead of spending hours on Google search, my Pageflakes has a Universal Blog Search and a Universal News Search. I have entered certain key search terms like "Kid TV" and "Child television." This way I can log into my account and each box has something new updated in it that has to do with my search topic.

FUN FOR ALL AGES

Last but certainly not least, my comic strip widget gives my page just that added touch of character. I'm not gonna lie, I love how much freedom I had in making my very first pageflake! I could choose my own background, the fonts, colors, and size of my text, and where I wanted each flake to go.

I really enjoy it and I hope you will too!

Be careful what you wish for...

I just saw the new animated movie, Coraline, based on the best selling children's book. Now, I knew it was going to be darker than other animated features that are out this year because it was directed by the same guy that did Nightmare Before Christmas. What I wasn't ready for, was how creepy it was. There were times when I was legitimately scared. I think this brings up a good point about appropriate movie for young people. Just because it is rated PG doesn't mean any kid of any age should go. I feel that this movie is great for children 10 and up but anyone younger; it's bound to give them nightmares. I walked into the ladies room afterward and a little girl was asking her mom if she was "her real mother or her other mother." Her mother just laughed to herself and said she didn't have button eyes so she couldn't be "the other mother." I guess this was a cute moment, but I was also a bit concerned that this 6 year old was afraid of her own mom.

It's the same argument that parents have with the Harry Potter films. Children 10 years of age and younger have read all the books and want to see the movies, but the movies are getting much darker and contain very graphic images of violence. I am a firm believer in reading the books first and then seeing the movie, but if your child is 7,8, or 9, you may want to see the movie before they do just to make sure they can handle it. Some kids can. I work with 9-12 year olds who have seen way worse violence in front of their houses. Wizards and claymation won't scare them. But then there are those children who have been sheltered and may be negatively affected by viewing a movie like Coraline.

I guess all I can say is that I loved the movie and was really pleased with the music and animation work that went in to making it. However, I caution some parents who don't want to deal with nightmares that this movie pushes the boundaries of a PG rating. I would still recommend it, but perhaps not for anyone under 10 years old.

I'm like butta cause I'm on a roll...

I am blown away! Did you know that researchers all over the world are studying the effects of television on children? Oh you don't believe me? Ok well check this out!

In this magazine called "Mothering" I found an article by Christine L. Pollock about France! In "France Bans TV Shows Aimed at Children Under 3," Pollock writes about a new law that forces cable network operators in France to run a warning message for parents with foreign language channels. This law was created because shows like the US-based "BabyFirstTV" that are meant for babies 6 months to three years of age, are actually harmful to a child's development. Researchers in France have found that exposure to television as an infant slows the brain development and also turns TV into babysitters. Ok, here is where the US comes in...

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children younger than two years old should not watch TV.

So that was France, I love their croissants (said with French accent). Now, let's travel back over to this side of the world and learn about Canada's new studies in TV shows for kids. In The Montreal Gazette, Shannon Proud discusses the importance of playing without the TV on in her journal entry, "TV Distracts Young Children." She believes that a child must discover their imagination and creativity on his own. I like that! I remember spending hours in a box using my imagination and exploring new worlds and creating new creatures to fight and befriend. Her concerns are centered around television interrupting play time and causing attention problems later in their lives. In fact, she even calls it a "significant environmental hazard."

Both these articles are going to give great insight into what parents are concerned about in other countries. These articles are a bit short so the information aspect of the piece will be what I focus on more than their personal opinions. I have other longer journal entries that give a more detailed analysis of how television affects childhood development.

Oh and HEY! I found some informative books in my neighborhood library:

"Early Childhood Television Viewing and Adolescent Behavior: The Recontact Study" by Reed Larson and "Television and Child Development" by Judith Page Van Evra.

How perfect are these?!? My research topic is right there in the title: Television and Child Development! Alright folks, there is no going back now. FULL SPEED AHEAD!

I think I'm on to something...

So I started digging around and found a couple good articles to jump start my new found interest in the effects of television on children. I discovered an article from The Globe and Mail in Canada titled (funny enough) "Children and Television." It explores different scientific research of certain studies with 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 year olds. It argues that television is dangerous and destructive to a babies' mind. As one scientist put it, "There are sensitive periods" in a child's development. Their solution is for parents to take action and remove televisions from their child's room. This is great for my research because it dives right into the meat of my thesis. I also appreciate this find because it is from a strong opinion formed by educational and professional scientific studies and research. Their article made me think more heavily about the necessity of television for babies and toddlers. I babysit three toddlers who tell me that their moms say it is "OK" if they watch some television or a movie, which really means, "My mommy never lets me watch tv but your are the babysitter. You are supposed to let us get away with this stuff." When do kids starting viewing television as a substitute babysitter? What is it about the programs that they are exposed to that make them want to keep watching day after day?

Well, it wouldn't be fair of me to leave out the "pro" side of television viewing for kids and toddlers. I dug deep and found this really awesome editorial from inside Newsweek called "Kids: To TV or Not TV?" by Anna Kuchmen Gillham. If you couldn't already guess, she is for children's programming. She works with a professor in Pennsylvania's Annenburg School for Communication, Deborah Linebarger. Together they ran studies on their own children and suggest that there might be certain age groups that can handle a small amount of television at an early age. They even think it can help kids with language development. So all those episodes of Sesame Street teaching me about letters and words contributed to my awesome vocabulary and oratory skills today...sweet. They even gave suggestions like setting time limits, choosing shows that are previously scrutinized beforehand, and even watching the show with their kids and talking about it afterward. I like that. Our children need more of that intimate connection with their parents earlier in life than later. It fosters such a close and loving bond between a parent and child. That made me think of all those kid shows that are really trying to educate their viewers as apposed to just entertaining them. I am going to find out more about those kinds of shows and do more research on them...

In the meantime, my search for sources isn't over yet. This is all just part of my mission to find more kids programs and make them useful to their child viewers. I'm gonna dive back into cyberspace and libraries. There's so much out there all waiting to be discovered!

Go Wall-E!

As FOX network says every sunday night: "This is a night for Animation Domination!"

So as some of you may know, The Oscars happened on Sunday night. I was really excited because some of my favorite movies from 2008 were nominated, including Slumdog Millionaire, Wall-E, Kung-Fu Panda, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Wall-E won for Best Animated Feature! I was so happy for it. This proves how valuable animated films are in Hollywood. They have always had this category but Wall-E was not just a kids movie. Many grown-ups saw it and loved it. I am not sure how the Academy works, but I think they are all adults. I was thinking though, wouldn't it be cool if they called in child experts on their animated films that are nominated? I think that makes sense. I am pretty sure more kids watch animated features than adults. But that's just an educated guess.

Something that caught my eye...

While I was looking through my soul mate, Claire Drinkwater's bookmarks, one of her articles caught my attention. TV and Your Child is a portion of TRUCE website. TRUCE stands for Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment. They have put together specialty packets that you can download at home that lists different options of age-appropriate shows that parent's children can enjoy watching. They started this organization when they read studies that speculated that kids who watch certain types of television are more prowned to "Perform poorly in school," "Become more overweight," "Act like the TV characters act," and "See violence as a form of play and a way to solve problems."

This got me thinking...

I love TV and want more appropriate programming for kids, but what if kids watched too much television? How will this affect their growth and development into young adolence and adulthood? By Jove, I think I got it! I will do research on the effects of television on youth these days! What better way to see into the minds into young people? I can actually find studies on their viewing habits and the consequences of them. Oh man this is exciting! I can finally figure out why everyone loves Hannah Montana! Really, she puts on a blond wig and no one can recognize her? Who are we fooling? We know it's you Miley Cyrus! And I may be able to find some more academically sound information as well.

I found my soulmate!

Well, social bookmarking soulmate, but a soulmate nonetheless. I met her on de.li.cious.com. Claire Drinkwater is a mother in the UK. She has over 70 tags and over 350 bookmarks. Each tag is organized by most popular. The one tag with the most hits is "parenting." Go figure. I was drawn to her because her bookmarks dealt with the growth and development of children. It is clear that she is from the UK and bases all her opinions and gathers all her bookmarks from British, Scottish, or even Spanish websites and blogs. However, this does not matter to me because we both advocate for the protection of a child's innocence. I can tell that she looks up particular sites that are for her own personal interest as well as for her children. Yo Gabba Gabba is a very popular show that introduces babies and toddlers to techno, European music. She has many bookmarks and tags (24 to be exact) that relate to this television show. I had never thought to search a specific children's program before, but this might be a great way to gather more followers and more knowledge on protecting children's television programming. I had no idea how many mommy (or in her case "mum") blogs there were in the world wide web. Geezlouise, there's a large parenting network out there! The only reason I speant any extended amount of time on them was because some touch lightly on the issues of television for children in their families. My soulmate's most common bookmarks relate to parenting, the environment (going green), and surprisingly, Yo Gabba Gabba. In fact, I am starting to think this woman works for the show itself. Wouldn't that be great? I would have an inside correspondent into the minds of the creators of an actual kid's tv show! Wow! What makes me most happy is that Claire Drinkwater seems like a normal person with a very basic knowledge of the internet. I like this because it demonstrates how easy social bookmarking is becoming as well as how the internet is more convenient for the average individual, even a parent. I am not the most tech savvy but as I journey on with my blog, I am discovering more ways to gather information and to learn about other people interested in my field of study. I hope I find more social bookmarking soulmates, and I also hope that others out there find me through my tags! Let's keep social networking going folks!

Blogorama! (Revised 4/29/09)

The Start of Something New (Hello Post)

Hey guys welcome to my blog! I have always loved the idea that television, especially in its programming, constantly changes. A great representation could be found in the evolution of kid's programming. In this blog I will be exploring the world of popular shows for children. I grew up in the 90s where television was really coming into its own. We had shows like “Hey Dude,” “All That,” “Boy Meets World,” “Doug,” and more. I always felt like there was something age appropriate that I could watch at all times, or at least until it was my bedtime. However, these days there are very few age appropriate television shows out there. There are only four major children’s networks: Disney Channel, Nickelodeon (Noggin), Cartoon Network, and Sprout. There are a couple of channels that are for the whole family like ABC Family or the Hallmark Channel, but again, not a lot. In my blog, I am going to dive into the minds of kids, asking actual kids why they watch what they do, talk with parents, even watch some of these programs so I can figure out the appeal that some shows possess. I also want to try and understand why there are less and less kid’s programming available.

Now, some of you may be asking; “Why do you even care?” Well, I guess it comes from my own personal experience working with kids and pre-teens on a daily basis. I am a theatre major with an emphasis in acting, but I have always loved working with children. I teach for an after school theater program where kids are challenged to become something they are not. My favorite moments are when they transform into their favorite animals. You would be amazed at how well they imitate every, and I mean EVERY movement a cat, dog, rabbit, or even turtle make. They have the most creative imaginations. I have always enjoyed watching them discover something new and interesting about themselves and the world around them. I am finding that more and more kids are drawn to what is out there on television, film, and the internet. They are influenced by popular culture and have stopped really thinking for themselves. Theater is an outlet that allows them to be as imaginative as possible, but recently, it is becoming harder to get them to expand their thinking. So I just say, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!"

Yes, there are educational shows that still exist for younger audiences, but they are only on at certain times in the morning and on certain stations that not all kids have access to. Even Noggin turns into "The N" at 5pm, with shows that deal with more adult situations. Some of my blogs will question the changes in programming content for most of the major kids’ shows as well as the addition of popular culture like rock and pop music and hip hop dancing. Gone are the days of simple animation and fun sounds and bright lights. Instead, kids these days want fast action, larger than life characters, REAL PEOPLE, and the ability to relate to what is happening in the show to their own lives.

I guess you could say that I am an advocate for better children’s programming. I want to understand the appeal of some of these shows and discuss reasons why they have changed or evolved into something new. I am going to question the dominance of real actors over animated cartoons, and I will unravel the reasoning behind adding new and more popular music and dance to most if not all major tv programs. This will be a blog that speaks for kids, brings us older folks back to the days of our youth, and enhances the knowledge of the world of kid shows for parents. I hope you enjoy!

Kids Incorporated (Profile post)

After writing my first post, I realized that there may be more people out there who feel the same way that I do, or at least have some opinions on the subject of children’s programming. I came across an interesting blog through The Writer’s Guild Blog called “Kids’ Character in Search of a Slot.” This British cartoon bunny wants to join BBC, but discovers there are very few places where he fits. Each post deals with the ups and downs of children’s’ shows and how it affects his chances of getting on “the telly.” Even though his blog has only lasted through ten postings, my favorite one of Kids’ Character (or KC as he likes to be called) is "But I don't want to go to bed yet 7-9pm.” He talks about watching television after dinner but realizes that there are not enough “homegrown children’s programs” for primetime. I truly enjoy his storytelling. He addresses the issues of primetime television by telling his story of trying to impersonate a police officer to gain access to a major network television show. He sneaks in and “decides to be a super sleuthy type of detective and do a lot of sneaking and tiptoeing.” When he gains access to the studio, the director tosses a hooded sweatshirt at him assuming he is a pre-teen extra for the next episode. KC tries to tell him that “not every young person wears a hoody,” but he is unsuccessful and goes to set. KC soon discovers that many major tv shows stereotype kids as either juvenile delinquents or boy scouts. KC goes off on the director and expresses his feelings about watching his tv show,

“No one cares about us kids, not on telly not nowhere. If they did, we’d have places to play and we’d have telly that not only talked to us in our way but showed what we’re really like to the rest of the world too.”

KC makes a good point in a creative way. Kids want to watch shows that display a proper representation of who they are. I really enjoyed reading his posts and was sadden by the fact of how unpopular it was. No one ever commented on any of his fun posts, but don't let that stop you from checking out Kids’ Character’s adventures! I was especially glad I came across his blog because he is supported by another blog through The Writer’s Guild Blog called Save Kids TV . It is so nice to find another site that supports what I speak about in my blog. KC ‘s blog and more don’t just advocate for more age-appropriate television, but also question the changing times that affect the evolution of multiple shows. The only true difference between my blog and theirs is that I am focusing all my energy on American television because that is what I know, while they are British and have those experiences. Also, my alias name might be Dora but I'm not really animated haha. This KC was an animated character created to be the true speaker in each blog posting. I still think that this will help feed my work by gathering more supporters that have interests in this area. Come to think of it, I might be the first kid’s tv advocate for the United States…well, I’m probably not, but I’m still excited about what’s in store.

Everything has a voice...(Voice critique post)

Hm...now let's see... I've been thinking about all the posts I have done thus far and wonder...what's my voice? Do I even have one? Do my posts represent who I am? Well, I don't know yet, but I thought I would do some research on personal voice. So I stumbled upon another blogger who had an interesting take on educational television for children. Publisher dscdscd sdcds (an alias I assume because I couldn't find his actual name), tone of voice in his posts is very converstational. He understands his audience is mostly middle class. He uses very basic english and simple sentences to relate to his audience. The publisher adds different punctuations to each sentence but his favorite is the exclamation mark(!) After reading all his postings, I realize that this choice says to me, "If you didn't get how important this statement was, here's an exclamation mark!" One of my favorite examples is when he talks about the children's program, Reading Rainbow, where he says:

"This one really is because it introduced kids to all sorts of books! Your child will beg for you to take them to the library after they have seen this show!"

This is just a small taste of how often he uses his favorite (!). In another post that relates to television and children, he can't get enough of them. I figure that since this was an early posting, he has toned it down a bit since then. I think he draws in his crowd by following each statement with a question and then answering that question right away; usually ending with an exclamation mark. He also is very strong in his opinions, but you aren't annoyed by his attitude because you can hear the actual concern he has for what he is writing about. Here is another example of his interesting writing style:

"TV is very appealing to children. This is one reason that TV can be a problem for them. Young children can even be attracted to TV because of the colors and noises on children's shows. Also, children are used to TV. Many times, parents will turn on the TV so that it can preoccupy their child instead of them. Should this always be the solution? No, it should not. There are other things that your children can do quietly that do not involve TV. What kinds of things are there? Playing outside is one of the best things!"

After reading both posts, I realized that this is his own personal style. When I read his words, I feel like I hear him giving a lecture but trying hard to make sure his students stay interested by adding questions and funny one-liners:

"There is even an entire channel devoted to infants to "enhance" their learning."

The use of quotation marks around the word "enhance" involves the reader in his inside jokes. He is stating that this might not be the most appropriate word choice but it is what the television show critics use to describe it. So what have I learned from all this? I have learned that I need to write from my point of view. If I have a strong opinion about something, I shouldn't be worried or anxious about posting it as long as I state my fact and possibly follow it up with something a little more light-hearted and easy-going. The more blogs I read, the more excited I get about embarking on my own blog. I think I want to tackle the true benefit of some of these kid shows next...

Social Bookmarking Made Simple

If any of you readers out there are interested in starting your own blog or writing your own article on children's programming and the effects of television on kids these days, you can use social bookmarking tools that can keep track of all your websites and research you find online! I found a pretty good one called Netvouz that is open to anyone for anything. I really liked this site compared to others because it had a larger range of tags that related to my blog. Netvouz specializes in both popular culture and academic blogs and online jounrals. The creators are so open that they even link to other bookmarking sitesin a specific area. Now, I understand that some of out there might be saying to yourselves, "Wait a minute Dora! How does this site even work?" Well, I thought I would give a few pointers on ways to find what you want.

1. Go to the right side of the site's homepage where it says "Tags"

2. Click on any subject you are interested in

3. Once you hit the main tag it will list websites that can get you the subject you want

4. If it is still too broad, then there are related tags that narrow your search even more!

5. After you have all the subjects you want, look through the website and blog links for what you want!

EXAMPLE!!

Ok let's say I wanted to find an article on the latest popular kid's show, what would I do first?

I would click the main tag Entertainment. Then I would search even further for a sub-tag. Hm...I'm thinking that Television would be the best choice. This way, I now have websites and articles that relate to television shows and television programs. I can usually find what I was originally looking for once I get to a particular site.

Social Bookmarking isn't for everyone, but it is a fantastic and surprisingly simplier way of keeping track of all those websites we aquire on a daily basis. There are so many to choose from but if you are interested in more obscure subject matter like the evolving world of children's programming, then I would suggest strongly considering using Netvouz for all your bookmarking needs. Well, I think my work here is done so as the hosts of the Disney Channel quick news show would say, "The report is in and I'm out!"

Here is a comment I made on a fellow advocate's blog...

I feel the same as you about what types of shows and films we should show children. I do, however, feel that if a children's movie chooses to add a more serious scene, they make sure to keep it at a level appropriate for their younger viewers. In fact, I think it is one of the best ways a child can learn about more serious issues. Disney has some hit and misses for sure, but I think they have been doing a better job recently.

In addition to that, I completely agree that schools should show more educational programs in their classrooms. Kids have all night and weekend to watch the silly cartoons and junk at home, but since they are in a learning environment, why not watch things that teach them something? I am trying to find out why there isn't more options for kids out there in television as there used to be, but I think another good question is: Do we even need more of this kind of programming for our children if it isn't preparing, teaching, or mentoring them in a positive way?

*To read her full post go to http://television-vs-children.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-choose-carefully-what-we-are.html!

Everything has a voice...

Hm...now let's see... I've been thinking about all the posts I have done thus far and wonder...what's my voice? Do I even have one? Do my posts represent who I am? Well, I don't know yet, but I thought I would do some research on personal voice. So I stumbled upon another blogger who had an interesting take on educational television for children. Publisher dscdscd sdcds tone of voice in his posts is very converstational. He understands his audience is mostly middle class. He uses very basic english and simple sentences to relate to his audience. The publisher adds different punctuations to each sentence but his favorite is the exclamation mark(!) After reading all his postings, I realize that this choice says to me, "If you didn't get how important this statement was, here's an exclamation mark!" One of my favorite examples is when he talks about the children's program, Reading Rainbow, where he says:

"This one really is because it introduced kids to all sorts of books! Your child will beg for you to take them to the library after they have seen this show!"

This is just a small taste of how often he uses his favorite (!). In another post that relates to television and children, he can't get enough of them. I figure that since this was an early posting, he has toned it down a bit since then. I was really entertained by his posts about children and children's programming. I think he draws in his crowd by following each statement with a question and then answering that question right away; usually ending with an exclamation mark. He also is very strong in his opinions, but you aren't annoyed by his attitude because you can hear the actual concern he has for what he is writing about. Here is another example of his interesting writing style:

"TV is very appealing to children. This is one reason that TV can be a problem for them. Young children can even be attracted to TV because of the colors and noises on children's shows. Also, children are used to TV. Many times, parents will turn on the TV so that it can preoccupy their child instead of them. Should this always be the solution? No, it should not. There are other things that your children can do quietly that do not involve TV. What kinds of things are there? Playing outside is one of the best things!"

After reading both posts, I realized that this is his own personal style. When I read his words, I feel like I hear him giving a lecture but trying hard to make sure his students stay interested by adding questions and funny one-liners:

"There is even an entire channel devoted to infants to "enhance" their learning."

The use of quotation marks around the word "enhance" involves the reader in his inside jokes. He is stating that this might not be the most appropriate word choice but it is what the television show critics use to describe it. So what have I learned from all this? I have learned that I need to write from my point of view. If I have a strong opinion about something, I shouldn't be worried or anxious about posting it as long as I state my fact and possibly follow it up with something a little more light-hearted and easy-going. The more blogs I read, the more excited I get about embarking on my own blog. I think I want to tackle the true benefit of some of these kid shows next...

They beat me to it...

Shucks! So I'm not the first to blog about children's programming for American television, but that's fine. I found a number of other blogs that all had their own viewpoints on how television and film are affecting kids these days. I even noticed that each of these blogs call for the need to monitor what kids are watching. Here are some key points that I found throughout each blog:

1. Man, it's hard finding good, educational programming for young audiences. Why not go off the market and get those straight-to-dvd films that aren't advertised virtually at all on mainstream television?

2. Are these new forms of electronic media like interact tv shows or video games or even crazy iphones even that harmful towards kids? With all the new developments out there, who's to say that they aren't useful to our kids? Something interesting to think about: maybe newer forms of media entertainment might actaully benefit children...

3. Because I'm a moderate and love looking at both sides, I thought you might also. If we took another look at new film and television programs out there, exposed to our youth, some of it IS harmful. Don't be afraid to question what is considered appropriate for an elementary school kid.

4. And finally, when in doubt, go straight to the source: Moms! They have a ton of opinions on what type of shows are fun and educational for their kids and even if we should let them watch as much tv as they do.

All of this is such a good place for me to start as I journey further into the world of children's programming. These and other blogs make one common point that I agree with: We need more tv for kids! Although, I'm not sure I think that all television is bad for kids. I think there's a ton of great shows out there, but they seem to be pushed to the background behind more popular shows like Hannah Montana and ICarly. Why is that? Those shows aren't even for all ages. I'm gonna get to the bottom of this, don't you worry.

Kids Incorporated

After writing my first post, I realized that there may be more people out there who feel the same way that I do, or at least have some opinions on the subject of children’s programming. I came across an interesting blog through The Writer’s Guild Blog called “Kids’ Character in Search of a Slot.” This British cartoon bunny wants to join BBC, but discovers there are very few places where he fits. Each post deals with the ups and downs of children’s’ shows and how it affects his chances of getting on “the telly.” Even though his blog has only lasted through ten postings, my favorite one of Kids’ Character (or KC as he likes to be called) is "But I don't want to go to bed yet 7-9pm.” He talks about watching television after dinner but realizes that there are not enough “homegrown children’s programs” for primetime. I truly enjoy his storytelling. He addresses the issues of primetime television by telling his story of trying to impersonate a police officer to gain access to a major network television show. He sneaks in and “decides to be a super sleuthy type of detective and do a lot of sneaking and tiptoeing.” When he gains access to the studio, the director tosses a hooded sweatshirt at him assuming he is a pre-teen extra for the next episode. KC tries to tell him that “not every young person wears a hoody,” but he is unsuccessful and goes to set. KC soon discovers that many major tv shows stereotype kids as either juvenile delinquents or boy scouts. KC goes off on the director and expresses his feelings about watching his tv show,

“No one cares about us kids, not on telly not nowhere. If they did, we’d have places to play and we’d have telly that not only talked to us in our way but showed what we’re really like to the rest of the world too.”

KC makes a good point in a creative way. Kids want to watch shows that display a proper representation of who they are. I really enjoyed reading his posts and was sadden by the fact of how unpopular it was. No one ever commented on any of his fun posts, but don't let that stop you from checking out Kids’ Character’s adventures! I was especially glad I came across his blog because he is supported by another blog through The Writer’s Guild Blog called Save Kids TV . It is so nice to find another site that supports what I speak about in my blog. KC ‘s blog and more don’t just advocate for more age-appropriate television, but also question the changing times that affect the evolution of multiple shows. The only true difference between my blog and theirs is that I am focusing all my energy on American television because that is what I know, while they are British and have those experiences. Also, my alias name might be Dora but I'm not really animated haha. This KC was an animated character created to be the true speaker in each blog posting. I still think that this will help feed my work by gathering more supporters that have interests in this area. Come to think of it, I might be the first kid’s tv advocate for the United States…well, I’m probably not, but I’m still excited about what’s in store.

The Start of Something New...

Hey guys welcome to my blog! I have always loved the idea that television, especially in its programming, is always changing. However in this blog I will be exploring the world of children’s shows. I grew up in the 90s where television was really coming into its own. We had shows like “Hey Dude,” “All That,” “Boy Meets World,” “Doug,” and more. I always felt like there was something age appropriate that I could watch at all times, or at least until it was my bedtime. However, these days there are very few age appropriate television out there. There are only four major children’s networks: Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Sprout. There are a couple of channels that are for the whole family like ABC Family or the Hallmark Channel, but again, not a lot. In my blog, I am going to dive into the minds of kids and figure out the appeal that some shows have and try and understand why there are less and less kid’s programming available.

Now, some of you may be asking; “Why do you even care?” Well, I guess it comes from my own personal experience working with kids and pre-teens on a daily basis. I am a theatre major with an emphasis in acting, but I have always loved working with children. They have the most creative imaginations. I have always enjoyed watching them discover something new and interesting about themselves and the world around them. I am finding that more and more kids are drawn to what is out there on television, film, and the internet. They are influenced by popular culture and have stopped really thinking for themselves. Theater is an outlet that allows them to be as imaginative as possible, but recently, it is becoming harder to get them to expand their thinking.

It is true that there are educational shows that still exist for younger audiences, but they are only on at certain times in the morning and on certain stations that not all kids have access to. Some of my blogs will question the changes in programming content for most of the major kids’ shows as well as the addition of popular culture like rock and pop music and hip hop dancing. Gone are the days of simple animation and fun sounds and bright lights. Instead, kids these days want fast action, larger than life characters, REAL PEOPLE, and the ability to relate to what is happening in the show to their own lives.

I guess you could say that I am an advocate for more children’s programming. I want to understand the appeal of some of these shows and discuss reasons why they have changed or evolved into something new. I am going to question the dominance of real actors over animated cartoons, and I will unravel the reasoning behind adding new and more popular music and dance to most if not all major tv programs. This will be a blog that speaks for kids, brings us older folks back to the days of our youth, and enhances the knowledge of the world of kid shows for parents. I hope you enjoy!