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.
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.
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 thosepeople 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 positivecomments 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!
Hey guys my name is Khalia and I started this blog for class, but now I am going to continue it to help publicize my new idea! My new kid's television show! Soon I will be putting up links and videos so I hope you all enjoy!
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? 
