So, Evy is officially a PM Kindergarten kid. She will spend her first year in the halls of the school from 12:25 until 3:45. In a few short weeks (a mere 22 days) she will be 5. I can't believe it. She picked out her school supplies and a cute little kitty folder for her papers. We have school shoes and a jumper or two left to buy. My little girl is growing up.
In fact, she's growing up so much that she's asking to play Nintendo. Jayson pulled out our original Nintendo system a couple of weeks ago. This morning I woke up to Evy's voice calling upstairs, "I beat the Level! I did it all by myself!"
As one might expect, all of this growing up has me in quite a contemplative mood. Last night Jayson was out playing X-box with his live friends (as opposed to down the basement with his virtual friends). And I, against my pledge not to, decided to watch a bit of TV before I went to bed. When I flipped the set on, it was on Noggin, friendly kid network by day, crazy, sex-filled, scary network by night!!!
I am well aware this post may make me sound completely OFF the pulse of the teen, but in my defense, that's part of why I kept watching, to see what it's like to be a teen these days. I mean, how far have we really come from the halls of 90210?
It turns out, pretty far.
The first show I caught the end of was quite an eye opener. It was geared towards the audience of "the N" which I deduce to be kids from 12 through 16 or 18 maybe. The final scene showed 3 separate acts of adultery (currently *ahem* in progress), a drug deal, and a separate teen sex scene. I was a bit taken aback. That show ended and I watched part of a music video while the credits rolled followed by four or five commercials (the Jonas brothers CD featuring "Mandy" and "The Year 3000" is finally in stores in case you were wondering.) Then it was time for a marathon! It was time to watch "Degrassi, the next generation" Every episode ever! (I actually only made it through three of one hundred.) The content was also mildly disturbing, especially the part where a twelve-year-old boy is buying condoms in case the twelve-year-old Seventh grade girl he likes might want to sleep with him. The message of that episode seemed to be both saying, 'try to abstain, but you mostly likely can't and if you don't want to, here's some condoms.' While the older, "cooler" kids were saying kids will obviously have sex and condoms should be provided in school, the parents were saying it sends the wrong message.
At least they're trying to present both sides albeit completely sabotaging the one. BUT even with the half-attempt at an abstinence message, the commercials (and music video) that followed sent a VERY different message.
Another episode (this one also, surprisingly about 'love' and sex) and another music video follow. It's then that I realize this commercial batch of four of five commercials are ALWAYS THE EXACT SAME! Music video, a "Degrassi moment" (the hottest lip-locking moment) a commercial for the Jonas Brothers CD, a tampon commercial, a preview for "The hottest movie this summer", Step Up and a "Creek Speak 101" where we find out exactly what all the 'big' words Joey Potter and her friends use mean in every day language (and don't forget about the Dawson's Creek marathon NEXT WEEKEND!).
This disturbed me. How do kids even stand a chance if this is what "everybody watches"? Degrassi was fairly tame at least in the beginning episodes where everyone is still in Jr. High. But I saw glimpses of some very serious later episodes. How do I expect to set my kid up for success in the dicey arena of abstinence and purity when THIS is the kind of TV 'all the kids' watch? And these are the kind of commercials they're practically brain washed with every break? How do I remain sensitive to her need to fit in and be cool and relevant without letting her watch trash and be fed garbage video and commercials?
What a scary world teens are in now. What will 8-10 years bring???
I am contemplating tossing our TV into the street and moving "off the grid."
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6 comments:
I agree, it's hard to even flip the channels in the evening with the kids in the room! I shudder to think about what our kids will have to deal with. I was thinking that we could wait and have "the talk" with our kids when they were 12 or so. Apparantly not, as 7 out of 10 kids will engage in sexual activity by the age of 13!!!! AHHHHHH! So I hear ya, and if you want to start a commune, we're in!
Oh girl!! That's digusting.
Maybe we can buy an island somewhere.
First off, Evy a kindergartener? whoa, when did that happen??? Here in Florida, Kindergarteners go all day to school, I can't imagine sending Adalai next year to school ALL day....eek....As for the TV, throw the thing out, that's what I say. One of the "coolest" girls in my school in the *ahem* 90s didn't have a TV and while she suffered some ridicule, she did still manage to be one of the "coolest" girls in school, granted she wasn't a virgin after 9th grade, but these days that's considered a major success.....another eek.....As for our kids, they have a chance and a hope and a future just simply because we as their parents know and love Jesus, it's a trust walk from here on out for sure, but they have a better chance than pagan sally sue down the road's kids....You can do it with lots of prayer and petition before the Lord.
Oh and STOP WATCHING NOGGIN.....jeppers, I could have told you that one....LOL......love ya ~Ang
yes, i hear all about how bad the new degrassi is. (i confess, i watched it when i was in elementary school. at that time, it aired on PBS)
working with teens, and now panicking about my own little girl and things like music content, television and other kids in general- here is what i have come to: IF there is a show, when the time comes, that "everyone" is watching, and Gen feels really left out because she doesn't see it, then we will sit down and watch it with her. It keeps the lines of communication open and educates rather than shelters....
does that make sense? (although you know me, i am a big time advocate of tv in moderation...)
and congrats on Evy the pm kindergartner! see you in the carpool line :)
Let's doooo it Mindy. Our husband's have had control of our TV's for way too long and we have sat idly by and let it happen. Let's stage a coup and take hostage the televisions! Forget burning the bras (not that anyone would want me to anyway), lets burn the tellies!!
Mindi, Just throw the TV 'toward' the street... I'll pull my van up with the doors open and see if I get lucky! :)
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