Whoever tells the stories defines the culture,
and the dominant storytellers have become the
TV, video games, movies, and computer screens.
Is it any wonder then that too many of today’s
kids seem to expect life on a silver platter?
After all, our youngest generation dances to a
media drumbeat of messages saying “More,
Easy, Fast, and Fun.” And, advertisers aim
to keep them dancing. The youth demographic represents
an increasingly desirable market, which means
creating a nation of impatient impulse buyers
is the road to a better bottom line.
Unfortunately,
people have begun to notice another result of
this media exposure: a new epidemic engulfing
our kids. We call it “Discipline Deficit
Disorder.” The symptoms include disrespect,
impatience, inflated expectations, a sense of
entitlement, and out-of-control consumerism.
In response to this epidemic, we launched Minnesota
Say Yes to No, a statewide campaign led
by a coalition of more than a dozen parent, educator
and health organizations which will ignite powerful
community conversations across the state to help
raise successful, healthy and self-reliant kids.
The campaign offers parents tactics, explanations,
and examples for using No the right way with their
kids.
No isn’t just a word. It’s a strategy.
By saying No when we need to, we help children
learn the skills of self-discipline. By visiting
www.SayYestoNo.org,
parents can learn about ways to start the conversation
in their community, or join with others who have
already started the conversation. By working together,
communities, educators and parents can start to
tell our kids a new story.
Can Your Child Pass
the Marshmallow Test?
In a famous 1960s Stanford University experiment,
four-year-olds were given a marshmallow and a
choice: “You can eat this marshmallow now,
or if you wait to eat it until I come back, I
will give you a second one and then you will have
two.”
The
dilemma for the child boiled down to his or her
ability to delay gratification. What the researchers
found, over time, was that those children who
were able to wait at age four were more successful
in school, happier, and more competent at age
eighteen than those children who couldn’t
wait and gobbled up that marshmallow when the
researcher left the room.
Self-discipline, a key developmental skill, equips
kids with the competence they need to pursue healthy,
productive and successful lives. Parenting strategies
that work are at the core of our ability to teach
kids how to set limits.
through-U
- Families Become MediaWise®
Helps Kids Get a Smart Start
We all want our youngest children to have as many
opportunities to grow up healthy and happy as
possible. That’s why the National Institute
on Media and the Family created through-U - Families
become MediaWise, the MediaWise program for
early childhood.
The Problem
Every year, a growing body of research shows how
electronic media can have a huge impact on even
the youngest children. Screen time for infants
has been linked to later attention disorders and
seems to hinder development of essential skills,
including literacy development, motor skills,
and sensory development. Media use has also been
linked to the childhood obesity epidemic.
Other
research shows us just how important the first
years of life are. The latest research shows that
brain development is directly affected by experience.
With too much screen time, kids risk missing out
on the building blocks for later success.
The Solution
Parents and caregivers are children’s most
important first teachers. Our results show that
early involvement and education have a powerful
positive effect on the media habits of families
with young children. With the help of the through-U
- Families Become MediaWise program, parents
make informed decisions on screen time, ratings,
and content which leads to increased parent and
child interaction, and a family environment that
can improve and build strong families.
through-U - Families Become MediaWise offers
communities training and information, including
videos, activities, tip sheets, and easy-to-understand
science, to help parents help their kids become
MediaWise and ready for school in their first
years. Age-appropriate solutions for infants,
toddlers and pre-K kids encourage parents to consider
their children’s early development. Three
hour-and-a-half long sessions train parents and
caregivers in the through-U - Families Become
MediaWise basics. Videos on topics such as
Violence in Video Games, Barney vs. Power Rangers,
Brain Power, and Jolts & Tricks provide more
a more in-depth understanding of specific issues.
Getting
a Smart Start in Your Community
Eager to start through-U - Families
Become MediaWise in your community? You can
start by e-mailing mreaganmontiel@mediafamily.org,
or by calling 1-888-672-KIDS. And when you’re
planning your 2008 speakers, please consider an
Institute expert on through-U - Families Become
MediaWise.
For more information on through- U - Families
Become MediaWise, type
www.mediawise.org/earlychild into your Web
browser and click on the links to find information,
tools, multimedia and more, including:
A Video Introduction from Dr. David Walsh
– In this short streaming video, Institute
founder David Walsh, Ph.D. introduces viewers
to the complex issue of early childhood education
and the innovative solution offered by through-U
- Families Become MediaWise in his
down-to-earth style.
Interactive TotSmart® Quiz– TotSmart
offers a quick tool for parents wondering
if they are providing their young children
with a smart start. These insightful questions
and useful tips help parents think about how
to help kids start out MediaWise.
Screen-Free Activities Suggestions –
These tip sheets include suggestions for infants,
tots, and pre-K kids designed to develop motor,
literacy, sensory, and cooking skills.
You can help us help families
Future research and outreach efforts would not be possible
without continued support.
The Institute accepts donations via mail, telephone, and
online:
Editor:
Monica Walsh
Writing and Design:
New School Communications
National
Institute on Media and the Family
606 24th Avenue South, Suite 606, Minneapolis,
MN 55454 Toll-free 888.672.5437 Fax 612.672.4113 Web site www.mediafamily.org
Individuals and organizations are encouraged
to print and distribute copies of this newsletter.
Please call for permission to republish any
of this material.
The Institute’s mission is to maximize
the benefits and minimize
the harm of media on children and families
through research, education, and advocacy.
Unfortunately,
people have begun to notice another result of
this media exposure: a new epidemic engulfing
our kids. We call it “Discipline Deficit
Disorder.” The symptoms include disrespect,
impatience, inflated expectations, a sense of
entitlement, and out-of-control consumerism.
The
dilemma for the child boiled down to his or her
ability to delay gratification. What the researchers
found, over time, was that those children who
were able to wait at age four were more successful
in school, happier, and more competent at age
eighteen than those children who couldn’t
wait and gobbled up that marshmallow when the
researcher left the room. 
Other
research shows us just how important the first
years of life are. The latest research shows that
brain development is directly affected by experience.
With too much screen time, kids risk missing out
on the building blocks for later success. 
