Protecting Our Children from Media Influences

Parenting is a tough job. Let's face it, you can't watch your kids every hour of every day and you also can't control everything they see and hear. As a kid, I was exposed to many things that a child should not have been exposed to. The same can be said for the youth of today. With the raunchy music videos and explicit lyrics in many of the songs that are seen and heard on television and radio, kids are learning from the wrong examples. Thankfully, I had a mother who set a good example and being independent minded, I wasn't heavily influenced by what I saw on television or heard on the radio.

In this new age of technology with cell phones and the internet, negative images, misogynistic videos and lyrics, racial slurs, sex, drugs, violence, and blatant disrespect are being fed to kids quicker than it takes to send a text message. Little boys are growing up thinking it's cool to be pimps and playas and disrespect women. Little girls are growing up thinking she needs to have sex with a boy in order to get him to love her. The images of our children are far too mixed up and it's up to us, parents and society, to try to instill the proper messages in our children.

Thinking back to an old Whitney Houston song, "The Greatest Love of All," I think of the lyrics "I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride..." This is the message we need to be feeding our children rather than having them think it's ok to "drop it like it's hot." The saddest thing is when I see parents, usually younger parents encouraging their kids to mimic the dances and sing the songs they are seeing in these videos. They think that it's cute. However, it is far from cute. It's not cute that many of these kids who are heavily influenced by this sort of thing will end up having babies at a young age or dropping out of school. It's also not cute when a little boy is referring to women as bitches or hoes before he's old enough to tie his shoes.

So where does it start? It starts right at home. If you allow your child to use profanity in front of you or watch things you don't approve of you aren't doing anything to change their behavior. For starters, you are the parent and it is perfectly fine to put your foot down. If you don't approve of something your child is watching, don't let them watch it. Don't buy them music that has explicit lyrics or allow them to watch videos on television. I know it's impossible to monitor your children all the time but you can lay down some ground rules for your children to follow. If you catch them breaking these rules don't be afraid to punish them. Many people don't even have cable television because of much of the things they show on there is inappropriate for children. You have to teach your children about having respect and values. Don't just teach them to respect you, teach them to respect themselves. Let them know that there is a world of opportunity out there and that they can be anything they want to be. They don't have to be a rapper in order to be successful. They can be teachers, doctors, lawyers, astronauts, pilots, engineers, police officers, or whatever else they put their mind too.

Get your children involved in extracurricular activities such as sports, music lessons, or karate. If they don't have anything extra going on, it's no surprise when they go home and head straight for the television or computer. Also, don't let your kids walk around half dressed or using profanity in your house. Even if they did buy their own clothes, you are still the parent and you don't have to let your child walk around in skimpy clothes or with their pants hanging off of their behind. It's up to the parents to restore discipline in their home. Success grows out of discipline, not out of chaos. Parents have to provide their children with alternative experiences than those they will get from their peers. Don't be afraid to talk to your children. If you don't talk to them they are just going to listen to what their peers tell them which most likely won't be the best advice. Teach them the dangers of smoking, using drugs, and having sex. I've known some girls who actually thought they couldn't get pregnant the first time they had sex. Sex education is something parents should teach their kids. Don't rely on the schools to do it and certainly don't rely on your child to learn on their own. If they know the facts they will be able to make better and much more informed decisions.

Although many parents don't like the culture that their children are being exposed to through the media, they should educate themselves about it so that they can effectively talk to their children about the positive and negative aspects of it. Not all music portrays a negative message. All music doesn't glorify sex, drugs, violence, or money. Let your children know that they will have to make choices based on what they value in life. Encourage your child to read and educate themselves. Every spare moment shouldn't be spent in front of the television or computer screen. Be sure that your child knows the difference between what's real and what's not. Never just assume that just because your child is smart or has reached a certain age that they know all of the things they should know. The most important thing that can and should be done is to establish and open line of communication with our kids. Let them know that it's ok for them to come to us with their problems or questions and be sure that you stay involved in your child's life.