BRATTLEBORO — It would be difficult to exaggerate the reshaping of childhood that has taken place over the last 25 years. Those who do not have young children in their lives may find it hard to believe that the changes are more than the usual generational divide. Time magazine shrugs off the concerns of parents and educators about the remaking of Dora the Explorer (shorter skirt, longer legs, longer hair) as the predictable reaction of overprotective parents.
However, parents, caregivers, and teachers of young children know that something powerful is going on. They are confronted by a profound transformation in the way children play. Parents see a dizzying array of toys and clothing that attempt to make their children “older younger.” They share stories of shopping for underwear for a little girl who is only just potty trained and finding a thong as one of their choices.
Marketers have increased their exploitation of boys' natural fascination with war play to sell violent toys and games. Some third graders beg for a cell phone because “everyone is texting.” The stuffed animal gift from a relative has a link to online play.
While this seems benign on the surface, the question remains: what happens when a young child habitually plays online for long periods? What kind of developmentally appropriate play does that replace? There are concerns about children spending their lives disconnected from nature. Underfunded early childhood programs have advertising in their classrooms and on their books. Book fairs are no longer principally about books.
Families without televisions are not immune. Birthday parties and holidays bring gifts that they would not buy themselves. Their children go to other homes where there is more involvement with commercial media. A child who has never seen a television program knows its plot in detail because of conversations with her classmates. Those families who limit their watching to videos find that product-placement advertising and toys that are spawned from the video lead to their child's desire for certain toys or games.
How did we get into this situation? The Media Education Foundation documentary Consuming Kids, which will be shown free on Wednesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. at the Marlboro Graduate Center, is a good place to find the answer. It reveals the underpinnings of deregulation as well as that of the advertising industry's increased focus on very young children.
Leading researchers and educators give insight into the impact of the commercialization of childhood and the role of parent and society in providing remedies. Called “Powerful, disturbing and heartbreaking” by Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia, it is also empowering, since it heightens awareness of the unprecedented focus of advertisers on young children and their families. There will be a discussion after the film and resources for further information and action.
This screening of Consuming Kids is cosponsored by Know Media, Healthy Media Choices, Windham Child Care Association, and Marlboro College Graduate School.