Wholesome Hypnosis
Shotgun Daddy | August 24Ah, summer time. Any dedicated Super Dad worth his cape will tell you that it’s time to plan trips to every museum and zoo within a hundred miles, stage impromptu twilight bug hunts in the backyard, take weekly hikes at the local nature center, and generally make every waking moment an educational experience that your child will never forget.
For the rest of us, though, the days between June and September are the longest of the year, and not just because they really are the longest days of the year, if you know what I mean. Sure, we did our share of fun things — two separate week-long vacations, a day at the county fair, a few trips to Friday evening concerts in the park — but the one opiate which never failed (as Kemp writes below) was television.
For the most part, our children have played in the shallow end of the television pool, choosing things like Cailou, Between the Lions, and Arthur. All harmless. This summer, though, our seven-year-old daughter has discovered the Disney Channel.
I first became concerned when she was watching a show called Phil of the Future. This particular episode revolved around the teenage son (Phil) and his efforts to avoid the devastating humiliation that would surely result as his father planned a performance of folk music at a school assembly. As I watched my daughter watching the show, I was first amused that she had no context to understand this universal theme. At this point in her life, there’s really nothing in the world I could do to embarrass her, and if I were to do a song and dance in front of all of her friends, that would be just about the coolest thing ever.
And that’s when it hit me. The good people at Disney were teaching my daughter that she should be embarrassed by me.
The next lesson came with High School Musical 2. Somehow we had managed to keep the first edition out of our house, but we caved in to the hype surrounding the sequel and watched both movies last weekend. The movies themselves are fine. They include a lot of really positive messages (be true to your friends; follow your dreams; don’t fall for stereotypes) and the ethnic diversity shown in the cast and their relationships is refreshing.
But should we be allowing our seven-year-old daughter to watch a movie which is essentially a watered-down romantic comedy with a few catchy tunes thrown in for fun? And the bigger question, should Disney be producing films with romantic themes and aiming them at elementary schoolers?
To be fair, the relationship between the two lead characters could not be more wholesome. They hold hands and there’s a peck on the cheek, but all of their attempts at a real kiss are interrupted (at least until the final scene of the sequel). But as my daughter sat in front of the TV, I wondered about the seeds that were being planted. How long would it be before she started talking about cute boys? How long before she was holding someone’s hand and blushing over a kiss on the cheek?
Don’t get me wrong, here. I realize that these messages come from everywhere in our society; I have no axe to grind with Disney. Our youngest daughter is in love with Minnie Mouse, our son’s face lights up when he puts on his Woody pajamas, and we visit Disneyland at least five or ten times a year. In short, we tithe the ten percent expected of all Southern California residents.
So I’ve got no problem with Disney, but it just so happens that my daughter has been drinking their Kool-Aid all summer long, and I’m wondering if I should be concerned. If only we had gone to the museums instead…
I bet we’ve taken our five-year-old to a dozen museums in the last year. Since we don’t have cable Disney isn’t an option, except via DVD’s which we buy or check out from the library. I know there will be time enough for the Kool-Aid…
Disney is something. On one hand they make films that keep kids occupied for 90 minutes allowing us parents to take a break. On the other hand they don’t skimp on violence (have you seen the Lion King 1 and 2?) or the sex (Tinkerbell is hot). I’ve protested Disney for years (clothing and music CDs are still not allowed in my home) though not as strongly as in the past. All that to say that I think your concern may be warranted, but is it the price we have to pay for a few minutes of peace and quiet?
Ah. Coming from a “DisneyLAND” addict I can understand your delema. I love DisneyLAND, but have total issues with their blatent advertising to the under12-underoo set. I have issues with dead mothers in almost every movie and, you bet, with the expectation of the teen vs. goofy parent theology that is constantly present. We watched A LOT of National Geo tapes. Now you have things like Planet Earth and other great, non commercial dvds that kids will eat up. Heck, there’s the surgery channel! Kids love (educational?)gore.
I, as AAD above, loathe commercialism and avoid the wearing of ANY brand, displaying it in my home or surroundings and toting it on my or my children’s shoulders. When the offspring were little we did very little brand t.v. or entertainment/media. I was a PBS- tree hugging- nonGMO treat- kuum by yah- mom and my kids made out o.k. Seriously, the whole teen issue at our house was moot. They were great kids. They did teen stuff, but we all got along fine without smart talk and fits of rage or someone going gothe on us…not that there’s anything wrong with that. : )
Now, they are older. One married a “Princess” in every stretch of the word. Another d-i-l a beach babe, and the other WAY subtle and rarely voices audible speech. To each his own I guess. Oh, and the two girls like nice things, but loathe BRANDs and Designers. Something got through.
My point is that “it” (the evils of societal commercialism and influence) is everywhere around us. Dead mother faery tales can be filtered via the occasional trip to a dead dinosaur and lots of chatting. Watching an imbicilic father and a way cool teenbot can be entertaining but not the norm in your home if you teach them to feel otherwise.
Keep your sanity, just keep talking to them about how life *really* is in your home, and what *you* all value and see as “normal”.
There are reasons I call Disney the evil empire… they have ways of making you use their products…
Bossy has recently been spoon-fed High School Musical 2 until she needs to barf.
You know what, the second High School Musical did bother me a little.
The first one was really innocent, because the kids didn’t kiss or didn’t get too “touchy”, the 2nd didn’t stay true to that.