For today, media messages to children that parents should be aware of:
Shaping Youth: Boys, Body Image and Sexualization: An Equal Opportunity Destroyer
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| Shaping Youth photo |
Christian Science Monitor: Disney bans junk-food ads, but seeks to brand “health” with Mickey Mouse.
“…just can’t shake the feeling that the glass slipper doesn’t quite fit.”
BuzzFeed: What are the messages to tween girls – ages 8 to 12 – in video games? Value placed on shopping, appearance, finding the right boyfriend.
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| Shopaholic video game picture from BuzzFeed |
University of Michigan study: “If you are a white girl, a black girl or a black boy, exposure to today’s electronic media in the long run tends to make you feel worse about yourself. If you’re a white boy, you’ll feel better.”
Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood: Ads for New Balance product embedded in storyline of book by Mike Lupica, writer of popular sports-themed books for children, published by Philomel Books.
Finally, this positive alternative:
GeekMom in Wired Magazine recommends great books with female leads for boys.
“Why should you encourage your son to read books with heroines? That’s easy. You want your son to grow up knowing that a strong female for a friend, wife or boss is normal and good. ”
Marketing, Media and Childhood 