Balancing Your Family's Media Diet

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Goal of talk is to combat a number of myths and assumptions that parents might have heard; give some practical & non-judgmental recommendations for ways to make media a healthy part of your family life.

TV: hypercommercial, mind-numbing, low quality. Use as DVD player as somehow superior.
Films: little psychological research aside from marketing; as commercial as TV
Books: quality is just as variable, physical passivity the same

Many anti-TV advocates imagine that television turns kids into passive zombies, absorbing messages like a sponge.
Kids can be taught how to view actively, and many programs demand such active viewing - early shows like Blue’s Clues and Dora the Explorer are designed to promote active engagement.

Media effects model seems persuasive if you read press accounts of studies; actual research is much more limited and circumspect. Similar links to obesity, learning disabilities are weak.
Actual research suggests that media is a relatively minor cause of violence compared to other factors (poverty, family violence, access to guns, diet)

Vermont has a high number of TV abstainers who are vocal in their judgmental condemnation. VPR anecdote. Treat TV as a public health crisis.
TV-free might be right for your family, but it’s not for most. It fails to teach kids how to engage with media thoughtfully & critically.
More on other strategies later.

Am Society of Pediatrics released this advice a few years ago, but it was based on very limited research from anti-TV advocates, not actual medical data.
I believe that any “absolutes” like this create more harm than good - guilt and anxiety for parents are more dangerous than moderate & age-appropriate viewing by toddlers.

The flip-side of guilt & anxiety is apathy - I grew up with few TV limits, and I turned out fine. But just because media is not a public health crisis doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter. We should engage with our kids and media, making choices that work for your family.

Television should not be background noise - it inspires a disengaged passive viewership, exposes kids to age inappropriate content. Choose when to have the television on, and decide who should be viewing.

By keeping TV out in the open, you’ll inspire more openness about what everyone is watching and create opportunities for conversations. TV in bedrooms typically create power struggles, secrecy, and uncritical consumption.

While you can’t always do it, the more you’re aware of what they’re watching, the more you can promote positive choices & prompt conversation.
You’ll discover how they watch, what they like, and help them become more critical and attentive viewers. Listen to their opinions & interpretations - it will help you understand how they consume media and why.
Create an atmosphere of lifelong media literacy

I’m a fierce advocate of the DVR as a parenting tool - we’ve had TiVo since becoming parents, and it transforms how kids treat TV. Provides a menu of programs that we’ve decided are appropriate, allowing choice within limits, not dependent on schedule. FF or use mute button during ads. Teach kids how to use system and they’ll develop healthy habits.

Media should not be an all-you-can-eat buffet - parents should set clear guidelines for what, when, and how long kids can watch. Strategic scheduling - while you’re making dinner, doing projects with other kids.

There is no single rule or policy that fits for every child - make your media parenting fit your kids and their specific needs

In the scheme of things, media use is much less of a “hazard” than a lot of people make it out to be. It matters, and you should make wise choices, but there are many more vital things to focus on for your children’s safety and education. The stress and anxiety that many parents feel about media outweighs any potential dangers that might come from watching a little TV.

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Balancing Your Family's Media Diet - Presentation Transcript

Balancing Your Family's Media Diet: Approaching Television and Other Media Jason Mittell Professor of Media Studies at Middlebury College Parent of three
Myth: Television is worse than other media
Myth: Television is worse than other media Reality: Every medium has its own strengths, limitations, biases, and possibilities
Myth: Watching television is passive
Myth: Watching television is passive Reality: All media can be consumed actively and critically
Myth: Violent media will make your kid violent
Myth: Violent media will make your kid violent Reality: Some media have limited effects on some viewers in some circumstances
Myth: Unplugging the TV is the only answer
Myth: Unplugging the TV is the only answer Reality: Abstinence-only is an unsuccessful strategy
Myth: Children under 2 should never watch TV
Myth: Children under 2 should never watch TV Reality: Kids of any age should watch age-appropriate programming in moderation
Myth: It’s just TV - I shouldn’t worry about it
Myth: It’s just TV - I shouldn’t worry about it Reality: Don’t worry, but think about it - be part of your kids’ media practices
Make “off” the default
Television belongs in family common rooms
Watch with your kids & talk about what you saw
Use technology to take control of media choices
Set-up a media diet of age- appropriate options, schedule, guidelines and limits
Every kid is different
Pick your battles and reject parental guilt!
Resources for Parents & Teachers • Common Sense Media: http://www.commonsensemedia.org • Media Awareness Network: http://www.media-awareness.ca • National Association for Media Literacy Education: http://namle.net