The document discusses the changing role of children in family purchasing decisions. It notes that children now have more influence over purchasing decisions through tactics like "pester power" where they nag their parents to buy items. Marketers are directly targeting children through advertising and creating brand loyalty at a young age. However, there are also challenges for marketers around marketing to children ethically as they are exposed to thousands of commercials through various media. The emergence of children as decision makers in families offers both challenges and opportunities for companies to understand and target this new market segment.