Raising MediaWise Kids
American children now spend over 44 hours a week in front of a screen
- more than any other activity except sleeping. In this presentation,
our speakers combine the latest discoveries in brain science with
up-to-date research and data to explore the power and impact of video
games, the Internet and television in shaping norms, attitudes and
behaviors. We will pay particular attention to the impact of media
on academic performance, health and wellness, and discuss how media
create and nourish a "culture of disrespect." We will explore
ways to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities media offer
our kids while minimizing the danger and risk. Our speakers will explain
why it is crucial to pay attention to the role of media in children's
lives and share concrete strategies for communicating with and staying
connected to kids in the media age.
How Do I Parent In An On-Line World?
MySpace, YouTube, AOL Instant Messenger, Google video, and Facebook.
These are just a few of the new online sites that are wildly popular
among young people. As kids gain Internet access on cell phones, portable
gaming devices and more, they end up spending as much time in an online
world as in the real one. In this presentation, our speakers discuss
the powerful role of the Internet in young people's lives. We will
describe the promise and peril of the Internet as we discuss new risks
posed by an unregulated online environment, from online predation
to addiction to cyberbullying. Finally, we will offer concrete strategies
for helping kids take advantage of the amazing opportunities the Internet
offers while minimizing danger and risk.
Are We Creating a Culture of Disrespect? Values and Attitudes
in the Media
Whoever tells the stories defines the culture. That isn't new. What
is new is that we have delegated more and more of the storytelling
function to mass media. Some of the media take the art to new heights.
Too many, however, specialize in dishing out heaping servings of
violence, mayhem and degradation. In this presentation we will discuss
the role of the media in creating and nourishing a "culture
of disrespect" among young people. Combining the latest discoveries
in brain science with cutting-edge research, we will discuss how
media stories of disrespect, sex, and violence in television, video
games and online affect our kids and what we can do to help our
kids become MediaWise.
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