My 3-year-old granddaughter awoke in the middle of the night crying: “I want Elmo˳” We laughed˳ Weeks later she awoke yelling: “I want Elmo NOW!”
Kids are being programmed to lust after products, to “need” them˳ Cradle-to-grave marketing targets everyone, even toddlers and babies˳ Between the ages of 2 and 11, a time of intense brain development, children see more than 25,000 advertisements a year on T˳V˳ alone˳
Children are learning that everything is about me, and about me now˳ They are being taught to nag their parents until they get what they want˳ The authority of parents is being usurped˳ When exhausted parents give in, traditional values are challenged, weakened, and undermined˳
Before the days of marketing to children, citizenship was taught in schools˳ In fact, my report card included grades for the 3 Rs, and also for Citizenship˳ Now civility, respect, and consideration of others have taken the back seat, and social problems have increased sharply˳
Narcissism has reached epidemic proportions˳ Furthermore, according to Community Matters, “bullying and other forms of mistreatment are occurring at younger ages, getting meaner, and becoming more acceptable in youth culture˳”
Companies spend $17 billion annually marketing to children, inundating them with advertising 24/7/365˳ This advertising pays off in $500 billion in purchases per year influenced by children˳ Yet, are there effects on our children’s mental health and well-being that can be considered “collateral damage” of materialism?
The media also encourages eating disorders, precocious sexuality, youth violence and family stress˳ Furthermore it contributes to children’s diminished capability to play creatively˳ Kids are not allowed to be kids anymore˳
I highly recommend a powerful, disturbing, and heartbreaking film: “Consuming Kids: the Commercialization of Children”˳ It should be required for every adult who cares about kids˳ Please watch this 5 minute trailer for Consuming Kids: http://www˳youtube˳com/watch?v=maeXjey_FGA˳
To find out what you can do to save your own children watch this: http://www˳youtube˳com/watch?v=f_-q0bAj6ME˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?The-Effects-of-the-Media-on-Young-Children&id=5193927
