media and childhood

I know my kids watch to much television.  I am actually working on reducing our TV time.  I came from a large family.  I am the oldest of 7.  I am used to noise and lots of it.  So I usually just leave the TV on.  If the kids watch whats on then they watch it. I try to have it on appropriate shows for their ages.

I am currently participating in a free online conference called Feed, Play, Love.  If you are interested sign up its free.  They have live conversations set at certain times by experts in that topic.  It is amazing.  The conversations are available for 48 hours for free.  I missed the first 3 and am so bummed because the 2 I have listened to were amazing.  They are selling them on mp3 but even thou it is not expensive I don't have any extra money right now! Bummer. ( I did not get paid nor was I asked to say all that.  I really think it is awesome and if you read this post you should check it out. Plus its free!)

Anyways yesterdays talk (I just listened to it) was about media and its effects on kids.  I know to much TV isn't good and have been concerned for some time.  I didn't know exactly how bad it really is and why until now!  Now I am really worried to how do I know if the supposedly educational programming I do allow my kids to watch really is beneficial!  That is my biggest question because I will cut down TV time.  Now I plan on having set times the TV will be on. I still control what they watch to.  Most of what I allow is Disney Jr and nick Jr.  They (Disney & Nick) advertise these programs as being "like preschool on TV", but is it really?  What am I teaching them by letting them watch these shows?

I have started paying closer attention to the shows they watch and the list of banned shows has grown, but others concern me.  For example look at some Disney movies (step mothers are always evil, bad guys are always dark and ugly, good are always light and pretty)!  After watching the Princess and the Frog my 4 year old (Evie) had nightmares!  I should have watched it first, and I would not have allowed her to watch it.  Way to scary for a young child. 

In our society today media is everywhere and everything.  How do you escape it or limit it successfully? Are there really any good shows?  What am I teaching my kids really? One thing I know for sure they are not getting what I want them to get out of these shows.  It does give me a break now and then which is good for my sanity!  I think at this point we are seriously gonna consider scaling back even more than I had already done!  Perhaps we will return the DVD players for the car!  (Maybe not a quiet car trip is really a necessity!)