Writer's Workshop: A Children's Program

In a deep desire to attempt to get my blog out there and to have more people come and read my random, left of center thoughts, I have decided to start getting in on Mama Kat's writer's workshops to have a little fun! If you haven't already looked into her blog, I would! She has one of the funniest personalities I have come across in a long time, and to top it off... she's having fun!

The prompt asked of a child's toy or television show around these days that I just don't understand. Since I am not a mommy (yet) and that is not in my near future, I have to admit that I haven't really been keeping up on kids toys and television shows that are out there. Don't get me wrong, I adore cartoons and probably always will, but once the newer shows like Drake & Josh, iCarly, Hannah Montana, and shows of that nature started becoming popular I started to get a little bored. I am partial to shows from my childhood (Pete & Pete, Ren & Stimpy, Rugrats, Doug, All That, Are You Afraid of the Dark, e.t.c.), but started finding shows like Spongebob Squarepants, Danny Phantom, All Grown Up, and shows like that cute. Of course they were no comparison to what I grew up with (let's face it, my generation is pretty awesome) but they were cute and "safer" for the new generation. At least they were safer until we all started paying attention to what they were offering.

Once Hannah Montana, Drake & Josh, iCarly, and other shows of that nature started being aired, I began noticing that these 11 - 13 year old children were being dressed up in adult clothing, dolled up in a lot of makeup, and being placed in very adult situations that are made to look cool, popular, and what "every little kid needs to experience to be able to become an adult." It started to bother me... a lot in fact. I know a 12 year old cheerleader (a sister of a friend of mine) that weighs about 70 pounds that constantly fasts because she's "too fat because her cheer leading coach said she's too big to be the girl tossed in the air." Of course that teacher did not tell her she was too fat, she just told her that she was too tall and had great muscles and that she was fabulous at being one of the guards. That's it...

Television shows these days, media, social interactions, and the way we promote independence to children these days is dangerous. It is very, very dangerous and filled with the message that it's cooler to be dumb so that you don't look like a nerd. It's extremely important to have Coach purses. Uggs, Prada, Chanel, iPhones, $100 t-shirts, and all of that garb at the ripe old age of 11. It's very important to come across popular and spend less time learning.

I'm concerned. I'm concerned and I'm hoping that parents are seeing this and are actively trying to make their children understand that it's alright to watch theses shows but to realize their flaws and lack of reality. I hope... I sincerely hope.