Oct 20 2008
Clean Thoughts, Clean Language
How do we begin teaching our children about clean thoughts and clean language? The media is inundated with filthy language and smut. Movies and T.V. shows that appear child and family friendly are not. Just because a movie or show is a cartoon, it doesn’t mean it is alright for children. Take Shrek for example. My kids occasionally ask to watch Shrek. They think it is a funny movie, but they don’t understand more than half of it. And it’s a good thing they don’t! The cartoon has many sexual innuendos and much foul language.
Shrek was marketed as a kid movie, complete with Shrek character toys, shirts, bowls and plates, shoes, hats, etc. The movie, which upon viewing is obviously meant for adults, is slammed into the faces of children.
What about after school or Saturday morning cartoons? They are filled with violence in a degree which I cannot understand. Yes, Saturday morning cartoons were violent when I was a kid, but they were nothing like they are today. As a kid I saw Wylie Coyote fall off a cliff after holding up a sign that said, “Help!” or Bugs Bunny bend Elmer Fudd’s rifle back on himself, giving Fudd a black face. These cartoons acknowledged they were cartoons, not real situations where they were trying to hurt one another.
Today’s cartoons are filled with a more graphic violence: the bad guys attempting to kill the good guys, the good guys trying to kill the bad guys. Fights involving hand to hand combat and extreme weapons are abundant.
We need to be aware of what our children are watching and moderate it better. We need to let Hollywood and the T.V. stations know what is acceptable in our homes and on our T.V.s and what isn’t. Don’t just assume because it’s a cartoon or because it came from Disney that it must be okay. Let our children know why certain shows are inappropriate and teach them to use clean language and to have clean thoughts. Let our children be children. Let’s not fill their minds with smutty thoughts and language.
We have pretty much stopped watching television as a family (except sports, that is) because it became too easy to stumble upon filth. Now my kids and I snuggle in my king-size bed and read at night. I’ts a much more peaceful way to end our day. It’s so easy to become desensitized, and I don’t want that happening to my children–or me.
We raised our child mostly without television. Our grandchild is being mostly raised without television.
However, our grandchild is being raised by two mommies, so you never know how children will be led stray.
Led “astray” I meant to say.
As we accept the two mommies, as grandparents we are probably the worst culprits in the whole matter.