Name: Tess
Home: St. Louis
Pro-Banana Propaganda
or, Why Ben Is Not Allowed To Watch Commercials
Lately, Ben has been asking to watch the season premiere of Sesame Street during his TV time. He loves Abby Cadabby, the new muppet, and has been pretending to have his own magic wand. I didn't realize the other segments were having much of an impression on him, until he started asking for bananas.
In one short episode, Carolyn and Christopher have a snack. The first day, Carolyn has cake and Christopher has a banana. Later, when they're playing, Carolyn runs out of energy. The next day, they both have bananas for snack, and they both have lots of energy to play.
I was perfectly happy to get Ben bananas when he requested them; he liked them as a baby, but started refusing them as a toddler. But it wasn't enough for him to eat a banana--he wanted me to eat one too. In fact, he wanted us both to sit side by side at the table, just like Carolyn and Christopher. We have now done this two mornings in a row.
I'm happy that Sesame Street's pro-banana propaganda has succeeded in broadening Ben's food choices. At the same time, it reinforces my decision not to let him watch commercials on TV. I remember once when I was pregnant, I went to the YMCA on a Saturday morning and watched the TV with the sound off. The commercials horrified me. First I saw a shot of sad kids; then Ronald McDonald bounds in with happy meals for all! After that, bored kids sit around the living room--but in bursts the Kool-Aid guy and everyone is having a blast! With no sound, I could see the powerful messages in commercial after commercial: Junk food will make you happy. You need to sit around until outside entertainment arrives.
Young kids are immensely susceptible to advertising because they are constantly absorbing the behavior and ideas they see around them. Other countries have banned advertising to young children; some companies, such as Kraft, have started to do so voluntarily. (Kraft does not advertise to children under 6, and has a new policy of only advertising its healthier foods to a 6- to 11-year-old audience.) Until more companies implement similar guidelines, though, we'll be watching PBS, DVDs, and skipping over the ads with TiVo.
Lately, Ben has been asking to watch the season premiere of Sesame Street during his TV time. He loves Abby Cadabby, the new muppet, and has been pretending to have his own magic wand. I didn't realize the other segments were having much of an impression on him, until he started asking for bananas.
In one short episode, Carolyn and Christopher have a snack. The first day, Carolyn has cake and Christopher has a banana. Later, when they're playing, Carolyn runs out of energy. The next day, they both have bananas for snack, and they both have lots of energy to play.
I was perfectly happy to get Ben bananas when he requested them; he liked them as a baby, but started refusing them as a toddler. But it wasn't enough for him to eat a banana--he wanted me to eat one too. In fact, he wanted us both to sit side by side at the table, just like Carolyn and Christopher. We have now done this two mornings in a row.
I'm happy that Sesame Street's pro-banana propaganda has succeeded in broadening Ben's food choices. At the same time, it reinforces my decision not to let him watch commercials on TV. I remember once when I was pregnant, I went to the YMCA on a Saturday morning and watched the TV with the sound off. The commercials horrified me. First I saw a shot of sad kids; then Ronald McDonald bounds in with happy meals for all! After that, bored kids sit around the living room--but in bursts the Kool-Aid guy and everyone is having a blast! With no sound, I could see the powerful messages in commercial after commercial: Junk food will make you happy. You need to sit around until outside entertainment arrives.
Young kids are immensely susceptible to advertising because they are constantly absorbing the behavior and ideas they see around them. Other countries have banned advertising to young children; some companies, such as Kraft, have started to do so voluntarily. (Kraft does not advertise to children under 6, and has a new policy of only advertising its healthier foods to a 6- to 11-year-old audience.) Until more companies implement similar guidelines, though, we'll be watching PBS, DVDs, and skipping over the ads with TiVo.
posted by Tess | 6:32 AM
2 Comments:
Don't we call them shovels now?
I do dislike the "commercials" for Chuck E Cheese and McDonald's, but I'm not always quick enough to turn them off.
And it's Pampers. Ben requested that ad by name for a while.
This is why we like Noggin for John's limited TV time (no commercials)...
I can just picture you and Ben sitting side-by-side, fueling up with BANANAS!
PS - my son thinks all waffles are Eggos.. (brand name recognition)
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