Teachable Moment Alert!!

I received this information in a recent newsletter and I wanted to share it with my Safe Homes Parents!  I have recently sent you information on alcohol advertising and teachable moments.  This weekend will provide you with a great opportunity to use your new skills!

February 7, 2010, families across America (and worldwide) will be tuning in to watch this year’s NFL Super Bowl. Last year’s game was watched by 98.7 million Americans, making it the largest viewed television event ever.

But it’s not just about football. The Super Bowl is known for its commercials almost as much as it is for the game itself. Of that wide viewing audience, about 18% will be youth under 21. If your child is one of them, he or she will be exposed to alcohol advertising.

Why the concern? Research shows that the more youth are exposed to alcohol in advertising, the more likely they are to consume alcohol underage (1). During last year’s game, a beer company not only took top vote for producing the overall favorite commercial, but also earned the “Top Advertiser” title with more commercial time than any other sponsor (2). This year will likely be no different.   

So if your child will be watching the Super Bowl, we encourage you to not only watch it with him or her, but to use the commercials as teachable moments, helping your child to understand and develop the ability to resist messages that should not be aimed at youth.

Here are some questions to ask your child to get the conversation started:

• What is this ad trying to sell you?
• Is this product healthy for you?
• How is this ad sponsor trying to get you to buy their product?
• How do you feel about the product now?

Teaching your child to “read between the lines” of advertisements is called media literacy (3). For more information on helping your child identify, analyze and evaluate media messages, please visit: www.ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/phd711/fivesteps.aspx.

Adapted from Know! - www.helpthemknow.com   

Sources: (1) Marin Institute, Alcohol Industry Watchdog, 2009. (2) The Nielsen Company, 2009. (3) US Dept. of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, 2009.

Published on February 5, 2010 at 4:37 pm | Permalink | 0 Comments

Parents Choice Awards - Best Teachable

Parent's Choice Awards for Best Teachable Moment - Vote Now!

Published on January 28, 2010 at 10:33 am | Permalink | 0 Comments

10 Resolutions That Show Your Kids You Care

10 Resolutions That Show Your Kids You Care:

1. Teach your children to trust you by seeing you as a role model.

2. Be patient, not just tolerant. Apologize when you make a mistake or do something you regret.

3. Ask teens what they need from you – and do whatever you can to meet those needs.

4. Listen to your teens, a lot. Avoid interrupting.

5. Teach your children about ethics, values and principles they can apply in choices and decision making.

6. Help them discover the feeling of gratitude, not just to say thank you.

7. Keep the promises you make. If you do not keep your word, acknowledge that. Help your teen understand the circumstances or choices that precipitated the change in your plans.

8. Answer your teen’s questions and be consistent. When you notice behavioral changes in them, make yourself available and encourage them to talk about what is going on in their life.

9. Be understanding when they have a difficult time and let them know you will love them no matter what.

10. Be diligent. Have ongoing conversations with your kids about the risks of drugs and alcohol.

Published by The Partnership for a Drug Free America - www.timetotalk.org

Published on December 22, 2009 at 3:03 pm | Permalink | 0 Comments

Alcohol Advertising Woes

     With all of this youth exposure to alcohol through the media, many parents feel that it is a major conflict with their goals of raising drug-free youth.  Overall, parents express strong disapproval of the various advertising practices commonly used by alcohol advertisers.  A recent survey conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) found: 

• 2/3 parents say that seeing and hearing alcohol ads made teens more likely to drink
• 3/4 parents feel that alcohol companies are not doing enough to limit the amount of alcohol advertising that teens are seeing

     The good news is that in a separate survey conducted by Washington State University researchers found that despite the strong media influence, parents play an important role in discouraging their teens from drinking.  The study showed that parents who take a critical position concerning television programming usually pass that on and their teens are less likely to drink.

     Help your teens see the fallacies of alcohol portrayals - discuss the untruths and the risks.

• Monitor their media. Restrict viewing to age appropriate hours. Place computers in areas of the home where you can monitor what they are doing. Listen to what they are listening to (no matter how painful it may be!) and screen their play lists. You cannot catch it all, but increase your awareness of what they are seeing and hearing.  Research any new movies they would like to see or television shows they watch regularly.
• Develop "media literacy". Take advantage of teachable moments by examining the underlying messaging. Discuss what they are seeing and hearing. Help them to understand marketing strategies. Encourage them to analyze what is being portrayed and conduct a comparison to your family values. Help your teens develop media literacy. 
• Pay attention to their behavior and appearance. Are they emulating what they see or developing a "brand loyalty"? It is never too late to step in and help them understand the influence of media on them.
• Monitor your own actions. Your teens are more likely to do as you do, than do as you say. Show your teen your media literacy by changing the channel or better yet discussing the context of the portrayal of alcohol in an advertisement, television show, movie, music video, etc. Pay attention to your reactions to brands you like or a message that appeals to you.
• Establish appropriate rules and monitor consistently.  Determine what is acceptable entertainment in your family.  Enforce and explain when violations occur.  Compromise when appropriate and after thorough research.

This is what the researchers are saying.....what are you doing in practice?  Share you ideas by leaving a comment!

Published on November 18, 2009 at 3:56 pm | Permalink | 0 Comments