Archives for October 2006

The Electronic Pacifier: No TV under two!

Today I got a firsthand glimpse of the pacifier wars. And I'm not talking about "binky vs. blankie-n-thumb"… There’s an all out battle for parent's mindshare as consumer advocates like Dr. Susan Linn, co-founder of CCFC, face off with the electronic baby media empire, that's racking up well over a billion dollars in sales of Brainy Baby, Baby Einstein and … [Read more...]

Saw III Splatter Flick: Bloody Gimmicks

True confessions. I love Halloween. Hate horror films. And wouldn’t know Tobin Bell from a Toblerone, as I just don’t get the whole sadistic slasher genre. One week from today, SawIII launches a pre-Halloween hype fest, so parents of teens, take heed. Tobin Bell received a 2006 "Best Villain" nomination from MTV for his twisted role as ‘Jigsaw’ and … [Read more...]

Dove Love, “Daughters,” & Industry Backlash

Can’t get enough of the Dove blitz? You’re not alone. So far, about 9400 replies are posted on Dove’s Self Esteem Forum, plus another 2200 in their site's Body Image forum. There are some raw, jangled nerves out there, particularly the heart-wrenching comments coming from teens. Yeah, yeah, Dove is selling good will along with their soap. So what? Bravo! … [Read more...]

Dove’s surreal beauty: Time-lapsed, ‘must see’ TV

I'm not one to 'forward to a friend' very often, but Dove’s powerful new film is a one-minute click-n-send that I hope you’ll share with every tween, teen, and woman you know who’s been hammered by media & marketing’s distorted messages of unattainable beauty and body image. The light snaps on and cameras roll in time-lapsed frenzy as an … [Read more...]

The nature of tweens: Wired worlds & outdoor ed

Update 2013: National Parks Traveler reports NPS is considering adding Wi-Fi. This is a classic point/counter-point debate in terms of perpetuating the disconnect with nature or 'bridging' worlds w/safety-GPS techno tethers as modern day carabiners. Weigh in w/your thoughts? Here's more from Children and Nature Network. (Original Post 2006/Tweens and "Outdoor Ed") … [Read more...]