TOADY Awards: Vote for Worst Toy and Inspire Change

Dec. 4, 2014 Every year I twist into a cartoon grimace and let out an “AAUGH!” like Charlie Brown when I scan the CCFC contenders on the TOADY "worst toys" list. (TOADY=Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young Children)As much as I try to flip my lens toward what’s making waves with worthiness, there’s always one on the list that makes me stop and vote, “oh, no they … [Read more...]

In-School Commercialism: A Back to School Checklist

Sept. 14, 2017 An update on the unhealthy cues sent to kids with BoxTops for Education, via Harvard Chan School of Public Health podcast  which nails the core problem quite succinctly. The program is "Leveraging poor school funding and caring parents to promote the purchase of poor quality foods." Also, here's fresh research on the Gatorade/hydration spin-spotting from the … [Read more...]

Look Up! Perfect Anthem for Screen Free Week

May 4-10, 2015 is Screen Free Week I'm being called for jury duty, so who knows where that lands...meanwhile, here's a links list below reprising resources to enjoy time out and about unplugged!Screen Free Week from May 5-11, 2014Every year I hear claims that in our "always on" culture, CCFC’s annual Screen Free Week has ‘jumped the shark’ in usefulness as digital dealings … [Read more...]

The Tooth Fairy Is Not A Brand. Parents…Arise!

Aug. 6, 2013 Update!  Honored to be accurately quoted in this pithy parenting prose by Heidi Stevens in The Chicago Tribune's thrilled to see all the parenting pushback on Twitter that CCFC put together in this 'Storify' synopsis! (New York Times also covered CCFC's efforts here) Keep at it, families...save our traditions and narratives from marketing greed!July 22, 2013 It’s … [Read more...]

CCFC: A Positive Pick, Even When Calling Out Negative TOADY Toys

Dec. 4, 2012 No question I continue to land hard on watchdogs that aren’t woofin’ when it comes to media and marketing’s impact on kids, but nobody does it better than Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC) with a solid lip curl and warning snarl before tearing the pants off of those without a corporate conscience focused on profiteering over public health…...So … [Read more...]