Having a hard time with trying to keep my kids-kids

[mmlsmom]

Am I alone in thinking that my 7 year old shouldn't be singing the "sexy lady" verse in that weird gangham style song. How did she even hear it? I have never even heard that song before! Am I alone in thinking my 4 year old shouldn't want tour of duty for Christmas? What even is that? We don't even have a game box of any kind! and how does my 2 year old want to play angry birds- I don't even have it on my phone??? They don't watch commercial TV so I know they are picking all this junk up from newspaper ads, school, daycare or where ever but whatever happened to kids staying kids as long as possible and what is wrong with me wanting that?

[need some diaps!]

Your not alone My sister and I just had this disagreement last night. I keep my kids home and she just thinks they are missing out on so much. Little kids are growing up so fast and I honestly don't feel that video games/iphones/12 activities are more important then playing and (more importantly) spending time with mommy

[keen1981]

My kids do not play video games that are not for CHILDREN. They would have to pick my dang jaw off the floor if they asked for a video game like that. Holy sheep. We also do not glorify the work my husband does. There will never be any combat games in my home. Ever.

So it can be done. I feel strongly about this. If you want your a children to not be allowed to sing the song or the game- simply explain why. My kids get it.

[Kiliki]

LOL. I agree!!!!

Personally, this is why I "shelter" my poor, deprived kids and they don't attend public school or daycare.

They can play at the park or museum under my direct supervision, or in the backyard, or with kids who I know.

B/c of exactly this reason. I *want* them to be different. And innocent.

( I know not every family has this option. Not looking for a debate. )

[dncnshu00]

Originally Posted by mmlsmom Am I alone in thinking that my 7 year old shouldn't be singing the "sexy lady" verse in that weird gangham style song. How did she even hear it? I have never even heard that song before! Am I alone in thinking my 4 year old shouldn't want tour of duty for Christmas? What even is that? We don't even have a game box of any kind! and how does my 2 year old want to play angry birds- I don't even have it on my phone??? They don't watch commercial TV so I know they are picking all this junk up from newspaper ads, school, daycare or where ever but whatever happened to kids staying kids as long as possible and what is wrong with me wanting that?

You are not alone! My 4 yo came home from daycare singing "I love you like a love song baby"....what on earth?!?! I had never even heard that song before! Ugh! She wants to be so grown up and I just want her to stay little for as long as possible.

[danner]

I'd like to offer some perspective, although I wholeheartedly agree. When I was a very little kid, it was really cool to have a transistor radio. It operated on batteries and was totally portable. I carried it around everywhere. The number one song on the radio (I assume it was anyway) was Hot Stuff by Donna Summer. I walked around singing it much to my mom's dismay.

I shelter my daughter from media because of the insidious cradle to grave marketing that pervades everything. Sex and violence is actually a secondary concern of mine, although I do address it when necessary.

[cheezpoofs]

I think those things are part of being a kid. They'll see and hear things before we want them to, but it's fine to redirect them and/ or tell them that they won't be getting that violent video game for Christmas because they aren't old enough, etc. It's a technologically-advanced world we live in now and you probably won't be entirely "successful" at completely sheltering your kids away from everything you would find unacceptable for them, and you'd probably make your kids resentful if you tried too hard to do so, honestly.

[Rhianna'sMommy]

To a degree video games are part of being a kid today. That doesn't mean your kid is missing out if you choose not to let them play them but they aren't growing up because they want to play video games.

My kids love angry birds. But more often than they play it on my ipad they set up out cardboard blocks and put 'pigs' (various stuffed animals) on them and shoot 'birds' at them (again various stuffed animals). They think this game is just as mich fun as the computer game. They've done similar things with other computer games - they set it up in real life and play it more hands on.

[Leah52]

Originally Posted by cheezpoofs I think those things are part of being a kid. They'll see and hear things before we want them to, but it's fine to redirect them and/ or tell them that they won't be getting that violent video game for Christmas because they aren't old enough, etc. It's a technologically-advanced world we live in now and you probably won't be entirely "successful" at completely sheltering your kids away from everything you would find unacceptable for them, and you'd probably make your kids resentful if you tried too hard to do so, honestly.

I agree. You can't shelter them from everything but when things come up they are good moments to enforce your family values.

[chandni3]

I'm going to try to shelter my kids. That's why they won't be going to public school, we don't have a TV, I do have to get my husband to stop listening to the radio at home though. My brother says my kids are going to be weird, and that's ok, I'm not sure I want them to be normal as per today's normal. Sure, there'll be stuff they get exposed to that I don't want, but at least they won't be bombarded. Of course, my daughter is only 1 and my second is still cooking, so we'll see if my expectations and reality line up.