WATCH: Oh, Kmart!
Pamela Poole: Talk About a Choking Hazard! What I Never Expected to…
On the offensive against advertising
Filed under: Preschoolers, Big Kids, Places To Go, Media, That's Entertainment
We've tried to limit the kids' exposure to television ads by only letting them watch commercial-free channels, but that seems nigh impossible these days. Even the venerable PBS has what seems like fifteen minutes of ads between shows. How persuasive marketing is became very clear recently when we were at Costco and Jared said we needed to get a Swivel Sweeper.Now, I'd never heard of the Swivel Sweeper, but apparently Jared had -- enough that he was convinced that we needed one. (What we really need is a whole cleaning service, but that's another story.) Naturally, Jared's conversion to being a Swivel Spokesman concerned me, but I wasn't sure what to do about it. Now, however, I have a plan.
The website Get Rich Slowly has an article about exactly this topic. Lisa Tiffin has two twin boys and faced a similar situation. Her solution was extremely simple and apparently very successful. She simply explained some basic economics -- companies need to sell things -- and then started asking her sons if they thought that products did what their advertisements said they did.
She knew this approach worked when she found the pair soaking paper towels and seeing whether or not they could support their toys in that condition, like the ads said they could. I hope I can be just as successful with Jared and Sara; I think I am going to talk to them about this right away.
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
RelatedVideos
-
Surrogate Mom Loves Being Pregnant
There are many misconceptions about the dollars & cents involved in third-party reproduction. Treating infertility can be both expensive and emotionally difficult for couples in need. Surrogates and egg donors weigh in on joys and the obstacles. Guest Sara Chinn shares her story.
-
Why Parents Should Change Their Approach To Feeding Their Children
Some studies indicate that typical American parenting methods are, well, backwards when compared to techniques more common in other parts of the world. So, what does the research suggest about the outcomes of our parenting methods? Guest Christine Gross-Loh joins to discuss.
-
Choosing the Best Summer Camp for Your Child
Summer camp memories can last a lifetime. So how do you choose the right camp for your kids?
-
Dr. Phil's Advice to a Workaholic Dad
Does your spouse constantly check work e-mails and texts, when he or she should be spending time with the family? Dr. Phil offers advice to one mom who says her husband is married to his work.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
3-06-2008 @ 2:42PM
Linda said...I like the suggestion in your post; however another idea is to invest in Tivo. My daughter doesn't see commercials since I can fast forward through them. In fact as soon as a commercial appears on the television she screams "Mommy, move the TV forward!"
Reply
3-06-2008 @ 5:25PM
Jen Henry said...I'm not trying to sound like a 'goody two shoes' but we ended up getting rid of cable last over a year ago and haven't missed it! We ended up doing it for financial reasons when paring down the expenses we REALLY needed in our budget. We still have a tv and we use the $9.95 a month Netflix instead. The kids do watch DVDs, but a 30 minute DVD has a definite start and finish. We do have shows that we enjoy, like Lost, so we just catch the episode the next day online.
I didn't realize what a big advertising impact it had until we were visiting my Mom and the kids kept getting mad because they thought someone kept shutting off their shows every time an ad break came on.
The down side however, is that I need to teach them what to do with ads and commercials and I am missing an opportunity.
However, I don't miss the ads either, or the asking for stuff that comes with it. They still get hit with enough subtle advertising as it is.
http://furoreandfrenzy.com
Reply
3-06-2008 @ 6:03PM
Katheryn said...Another option is to rent or buy tv shows. We have Old School Seseme Street, Little Einstein's, Mickey Mouse, and Backyardigans.
Reply
3-07-2008 @ 10:16AM
Monica said...While I agree that getting rid of ads for very young children is a good idea, I encourge everyone to expose their older kids to them with Lisa's suggestions. Kids need to learn the motivations of those who are trying to influence them before they leave home and are inundated with things we can't filter. The more time you have to teach them lessons the more likely they are to learn it.
Reply