Is Cable Good for Kids?

Photo from popcultureandamericanchildhood.com

Recently, I have been re-evaluating the influences I place around my children. It's pretty safe to say that there are poor images/actions/decisions everywhere you look, but that does not mean I cannot do my best as a mother to try and shield them from the constant bombardment about adult decisions. I hate to say it, but cable has been one of the #1 things I am starting to resist.

Think about it, even on family channels (unless it is the wonderful Disney Channel) the advertisements played send horrible messages. There is no need for my children to have innuendos shoved at them when they should be seeing innocent afternoon cartoons. Even if it were not for some of the lewd messages being hidden, I find myself being upset by the attitudes portrayed in cartoons.

For example, a few month's ago my daughter was watching Ni Hoa Kai Lan (which I used to be a huge fan of). In it, one of Kai Lan's friends made an offense against the Grandfather and got an attitude. A major attitude. In the end, everything was alright after the friend was told they could be mad, but needed to apologize in the end. I understand kids needing to be able to express their feelings, but there is no way (I repeat, no way) that it will ever be alright for my children to scream those feelings at me. So why should the cartoons they see say it is alright? Why do current shows for kids have the parents as a secondary character - and usually being laughed at? Even my beloved Disney Channel has taken flack for the ways some of the tween shows have been written, and I sadly agree that they have started to contribute to the problem.Yes, I know that we as parents are ultimately the ones teaching our children the proper way to act, but when we allow them to watch a show with negative behaviors, isn't that our way of excusing the actions to our children?

Another issue I am beginning to have is seeing the current generation so focused on being inside with their beloved cable and internet, that they have no idea how to play anymore. In this house, it takes constant prodding (and threats) to get my daughter to go outside. Once she has been out for a few minutes, she is in heaven and not wanting to come back in. As soon as playtime is over, though, she immediately asks for the TV or internet. I am aware that it is my fault she is so hooked to these things, as I used to see them as learning tools. It can be amazing to see her navigating the internet, reading, learning extra facts: The same can be said for watching National Geographic on cable. At what point, though, is it too much to keep in the house?

Growing up, my parents had no cable but did invest in a TV/VCR and provided me with a library card. With it, I spent many days trolling the library for new movies to rent (I was allowed to watch classic cartoons, educational films, anything Disney, and black and white films) and books to read. Since my parents did not allow the TV to always be on, it opened up a whole new world to me in books, the outdoors, and crafts. I wanted to understand how the things in my books worked and looked, so I was given the tools to try and see (ever want to get a 7 year old to be engrossed in a project, teach them how to make a feather quill and ink, and let them have at it). The old movies I was allowed to see showed strong family units, respectful children, and had clean humor. Not only that, but these movies were excellent teachers at how things used to be (lack of women's rights, anyone?) and seeing the great leap our society has taken in such a short time.

We have a weekly family night, which has been put on hold as we figure out my husband's new work schedule; but on those nights we watch the Disney Classics like The Ugly Dachsund and the Swiss Family Robinson. It is such a great way to unwind and just not worry about what might be coming next, and my children are starting to love these movies. Because of that, I believe I am making the decision to rid this house of cable once the Olympics are over (an event that I feel important for my kids to see). At that point, we will rely on the library, Netflix, church,  and other outside experiences to fulfill us.

So tell me, what is your take on cable and its influence on your children?