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?

Disney Style Family Movie Night

Photo from epicparent.tv

For a while now, I have been looking for a weekly family activity to do that will bring us all together, not cause fighting (can we say difficult with more than one child!), and is economical. In the beginning we tried family game night, but my son (age 3) had a very difficult time staying focused and understanding the rules and structure. 

Then, a few weeks ago, I decided to schedule a family movie night to was The Muppets. The kids and I had already seen the movie in the theater with their grandparents, but my husband had yet to see it, and I needed an excuse to rent it OnDemand. I decided to make a big deal with it in cooking a larger meal than normal, and serving it to the kids on the living room floor, and we all had a blast.

A few days later, my kids got to have a movie night with their grandparents and watched Peter Pan for the first time. I cannot tell you how much fun it was to share some of the movies I used to watch as a child with them in that type of setting. After Peter Pan ended, my son ran around pretending he was Peter Pan, and that he and his shadow were going to defeat the evil Captain Hook!

Since we started having movie nights, I have spent lots of time researching the old Disney classics to see how easy they are to purchase or rent. Amazon.com offers most of the old movies (such as Pollyana and Follow Me, Boys!) for only $1.99 to rent - also checked Netflix and iTunes for rentals (iTunes is a bit more on the spendy side).

It's so much fun making lists of movies to share, and until the kids are older it gives my husband and I an extra level to connect on shouting out different things we loved as kids. And, for now, it gives us all something to look forward to during the week. I hope it's something all of you will give a try too!

Kids and the Disney Legacy

l have to admit that as soon as I found out I was pregnant with our daughter, I immediately thought about all of the Disney movies I could not wait to share with my child. At the time, I was obsessed with the Aristocats, and my husband and I ran out and purchased a purple, stuffed Marie to put in the nursery.

After she was born, I promptly started the Disney induction by always having Playhouse Disney in the background, and only played Disney tunes (and, I'll admit, occasionally Broadway) in hopes that she would eventually follow my footsteps in being an avid Disney fan (or as my husband lovingly calls me, a nut).

image from
www.mmstreasures.com 

As soon as she was old enough to actually sit down and watch movies, I had added to our brood with a newborn baby boy. So we watched lots of Mary Poppins and Sleeping Beauty - anything with good music mommy could sway the kiddos to!

By mid toddler years it seemed that Disney had started to bring back their magic in the movies, and hits like Cars, Princess and the Frog, and Tangled were coming out. Fortunately for me, almost all of the new movies were ones that both of my children could enjoy together, and have wonderful morals and acting that make it enjoyable for me and my husband. As you can see, Princess and the Frog was a true favorite that made its way into our Halloween!

As my kids have grown older, I have started to reminisce about the Disney movies I watched as a child, and how they added sparks to my imagination. I will admit that I have not shown a lot of the tried and true classics yet as they seem corny to today's youth. Then I started thinking, what's wrong with corny? There are so many of the old movies I cannot wait to share with my kids like Blackbeard's Ghost, Moonspinners, The Rescuers, Steamboat Willie, and more that are perfect for their childhood innocence and wanting of adventure. Old fashioned or not, these are part of my legacy (and the Disney legacy) that I will proudly pass on to them.

So what about you, what Disney movies of the past are you most excited to share with your kids?

Beauty and the Beast 3D - A Review!

Picture from www.imagesdisney.com

This last weekend my family and I decided to go and see Beauty and the Beast 3D while it was still in theaters. Both my husband and I were a little hesitant to go because we felt it would mainly be the original movie with a few effects thrown in; however, it is a classic that we both love so we decided that no matter what it would be worth it.

The short before the film was Pixar's Tangled Ever After, and we loved it. The visuals were stunning, effects fun, and all of the characters were hilarious. It really helped build anticipation for the movie, and easily is one of my new favorites for the shorts.

Once the movie actually started, our initial feelings were confirmed. Though the artistry was stunning (even 20 years later it's still amazing to see all of the details, hidden Mickey's, and rich colors), the effects were few and far between. The 3D was really prominent whenever there was smoke, bubble, or champagne flying, and had a few whimsical moments in the final fight scene between the villagers and the house servants.

On the whole, I would definitely go see the movie again, and recommend it to anyone. Not for its effects, but for the experience of seeing a beautiful classic on a large screen. For me, it was reliving my childhood and sharing it with my children. For my husband (and almost all of the other adults in the theater) it was singing along to every single song, while dancing in their seats. It's a happy movie, well worth the expense of current theater prices!

Overtime

One of the things I enjoyed most in working for Disney is all of the overtime opportunities available. Unlike a normal job, overtime at Disney is not just for extra money, but it is also a chance to try many different park roles.

For example, when I first found the site that listed all of the overtime openings, I was shocked to see I had a chance of working at La Nouba, and accepted it right away. It was one of the most unique Disney experiences I had, and I'll never forget getting lost backstage, and having one of the French clowns redirect me. In working there, I got to spend my evening working concessions, taking tickets, and cleaning up the theater. During showtime we all took turns watching the live performance. One of my favorite things about working there is that each performer came out to thanks us for our help.

One of the other jobs I did was security at Club Motion in PI. Doing security is never something I saw myself doing, so I knew I had to give it a try. Sure enough, it was not a role I was good at, but I will never forget the rush of helping rules be enforced at a club. Also, the cast members there are some of the nicest and most welcoming I have ever worked with.

These are just a few of the several overtime jobs I did - there are too many to give details about! Overall, it is a wonderful Disney given opportunity to learn more about your job skills. And it's a great way to bring home wonderful memories!