Over the last several months many people at Little Earth of United Tribes here in Minneapolis have been working hard to spread the word about MediaWise® in their community.   Several of our tools and resources from MediaWise program through-u-Families Become MediaWise have been translated into Objibway to help in this effort.  Topics of concern for parents range from Internet safety and cell phone usage, to violence in movies, TV and video games. 

Last Saturday the Institute was honored at Little Earth’s annual Mother’s Day Pow Wow.  We say thank you for bringing MediaWise into your community and are grateful for the honor you gave to us.   Hundreds of people with their families gathered for a day of dancing and visiting with friends and family.  Drum groups from around the region led the day.  The MediaWise message has found a good home at Little Earth.

David Walsh

The Federal Trade Commission released its “secret shopper” survey of the nation’s retailers last week. Many of the top national retailers have followed through and are working to keep M rated video games out of the hands of kids. Parents should be relieved that many retailers will back them up and keep their kids from buying games like Grand Theft Auto.

Don’t forget however that many of these M-rated games are hugely popular with teens and pre-teens. Parents need to be game-savvy and check the ratings before they buy a game. Every video game displays a rating on the box, along with content descriptors. Take a moment, check the rating. If it says M, you’re holding a game that has been rated for people ages 17 and above. The content will contain graphic violence, sex, very crude language, and possibly drug and alcohol usage. These are not games for kids. So be MediaWise® - check out the ratings. Say “no” when you should. Post a comment - what’s your parenting strategy for video games?

We just released our new Brain Power video as a public service resource on You Tube.  Click here to view it and pass it along to any friends and colleagues you feel might be interested in seeing it.

As a component of our MediaWise Education program, through u, Brain Power has wowed audiences in our trainings from coast to coast.  From neurons to brain wiring, the video gives an easy-to-understand tour of children's and teens' brain development and the impact of experience on the "wiring' of their brains. Children are shaped by the stories they see and hear from parents, relatives, and teachers which pass on values, attitudes, and affect emotional and physical well-being. More than ever, media has become a powerful storyteller in children's lives. Raising healthy kids in the media age includes making wise media choices.  Send us your comments about Brain Power.

David Walsh

When I visualize a parent or caregiver interacting and talking to a baby, I see that baby’s brain light up, neurons popping and wiring all over the language center.  When I visualize that same baby watching TV, I see the same language center monotone, quiet, no connections being made.  Why?  Characters on TV are speaking words, singing, telling stories.  Why is a baby’s language center quiet?  Because babies need real world language interaction - real words from real people.

TV can interfere with babies learning and the sounds he or she needs to know to form those first words and then those first sentences.   A recent study in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found limited verbal interactions between parents and six month olds in front of TVs.  Is this a problem if it’s 5 minutes?  No.  Is it a problem if it’s a half hour or an hour or two hours a day?  Probably yes.  Babies’ brains grow at such a rapid rate during infancy that their language development needs a rich language environment to equip them with the sounds they need to form the wealth of words they need to be successful in speaking, reading and writing.  It all starts in infancy with the sounds they hear from those who love and care for them.  When are your favorite times to talk with your baby?

David Walsh

Last week was a busy week for us at the Institute with the release of the video game Grand Theft Auto IV (rated M – mature).  While there is much about the graphics and the way the game plays that gamers enjoy, we urge parents to give this game a resounding “no” for their kids.  It is rated M with graphic violence and sexual content, intense language, partial nudity, blood, and use of alcohol and drugs.  Major retailers will not sell this game to anyone under 17 years of age and they are asking for IDs to prove it.  Unfortunately this game is hugely popular with teens and even pre-teens.  Now is the time to talk to your kids, let them know what you don’t like about this content.  It’s out there, they’ll see it, they might play it – help them to start thinking critically about the content and what they are putting into their brains.  Kids will say that they know the game is fantasy and that they know the difference between reality and fantasy, but that’s their thinking brains speaking.  Their emotional brains do not know the difference and wiring with graphic sex and violence has an impact.

Note - Someone alerted me to a great deal on Amazon.com.  Limited quantities of the hardcover version of No are available for $6.99 at http://www.amazon.com/NO-Kids-Ages-Need-Hear-Parents/dp/B000WPMMO0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210000819&sr=8-1

David Walsh

Brains – they are such fascinating orbs that sit right on top of our heads.  What would we do without them?  Much of my work has involved explaining how our brains develop and how they wire the trillions of connections that shape what we think, feel and do.  Neuroscience made so many recent fascinating discoveries that I wrote Why Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen.  My talks on self-discipline and No also rest on how children’s brains develop. 

Well it turns out that brains are not only fascinating to us adults, but kids, too.  Two kids, Bo Erik and Shennendoah, found that they love learning about brains and are taking their interest to a whole new level.  With the help of some adults, the Neuro Kids built a website (http://www.neurokids.org) dedicated to teaching kids about brains – even animal brains.  Filled with fun facts, games, book reviews, blogs and more (even an interview with me), Neuro Kids is a great place for kids to learn about that orb that sits right on top of their heads.   I certainly enjoyed talking to them.   Do you have a story about how Why Do They Act That Way influenced how you parent?  Send your comments in.

David Walsh