The Magic Solution for Media-Fearful Parents? A Conversation!

It's been said by many of us all semester, and especially in our conversation about fears - parental aversion to their kids' media is an ancient story. Comic books were mental poison back in the 1950s, followed quickly by television and rock 'n roll. Then it was video games, and now it's the Internet and cell phones. Leah Price reminds us that back in the 19th century it was novels (Price 1). What's next? Does it matter? Parents will always worry about their kids, no matter what content or gadget distracts them. It's easy to blame today's media and related technology for this, because that's what our parents did, and our grandparents... and because we often don't understand it.

And that's the root of fear, right? The Unknown. This is also old news.

But just as kids continue to baffle us with their latest media pastimes, they continue to use them to dabble in the same old life lessons - and these we know. The issues are timeless. Bullying, predators, pornography, drugs... all of these had a place in the world before the Internet came along. What we're really worried about are the activities behind the new media; they're all just a new platform for the same old behavior. The Internet Safety Task Force asserts that the kids who are most at risk online are the same who are at risk offline - especially if they're depressed, abused, or using drugs (Internet Safety Task Force 21).

So what's a media-phobic parent to do? If we know the old issues, and they know the new technology, talk to them about it!

The power of a simple, genuine conversation can go a long way in preventing the most dangerous youth behavior, and in getting parents up to speed. Many of the most successful pro-media outlets recommend this technique for parents and educators, even if it seems painfully obvious. At the end of their candid reviews of movies, TV, video games, etc., Common Sense Media includes a section on talking points for families. "Parent Advice" breaks media exposure down to the major issues and how best to discuss them with every age group. YALSA has established an online forum for "Cross Generational Voices on Digital Media and Society." Talking With Kids About Tough Issues ignores the specific media entirely, and gets right down to the tough topics, emphasizing honest conversation that starts early. The conclusions of the Internet Safety Task Force are for parents to educate themselves, and to engage with and be attentive of their kids (Internet Safety Task Force 6).

The point is not to admonish, to confiscate, or even to monitor too closely what your kids are up to. That's a reaction of fear. Instead, educating yourself about new media and technology and your kids about the age-old issues of growing up reduces the unknown and increases the potential for positive impact all around. (Who knows? You might even learn something!) Just as parents have always feared new media, they have always known that healthy kids behave in healthy ways. The Internet and cell phones have not changed that.

Price, Leah. "You Are What You Read." The New York Times Book Review, 23 Dec. 2007.

Internet Safety Technical Task Force. "Enhancing Child Safety and Online Technologies: Executive Report." Berkman Ceter for Internet & Society at Harvard University, 2009.