Sunday, October 23, 2011
Protecting Children
As I read "An Interview with Maurice Sendak," his thoughts on the exposure of children to the media really struck a chord with me. Growing up, I wasn't allowed to watch TV or listen to popular music or see movies because it was part of the curriculum of my school - the point was to keep the innocence of childhood for as long as possible. As far as I can tell, it worked. Kids at my school spent their time creating things, exploring and learning. We weren't even given homework until 5th grade, so preserving our childhood innocence and curiosity was really a primary goal of my elementary school. When Sendak mentioned how he thought it was ridiculous that we try to control what children read, and that only books that "follow the course of what a childhood specialist considers right" are okay, it really prompted me to think about how much media children are exposed to today. I don't know about you guys, but it really frightens me when I see a first grade girl wearing a sexy outfit singing Britney Spears. I think Sendak brings up a good point, from the perspective of a picture book author, that what children read should really be the last of our concerns. With how the media permeates our lives on an every day basis, it seems like letting a child read what he or she wants isn't something we should be scared of. If anything, a child who wants to read at all in our current media-controlled society is something that should be encouraged. What do you guys think? Should we be scared of what children can read? Or does the issue lie more with controlling what children can see and hear in the media?
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In my opinion, I don’t think that children need to be protected and shielded from certain books. I think that controversial children’s books such as Where the Wild Things Are allow children’s imagination and creativity to grow. These are the books that can challenge their minds and allow them to be amazed by words and pictures on a page. I agree with Sendak in the sense that we should not hide children from books, as they are a form of truth about the world. Sooner or later, these children will learn more about the world than they probably would ever want to know. Introducing them to serious life issues and values in a children’s book is definitely a good way to start to introduce them to life a little bit more than they already know it. I think that most, if not all children’s books are intended to have a good message attached to them. And though these messages might not all be shown in the most friendly or innocent form, we should not be scared of exposing children to them, as their minds are a lot more accepting and open to new ideas and concepts.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an interesting point and I am amazed at how well (and how long) your innocence was kept intact (for lack of better word). I, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Growing up the youngest of three girls, I was exposed to a lot that I probably shouldn't have been exposed to as a child. However, I don't think that has really impacted me and made me any different than anyone else. Not that I am saying we are all the same by any means, just that I don't think it had a negative impact. In class today when Carol was talking about how her daughter has an obsession with the Lion King, and that the violence and death doesn't upset her I was intrigued. As a childhood lover of the Lion King, I was surprised that I never thought about how children don't analyze these "horrible" things like we do. Parents always want to shield their kids from seeing death and violence, but do the kids really see it as that? I think it's more about the big picture.
ReplyDeleteDo I think kid's should read books full of awful language and violence? Absolutely not. But do I think it is necessary to make all children's stories fairytales and whimsical fantasies? Also no. While, I do think it is important not to baby a kid too much, there is still the question of what is acceptable for a child to see and read.
I don't think necessarily think children should be at all limited to what they see or read, although I do think there is a problem with the interaction between this generation's children and media. I believe innocence is something children are going to always have to some degree, and then slowly grow out of when they mature. Allowing children to see things for what they are, rather than shielding them with lies and restrictions, will permit them to grow and further concrete the morals they are slowly developing. Although what children are allowed to see shouldn't be limited, it is still within the parents job to make sure they teach and reinforce acts of maturity and understanding, so when they can develop these good qualities and put them to use when they encounter other less than perfect situations. Shielding children may create a safety net, but it also generates ignorance and insecurity in themselves.
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