tips for parenting in a commercial culture

8/14/2019 Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture

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WE GIVE THANKS FOR OUR CHILDREN . MAY WE CONTINUE TO BE BLESSED

BY THEIR SIMPLE WONDER SO THAT WE MIGHT NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED

ONE SINGLE MOMENT OF THIS MIRACLE TO WHICH WEVE BEEN BORN.

STEVE MYRVANG

TIPS FOR PARENTINGIN A

COMMERCIAL CULTURE

Center for a New American Dreamwww.newdream.org


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PROTECTING OUR KIDS

Cradle to Grave Brand Consciousness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Kids Spending and the Nag Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Where Does the Sales Pitch Happen? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

On-Screen Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Advertising in Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Channel One Captive Kids, Lost Time . . . . . . . . . . .8

THE IMPACT OF COMMERCIAL CULTURE ON KIDS

The Psychological and Physical Effects of the Tube . . .9

Growing Up Too Quickly The Lost Art of Play . . . .10

Our Overbooked Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Poor Money Management Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Low-Income Families, Immigrant Families and the

Pressure to Consume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

POSITIVE STEPS FOR PARENTS

Taming Tube Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Commercial-Free Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Healthy Choices for Healthy Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Eco-Responsible Consumers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Creative Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Guard Your Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Shopping, Money and Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Your Children (and You) Are More than a Bra nd . . . .21

Remembering Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

SO WHAT DO KIDS REALLY WANT? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

YOU ARE NOT ALONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

What You Do Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24RESOURCES FOR PARENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

The Center for a New American Dream . . . . . . . . . . .25

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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4 T I P S F OR PARENT I NG I N A COMMER I C A L CULTURE

PROTECTING OUR KIDS

Our children are a blessing. They remind us tha t the worldis full of wonder and possibility. They make us laugh,exhaust us with their endless questions and needs and

evoke indescribable feelings of love. We dedicate ourselves

to their well being and we try to instill

within them wholesome values, inde-

pendent thinking and a dedicat ionto the common good.

Our children are also a chal-

lenge. It goes without saying that

raising kids in todays noisy, fast-

paced culture is difficult. For good or

ill, kids today are exposed to a wider world. The voices of

home and community have been joined by a chorus of voic-es from around the globe, clamoring for our childrens

attention. Unfortunately, an increasing number of those

voices are trying to sell them something. A new generation

of hyper-consumers is growing up right in front of our eyes.

CRADLE TO GRAVE BRAND CONSCIOUSNESS

Virtually from bir th, todays children are exposed to TVcommercials, banner ads, billboards, logos and product

placements . In what is called cradle to grave marketing,

advertisers openly court children on an unprecedented

scale, rushing to create brand loyalties the minute a child is

old enough to distinguish company logos or recite product

jingles.

My two-year old can barely speak, yet when she sees atoy commercial she clearly states, I want that, says

Michelle Payne of Washington.

Advertisers are targeting kids today because thats where


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the seeds of hyper-consumerism a re planted. The evidence

is obvious:

x At s ix months of age, the same age they are imitating

simple sounds like ma-ma, babies are forming mental

images of corporate logos and mascots.1

x According to recent marketing industry studies, a per-

sons brand loyalty may begin as early as age two.2

T I P S F OR PARENT I NG I N A COMMER I C A L CULTURE 5

x At three years of age, before they can read, one out of

five American children is already making specific requests

for brand-name products.3

KIDS SPENDING AND THE NAG FACTORFew people take the power of children more seriously

than advertising executives. Marketers are interested in

children both as consumers and for the enormous influence

they have on their parents buying pat terns.

x Kids spending is skyrocketing. In 1991, children aged

four to 12 spent $8.6 billion of their own money each year. 4

By 1999, four- to 12-year-olds took in $31.3 billion in

income from allowance, jobs and gifts, and spent 92 percent


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of it.5 In 2001, teenagers spent $172 billion.6

x

Children are exhibiting extraordinary influence over theirparents spending. Twenty years ago, children aged four to

12 influenced about $50 billion of their parents purchases.

By 2001, that figure reached an estimated $300 billion.

Marketers call this influence the nag factor or pester

power.7

WHERE DOES THE SALES P I TCH HAPPEN?Most kids spend the bulk of their time in one of threeplaces parked in front of a TV or a computer, or sitting in

a classroom. Is it any wonder that advertisers make their

biggest pitches in these places?

On Screen Advertising

Whether its through televisions or computers , American

children get a lot of screen time (four and a half hours aday!),8 and these screens are full of advertising. A lot of

these advertisements are aimed specifically at children.

Thousands of other ads both on the web and on TV

are aimed at adults but absorbed by kids.

x The average American child aged 2 to 17 watches 17

hours, 30 minutes of TV per week.9

x On average, American children view over 20,000 TV

commercials each year, which works out to well over 50 TV

ads a day.10

x The average American child aged 2-18

spends nearly five and a half hours a day

out of school consuming media in the

form of TV, music, magazines, videogames and the internet, amounting to

what Kaiser Family Foundation

president Drew Altman refers to



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as a full time job for the typical American child.11

x Children between the ages of five and 18 will spend an

estimated $1.3 billion online by 2002.12

Advertising in Schools

Parents can see how much advertising comes at their

kids from TV and the web. What they cant see is how much

advertising kids are exposed to during school hours, a time

that is supposed to be set aside for learning. How much

commercialism is in our schools? A lot. Over the past

decade, advertisers have become much more sophisticated

at targeting kids in school.

While there have been some successful cases of commu-

nities pushing back, the trend toward commercialized

school environments continues. Sports uniforms are covered

with logos. Textbooks are filled with brand names. Soda and

candy machines in the hallways and fast food vendors in the

cafeteria are commonplace. Some school curriculums even

contain corporate-sponsored lessons that tout the so-

called environmental benefits of the oil industry, the timber



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industry, the nuclear energy industry and the pesticide

industry. And millions of children spend partof their school day watching commer-

cials for junk food, teen fashion

and violent films via Channel

Ones in-school television net-

work.

Channel OneCaptive Kids,

Lost Time

Students in schools with

Channel One, a twelve-minute

news and advertising televi-

sion program viewed daily

in 12,000 middle and

high schools across the

country, are required to

watch the program on nine

out of ten school days. In

return for requiring students to watch

TV during class time, Channel One provides the schools

with video equipment.

Its not so clear that schools profit from this ar range-

ment. The hidden costs in lost class time appear to far out-

weigh the free hardware a school might receive. Research

reveals that taxpayers in the U.S. pay $1.8 billion dollars

per year for the class time lost to Channel One.13 And even

more disturbingly, kids who should be in school to seek

knowledge and stimulate critical thinking are instead a cap-

tive audience for a company whose prime aim is to coax

them to buy.

8 T I P S F OR PA R EN T IN G I N A COMMER I C A L CULTURE


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THE IMPACT OF COMMERCIAL CULTUREON KIDS

I m quite concerned that kids (and adults) today are equat-ing money with success and happiness. I was appalledwhen my nine-year-old daughter asked her grandmother

how much her birthday gift cost. Dave Johns, Oregon.

We all want to s teer our children toward positive,

healthy sources of fulfillment, but its not easy. Money cant

buy you love, friends or happiness, but advertiser s want us

to think that it can, and many children are simply too young

to separate the hype from reality. According to a recent

Junior Achievement poll, 43% of teenagers associated the

American Dream with accumulat ion of mater ial posses-

sions, and nearly three-quarters of teens expect future job

satisfaction to be directly related to how much money they

make.14

THE PSYCHOLOG ICALAND PHYS ICAL EFFECTS OFTHE TUBE

My children are seduced

into believing that if they

have the right things or more

things, they will not just be

happier, but also more popu-

lar. This culture that sees

kids mostly as consumers is

creating a future generation

of kids that have not felt val-

ued for their character or

their contributions to the

greater community. Jane Brolsma, Oregon.



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When a society is preoccupied with material things,

children and adults lose touch with non-commercial sources

of happiness. In trying to fulfill non-material needs materi-

ally, we can lose contact with friends, nature and crea tive

play. Ads have encouraged this generation to have mater ial

expectations they cant fulfill, says noted author and clini-

cal psychologist Mary Pipher. This generation is the I

want generation. They have been educated to entitlement

and programmed for discontent .15

Studies show that less time in front of the TV and more

time outdoors would do our children a world of good. Early

experiences with the natura l world have been positively

linked with enhancing the development of imagination and a

sense of wonder in children. Time outdoors in nature also

plays a key part in helping children feel comfortable in the

world around them. Child development studies are finding

todays kids are increasingly biophobic fearful of the

natural world. That is, they only feel comfortable in

synthetic, climate-controlled environments.16

Too much time spent in front of the TV also has been

linked with increased violence, low self-esteem and obesity.

Both the Surgeon General and a Stanford University study

have linked watching TV to excess body weight. In some

school districts, over half the student population is over-

weight. And, unfortunately, many of these children will carry

their weight problems into adulthood over-

weight teenagers have an 80% chance of

becoming obese adults.17

GROWING UP TOO QUICKLYTHE

LOST ART OF PLAYThanks to the constant bombard-

ment of advertising geared toward

10 T I P S F OR PA R EN TI N G I N A COMMER I C A L CULTURE


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adults, children are a lso growing up fas ter and doing adult

things at younger and younger ages. Advertisers exacerbate

this trend by deliberately using older kids in advertisements

aimed at younger children. Ironically, toy advertisers have

been victims of their own successes. An article in TheWashington Postdescribes the age compression faced by

toy marketers each year, kids outgrow toys at younger

ages, and toy marketers have to adjust accordingly. So do

parents!18

Many younger children, particularly girls, want to emu-

late the images they see on TV and dress like older children.

My nine-year-old daughter believes she should be allowedto wear makeup and wear clothes that are skimpy and quite

inappropriate. She chooses these looks from magazine ads

geared to pre-teens, says Susan Kemp of Illinois.

Tying identity and se lf-worth to coolness encourages

kids to value image over substance and cash over compas-

sion. The more image-oriented we become, the more empty

we feel, and young people are especially sensitive to this.From eating disorders to crime and drug use, much of the

trouble our young people experience comes from an inabili-

ty to find lasting satisfaction in material goods.


HOPEZANES


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OUR OVERBOOKED CH ILDRENThe pressure on our kids to go, do and be is unrea l.

They are pushed to grow up younger and expect more.

Kitty Welton, Utah.Like the frantic tempo of many ads, the pace of life for

the average child is a lot faster than it once was. Like it or

not, many kids are getting an unintended ear ly lesson in

leading a hectic, on-the-go lifestyle. Alvin Rosenfeld, author

ofThe Over-Scheduled Child, is concerned tha t lots of kids

are pushed too hard toward achievement without enough

time for relaxation, imagination or friendship. Whats hap-pened, he explains, is, you have to be in every activity, all

the time. You have to be in soccer and take flute and take

French lessons and go for I-dont-know-what and its end-

less. It has become the American way of raising children. 19

Constant striving for achievement is hard on kids and on

their parents. Rosenfeld explains, Overscheduled kids,

many of them, by the time theyre 12 or 14, dont know whothey are. The ones who are winning, doing all the accom-

plishments, feel like frauds. They say, Nobody knows who I

am, because I constantly have to be who they want me to


HOPEZANES


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be.20 Parents want happy, successful children, but some-

times the best way to achieve that is to give kids time to

relax and explore in an unstructured way. Slowing down

offers kids a refreshing chance to escape from the hurry-

hurry hype of our commercial culture.

POOR MONEY MANAGEMENT SK I L L SCommercial pressure fuels an insatiable desire for more,

and instant credit makes it all too easy to make impulse

purchases. In a society that pushes us to spend, spend,

spend, it takes a lot of extra effort to instill good money

management skills in our chil-

dren. Despite the booming

economy of the late 1990s:

x The average personal savings

rate in the United States plum-

meted to 1.6% in 2001. (From

1959 through 1992, the annual

savings rate never dipped below

7%, and the average rate of sav-

ings was 8.8%.)21

x In 2001, for the sixth straight

year in a row, more Americans

declared bankruptcy than gradu-

ated from college.22 2001 also

set the record for personal bankruptcy declarations

1.5 million near ly 20% more than in 2000.23

x Between 1990 and 1999, the amount of credit card debt

held by the average college s tudent jumped by over 300%,

from $900 to $2,748. University administrators cite finan-

cial mismanagement as a crisis among college students.24



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LOW-INCOME FAMIL IES , IMMIGRANT FAMIL IES

AND THE PRESSURE TO CONSUMEOur commercial culture is particularly problematic for

people who cant a fford to buy the latest brand name items.

When young people define their self-worth by what they

wear or own, low-income kids feel the pressure most acute-

ly. As Jennifer Hall of Michigan explains, When my oldest

child was four years old he was already embarrassed to be

seen in our beat-up car when I dropped him off at day care.The effect of the affluent kids is pervasive it even affects

things as seemingly innocuous as lunch. The poor kids qual-

ify for free hot breakfast and lunch, which creates a caste

system in the schools. Kids dont understand why they cant

have what they want when their friends do. What are we

supposed to do, tell them they can only be friends with poor

kids to make it easier for mom and dad to say no?Recent immigrants also worry about this pressure on

their children. Barbara Gottleib-Robles of Maryland says

about her daughter, shes finding it hard (as a 4 12-year-old

recent immigrant to the States) to resist the dazzle of all

her friends toys, videos, games, new shoes, etc. etc. ad

nauseam. We wonder what values

she will finally hold.Immigrant families strug-

gle to maintain ties to

their native lands while

adapting to life in a new

culture, and this pressure

becomes especially acute

because of the strong pull ofAmerican commercialism.



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POSITIVE STEPS FOR PARENTS

With hundreds of billions of dollars spent each year on

advertising, it's impossible to be immune from commer-

cialism, but there are steps we can take to protect our

families . To nurture our children, we need to consciously

reclaim our time and establish

rituals and traditions that are

healthy for our kids. Here are

some of the positive actions

parents can take.

TAMING TUBE T IMEIf you are concerned that your

kids a re spending too much time

in front of the television or com-

puter, consider taking some of

the following steps.

x Establish limits on how much

time your children spend online or

watching TV, and keep the TV and computer in public areas

of the house where you can keep an eye on them.

x

Encourage crea tive a lternatives to television.x Mute the television during commercial breaks, or watch

commercials with your children and help them understand

the companies marketing techniques.

x Set a good example. Watch occasional programs that you

choose with good reason. Always be willing to explain your

decisions.

T I P S F OR PA R EN T IN G I N A COMMER I C A L CULTURE 15


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COMMERCIAL-FREE SCHOOLSHow can we keep our schools commercial-free?

x Ask the PTA to hold a meeting about commercialism in

the school. Work with teachers to analyze how and when

commercial messages are reaching children, whether in text-

books, the cafeteria, hallways, through fundraising events,

monthly discount book sales (that increasingly sell jewelry,

toys, and non-educational products), etc. Then figure out

what needs to be done to reduce commercial exposure.

x Does your childs school have Channel One? If so, ask to

watch a broadcast. If the level and content of the advertis-

ing disturbs you, work with other parents to get r id of

Channel One. Bra instorm a lterna tives and put your plans

into action. In dozens of communities across the country,

parents have successfully gotten rid of Channel One in their

schools.

HEALTHY CHOICES FOR HEALTHY KIDSEmpower your children to be responsible for their own

health and aware of the connections between their

health and the health of the world.

x Spend more time in

nature. A park oreven your own

yard will do. It

helps connect

children and

adults to the larg-

er scheme of things

and offsets the noiseand rush of daily life. It also

encourages kids to be physically active.

x Teach your children to be aware of their health and their



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choices. Faced with super sized meals and extra large

sodas, kids have almost no chance of developing realistic

food expecta tions without guidance and support.

x Grow your own food even a pumpkin seed in a pot.

Involve the kids. Teach your child about the connections

within the natura l world. Experience the beauty together.

Talk about where things come from, who made them, what

they are made of.

ECO-RESPONS IBLE CONSUMERSHelp your child understand tha t every product is made

from materials extracted from the Earth, and that materialthings dont just disappear when the garbage gets picked

up.

x Teach your children about what happens to all that stuff.

When we consume lots of plastic, or heavily packaged goods

and products that eas ily break, we a re leaving a heavy bur-

den for future generations to bear.

x Seek out sources of products that are durable and made

from biodegradable or recycled mater ials and which use

less energy. Try to find recycled paper, locally-grown organic

food and other earth-friendly products.



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CREAT IVE PLAYThere are many alternatives to commercialized electronic

enter tainment. Encouraging childrens creativity is one of

the best ways to help them develop into self-sufficient,

thinking adults.

x Give kids the gift of music and art,

both as enjoyers and makers. Buy

music lessons ra ther than fancy elec-

tronic gadgets.

x Give children a big box of crayons

and rolls of shelf paper. Supply them with

sidewalk chalk, old cardboard boxes and

other makings of creative play.

x Pretend! Imagine you live in medieval France. Imagine

youre ninety years old. Imagine youre president. Imagining

encourages empathy in children. Collect old clothes or buy

some at a thrift store; make a dress-up chest and act out

stories.

x Have an electricity-free night. Roughing-it at home by

candlelight without the distractions of electrical gadgets

offers a fun opportunity to bond as a family.

x Organize a tr ipto the park for an

old-fashioned game

of capture the flag

or hide and seek.


HOPEZANES


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GUARD YOUR T IMEIts really about making

them the priority in your

life. A half hour may not

sound like much, but if

its quality time it can

be better than two or

three hours of distract-

ed attention. Investing

quality time in the kids

while theyre young will

pay large dividends in the

future. All they need is to

know that you are there for

them, and that you love

them. Barrett Sherwood,

California.

x Make time a positive

force in your own life, and be a good role model: try to get

work done without being a workaholic. They will look to you

for an example, so show them how to set priorities and

make time for people you love.

x Make dinnertime special. Eat together as often as possi-ble. Slow down and create a dinnertime ritual of getting

reconnected and really paying attention to each other as a

family, even if you can only make it happen once or twice a

week.

x Devote the 20 minutes before bedtime exclusively to

your children. Reconnect with them, read a book, swap

news of the day, listen, pray or create some other ritual thatgives both of you the regular opportunity to express your

mutual love.



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SHOPP ING , MONEY AND STUFF

By teaching our children just to pay attention to the flowof money and stuff in our lives, we are giv-

ing them the tools they will need for

financial security and helping to fos-

ter a healthy attitude about money

and spending.

x Teach your child the value of

money. Offer an allowance and setup a regular plan with your child

for depositing a portion of the

allowance in the local bank, and per-

haps for donating a portion to a local

charity. Let kids spend their own money and

live with the consequences of their choices.

x When your children beg for the lates t toy craze, ta lk

about why they want the new object before just saying no or

giving in. By talking about the root cause of the want and

whether it really is something worth having, you may be

able to diffuse their fixation on the object. Learn to say no

and set limits.

x Shopping can be fun a time to share, laugh and be

together. Just dont turn the mall into your pr imar y dest ina-

tion or shopping into your favorite sport.

x Bring kids along when you shop for birthday presents for

other children and ask them to think about the enduring

value of different toys. Its a good opportunity to teach them

critical consumer skills.

xBe a role model. Avoid impulse shopping. Make a shop-

ping list and s tick to it.



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YOUR CH ILDREN (AND YOU) ARE MORE THAN A BRANDSometimes children need to be reminded that the

thoughts in their head and the love in their heart matter

more than the logos on their clothing. Brands are a form of

labeling, of judging someone in a superficial manner based

on their appearance.

x Discuss stereotypes, labels and judgments . Help kids

value people for who they are, not what they own.

x Seek out clothing that is brand- or label-free. Talk with

kids about why youre doing this.

REMEMBER ING OTHERSA culture of affluent commercialism can spawn selfish-

ness and a ttitudes of entitlement among young people. One

cure to hyper-consuming kids is a good dose of awareness

remembering that not everyone lives like they do.x Volunteer with your children in a soup kitchen or other

establishment where they can meet people less fortunate

than themselves.

x Take them to

visit their grand-

parents, or to a

retirement commu-

nity to speak with

the elder ly.

Encourage kids to

ask their elders

what life was like

when they were young, whats brought them joy in life and

what they value most.



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SO WHAT DO KIDS REALLYWANT?

Recently, the Center held an art and essay contest, askingchildren, ages 5 to 17, What do you really want thatmoney cant buy? Their responses were extraordinary, not

only for their creativity, vision and hope, but because they

catalog the human heart. These children spoke universal

truths, of the human hunger for deep connections to

friends, family, nature and community, as well as their

desire for a safer, more beautiful world.

What did they say? I want a true friend that sticks with

you through thick and thin, writes ten-year-old Brandon.

My mom

because she

takes good care

of me and

helps me with

my homework

and I love her

very much

writes seven-

year-old Aaron.

Money could

never buy the


FRIENDS, JACQUELINE, AGE 12

MORE TIME, STEPHANIE, AGE 11


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conversation that my Dad and I have in the car on the way

to hockey practice. We talk about everything tha t you could

think of. We talk about friends and about what is going on

in the world I love the time with my Dad and no one or no

thing could replace it, says eleven-year-old Seth.

I want to play in the snow every winter. I want to swim

in the ocean every summer. I want to plant trees in the park

with my friends every spring. I want to jump in puddles

every autumn. I want to

adopt a homeless dog and

a little kitten from a shel-

ter (mom, please let me!)

and teach them never to

fight. I want there to be

peace on Earth and I

want people to take bet-

ter care of our planet,

writes one of our finalists,

ten-year-old Anastasia,

born in Russia and now

living in Jersey City.

I want peace; a quiet-

ness for my soul. An ease

for my thoughts and a rest for my heart I want faith. To

possess the substance of things hoped for and the evidence

of things not seen reflects Elisa, a very wise fouteen-

year-old.

Children can show us the way if we help them slow down

and stay attuned to their deeper, non-material yearnings.

They can help us rediscover what we want that money cant

buy. Our true des ires, for the most part , are universa l: love,

peace, security, friends and the knowledge that we are part

of something larger than ourselves.

To see more winning entries , log on to

www.newdream.org/campaign/kids/contest.html.


LOVE AND RESPECT AROUND THE

WORLD, M. MCCOSKEY, AGE 7


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YOU ARE NOT ALONE

The task of conscientious parenting is always daunting,and theres a lot to be gained by reaching out to friends,family and the community for support in your efforts to

reduce the negative impact of commercialism on your chil-dren. Join a babysitting trading co-op. Find parental sup-

port groups. Speak with your parents or other people who

have already wres tled with these issues . Together, youll find

creative and innovative solutions that work for you, and

wed love it if youd share some of your suggestions with us.

WHAT YOU DO MATTERSObviously, these tips alone wont single-mindedly solve allthe problems presented by our commercial world. But its

important to acknowledge tha t parents do have the power to

promote a healthy understanding of money, spending and the

effect of commercialism on our quality of life, the environ-

ment and a just society. This way, we help to raise a genera-

tion of young people who can lead happier and healthierlives as they build better and s tronger communities. Its a

tall order, but its worth pursuing for you, your children

and future generations.



25/32


RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

THE CENTER FOR A NEW AMER ICAN DREAMThe Center for a New American Dream is a membership-based

non-profit organization working to challenge the more is better

definition of the American dream. We help Americans consume

responsibly to protect the environment, enhance qua lity of life a nd

promote social justice. We work with individuals, inst itutions , com-

munities and businesses to conserve natural resources, counter

the commercialization of our culture and promote positive changes

in the way goods are produced and consumed.

WE INVITE YOU TO BE OUR PARTNER

If you found this brochure to be useful, let us know. We appreciate

your feedback and encouragement. Our work depends on the gen-

erosity and support of people across the country. Please consider

becoming a supporting member of the Center for a New American

Dream.

As a member, youll rece ive a copy of the Center s 30-minute

video, More Fun, Less Stuff: The Challenges and Rewards of a New

American Dream; our quarterly publication Enough; and a monthly

e-mail bulletin with information about ongoing campaigns, book

recommendations and action tips. Become a supporting member of

the Center for a New American Dream and join us as we encourage

Americans to adopt our motto: More Fun, Less Stuff!

ORGANIZATIONS

TV-Turnoff Network www.tvturnoff.org, [email protected],202-518-5556

National Institute on Media and the Familywww.mediaandthefamily.org, [email protected],

1-888-672-KIDS

Center for Media Education

www.cme.org, [email protected], 202-331-7833

Dads and Daughers

www.dadsanddaughters.org, [email protected],1-888-824-DADS

(continued next page)


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Commercial Alert

www.commercialalert.org, [email protected], 503-235-

8012Stop Commercial Exploitat ion o f Childrenwww.commercialexploitation.com, Diane LevinDlevin@whee-

lock.edu, 617-879-2167

BOOKS

Canada, Geoffrey. Reaching Up For Manhood. Beacon, 1998.

Hewlett, Sylvia Ann and Cornel West. The War Against Pa rents :

What We Can Do for Amer icas Beleaguered Moms and Dads.

Houghton Mifflin, 1998.

Pipher, Mar y. The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding our Families.

Ballantine Books, 1996.

Rosenfeld, Alvin, PhD., and Nicole Wise. The Over-Scheduled Child:

Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap. Griffin, 2001.

Taylor, Betsy. What Kids Really Want That Money Cant Buy.

Warner, 2003.

MAGAZINESStay Free! Magazinewww.stayfreemagazine.org,

[email protected],

718-398-9324.

Zillions: Consumer Repor ts for Kidswww.zillions.org, 101 Truman

Ave., Yonker s, NY 10703-1057, fax: 914-378-2985.

Stone Soup, literary magazine by and for kids 8-13.

www.stonesoup.com, lgabr [email protected], 1-800-447-4569.

New Moon, a magazine for girls and young women.www.newmoon.org, [email protected], 1-800-3814743.

OTHER

Video: The Cost of Cool, a video about youth, consumption, and the

environment. Available from Population Communications

International www.population.org. (Look for it at your library first!)

Simplicity Activities for 4th/5th Graders from seedsofsimplicity.org.

1-877-UNSTUFF. Also available: 7-minute video, Kids Speak Outon Stuff.


27/32


THE CENTER FOR A NEW AMER ICAN DREAMSKIDS AND COMMERCIAL ISM CAMPAIGN IS ENDORSED BY:

INDIVIDUALS*

The Honorable Dianne FeinsteinUnited States Senator

Marian Wright Edelman

Founder and Pres ident, Childrens Defense Fund

RaffiChildrens Troubadour, Author

Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Co-author with Cornel West ofThe War Agains t Parents: What We CanDo for Amer icas Beleaguered Moms and Dads

Patch AdamsGesundheit Institute

Mary Pipher, Ph.D.Author ofReviving Opheliaand The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding

Our Families

Juliet SchorBoston College

Author ofThe Overspent American

Bill McKibbenAuthor ofThe End of Nature

Joanna Macy

Co-author with Molly Young Brown ofComing Back to Life: Practices to

Reconnect Our Lives , Our World

David Walsh

President, National Institute on Media and the Family

Author ofDesigner Kidsand Selling Out Amer icas Children

Arnold Fege

President, Public Advocacy for KidsFormer director of governmental relations, National PTA

Michael JacobsonDirector of the Center for Science in the Public Interest

Co-author with Laurie Mazur ofMarketing Madness

Alex MolnarDirector of the Center for the Analysis of Commercialism

in Education

Author of Giving Kids the Business: The Commercialization

of Amer icas Schools

Peggy OMaraEditor and Publisher, MotheringMagazine

Marian Tomps on

Founding mother of La Leche League



28/32


Jean Kilbourne, Ph.D.Visit ing Scholar, Wellesley College

Creator ofKilling Us Softly: Advertisings Image of WomenTerry Tempest WilliamsAuthor ofRefuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place and An

Unspoken Hunger

Brian Swimme, Ph.D.Author ofThe Hidden Heart of the Cosmos

Cecile Andrews

Author ofThe Circle of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life

Dan Zanes

Family Entertainer, Musician

David SuzukiGeneticist, co-author with Amanda McConnell of

The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature

Bonnie McDanielAuthor ofThe Art of Good Living

Red GrammerFamily singer and songwriter

* (The organizations of individual endorsers are listed for identification purposes only.)

ORGANIZATIONS

Bridging the Gap

Center for Commercial-Free Public Education

Consumer Federation of America

Center for Media Education

Co-op America

Commercial Alert

Consumer s Choice Council

Dads and Daughters

Earth Ministry

Friends of the Earth-USGlobal Action Plan for the Earth

Honor the Earth Fund

Media Education Foundation

Mothers & Others

National Head Start Association

New Road Map Foundation

Obligation Inc.

Physicians for Social Responsibility

Rainforest Action Network

Redefining ProgressSecond Nature

Stay Free! magazine

TV-Free America

Worldwatch Institute

Zillions: Consumer Reports for Kids


29/32


FOOTNOTES

1 James McNeal and Chyon-Hwa Yeh. Born to Shop, AmericanDemographics, June 1993 , pp 34-39.

2 Cited in Bra nd Aware , Childrens Busines s, June 2000.

3 New Poll Shows Marketing to Kids Taking Its Toll on Parent s,

Families. Center for a New American Dream, 1999.

www.newdream.org/campaign/kids/press-release.html

4 James McNeal. Tapping the Three Kids Mar kets, American

Demographics, April 1998, pp 37-41. Teenage Research Unlimited.

Press releas e 1 /25/02, Teens Spent $172 Billion in 2001 www.teenre -

search.com.

5 McNea l quoted in: Campbell, Kim. How ads get kids to sa y, I want it!

Christian Science Monitor, September 18, 2000 .

6 Teenage Research Unlimited. Press releas e 1/25/02, Teens Spent $172

Billion in 2001 www.teenresearch.com.

7 James McNeal. Tapping the Three Kids Mar kets, American

Demographics, April 1998, pp 37-41.

8 Annenberg Public Policy Center. Media In The Home 2000: The Fifth

Annual Survey of Parents and Children.

http://www.appcpenn.org/reports /2000/, 19.

9 Ibid.

10 American Academy of Pedia tr ics (1999). Cited by Nat ional Institute on

Media and the Family, Children and Advertising Fact Sheet 2002.

11 Kaiser Family Founda tion Study Kids & Media @ The New

Millennium. See www.kff.org.

12 U.S. News and World Report, 1999, as cited in National Institute on

Media and the Family, Internet Advertising and Children Fact Sheet

2002.

13 According to a 1998 study by Profess or Alex Molnar, director of the

Univers ity of Wisconsins Center for the Analysis of Commercialism in

Education, and Max Sawicky, an economist with the Economic Policy

Institute.

14 American Drea m 2000, poll by Interprise for Junior Achievement.

http://www.ja.org/about/about_new_poll.shtml.

15 Pipher, Mar y. The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding our Families. NewYork: Ballantine Books, 1996.

16 See Orr, D.W. Earth in Mind. Washington, DC: Island Press, 1994. 131.



30/32


17 Squires, Sally. Obesity-Linked Diabetes Rising in Children.

Washington Post. November 3, 1998, p. 207.

18 Shen, Fern. Toys? But Im 10 Now! The Was hington Post, February

17, 2002, p. H1.

19 Tres trail, Joanne. Overscheduled, Overwhelmed inter view with Alvin

Rosenfeld. Chicago Tribune. September 2, 2001.

20 Ibid.

21 Per sona l sa vings ra te data from the Burea u of Economic Analysis , US

Department of Commerce.

22 Projections of Educat ion Stat istics to 2010, Nat ional Center for

Education Statistics, US Department of Education, and Non-BusinessBankruptcy Filings by Chapter, 19902001, American Bankruptcy

Institute (www.abiwolrd.org/sta ts/1990nonbuschapter.html).

23 Morning Edition, Nat ional Public Radio. Per sona l bankruptcy filings

jump by nearly 20 percent in 2001 May 8, 2002.

24 Credit Card Use Continued Among College Students , Nellie Mae web-

site, www.nelliemae.com. Hadley, Jane. Credit Cards Get Students in a

Hole Fast , Seattle Post Intelligencer, May 11, 1998.


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