Identity Formation and the Media

This had been a fun assignment for me because reading some of the children’s books that I read as a child brought back some great memories. In my life I have always been fortunate because my mother had read to me when I was small. As I was able to read on my own my mother always made sure that read in bed for half an hour before going to sleep. The books I had read this week were Green Eggs and Ham, Good Night Moon, and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. What I love about Dr. Seuss is that there is always a lesson in each story he tells. For example, in Green Eggs and Ham, the moral lesson is to never say you do not like something unless you try it. I think the reason why young children like this book a lot is because there is a lot of rhyming and the book is very easy to follow. Kids love the book because there are not too many words on the page and it is a great book for a child to start reading. In the book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish this book teaches children their colors as well as their numbers. These skills are important for success. In the book Good Night Moon, teaches children the importance of love and how it is important to show everyone that you love them.

  Music is important for children to sing and dance to. Two of my favorite songs when I was a child were Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Frosty the Snowman. I used to sing these songs the day after Halloween and it drove my parents crazy. My parents would always tell me, remember after Halloween comes Thanksgiving then Christmas. I really do not see a lesson in either of these songs, but it is fun to dance and song to them. I feel that dancing and exercise is important in order for children to maintain proper health. There is one Christmas song that came out in 2007 and it really hit home for me because I remember overhearing a little girl telling Santa what she really wanted for Christmas. She really did not want a Christmas present for herself, but one for her mother. She wanted Santa to bring her daddy home from work (he was stationed in Iraq at the time). The song is called Bring Him Home. The song was sung by a little girl who was 6 years old and she sings about how she wants her dad to be home with her and her mother for Christmas. This song also shows that the war has not only affected adults but young children as well.

  Television has changed a lot over the years. I remember when I was growing up the only educational programs I watched were Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.  These shows had taught me how to count, my colors, my letters and I remember in Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood there was a place called the Land of Make Believe and I had always wanted to go there. These shows were great for young children because while entertaining children they also educated children. It is important for children to know that learning is fun.  Nowadays there are more educational television shows such as Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues.  While watching Dora I had realized that she teaches the kids Spanish as well as English. I feel it is important for children to learn a foreign language and it is easier to teach children a foreign language at a young age. The show Blues Clues allows preschoolers to learn by being interactive. Throughout the show there are clues to a puzzle that a child must answer. When the clue comes up it is shown by a blue paw print.

            The ads that are on television during children’s programming are geared towards children. The commercials that are typically seen during this time are fast food commercials that have kid’s meals and a toy. Also, with Christmas coming up soon there a lot of toy commercials. I remember when I had done my evaluation one of the boys came up to me and told me he wanted Lincoln Logs because it was a cool new toy. I had told him that Lincoln Logs have been around for a long time because I remember playing with them when I was his age. He then tells me “Wow!” you must be old. The message it sends out to kids is that it is cool to have all the greatest toys and that you should ask your parents and Santa Claus for the toy.

  The type of media that produces commercials geared towards children is television and to some extent children’s movies. The biggest movie earlier this year was Toy Story 3 and everywhere you go one sees so many toys that were created around the movie. I was in Wal-Mart on Saturday night and as I was walking in I saw a display of the movie Toy Story 3 as well as Woody Doll’s, Mr. Potato Head and Buzz Lightyear. I feel that the message that children are receiving is that toys are important and that getting toys is the true meaning of Christmas.

            I feel those reading children’s books, listening to children’s songs, watching children’s television shows and children’s movies gives the children messages to think about. Reading books by Dr. Seuss and Margaret Wise Brown allows children to learn lessons about trying new things, how to count and their colors, and how to love everyone and show love towards inanimate objects such as a table and the moon. I feel that children’s music such as Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus is Coming To Town allows children to sing and dance. Songs with a lot of movement gives them exercise which is necessary in order for them to develop properly. I feel that the children’s programming can be educational as well as entertaining. I feel that children need to know at a young age that learning is fun and hopefully the thirst for knowledge will continue throughout their school years and beyond. The affect commercials have on young children is that in order to be the popular kid one must own all the latest toys such as video games, having a computer and toys that come from popular movies such as Toy Story 3. It also shows that Christmas means getting toys and presents. I feel that kids have lost the true meaning of Christmas.

            My personal conclusion from this assignment is that advertising toys during children’s programming gives kids the wrong idea. I know that having toys is important because a child needs to have fun and be a kid, but I feel a child also needs to understand the true meaning of Christmas and that Santa Claus may not bring them everything they want. I feel that parents should take the time to spend time with their children this holiday season and make gifts that come from the heart. I remember when I was little my grandmother and I used to bake cookies and do art projects for Christmas. Now that I am older I make sure that I make at least two homemade gifts each year. For my husband’s family I make gift baskets filled with different goodies each year. 

           

           

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is an issue that people hear about. The one question that comes to mind is whether or not to allow women to breastfeed in public. I feel that breastfeeding in general is important because babies need the proper nutrition in order to grow up strong. It also helps a mother and a child bond. This topic is meaningful to me because I remember taking a bus one time and a young mother was asked to get off at the next stop because she was feeding her baby in public. The bus only had two passengers (the mother and I). The mother was sitting in the back of the bus minding her own business. I was mad that the driver had asked her to do so because I felt it was violating the mother's rights. Needless to say the mother had refused to get off the bus and waited until the police came. She was escourted off the bus.
  The country I had chose was Kenya. Prior to the United States in conjunction with the Catholic Relief Services the women in Kenya did not have a  mother-to-mother support group where women can get together and discuss issues about their children. The purpose of this group was to create awarenes of the practice of breastfeeding and enhancing nutrition across the villages.
I feel that this will impact my future work because it is important for babies to get the proper nutrition and also to have a strong bond with their mother. I also feel that having a support group is helpful because it is great to learn from each other.

Childbirth––In Your Life and Around the World

The only birth that comes to mind is my birth. I remember my mother telling me that I was a healthy baby that weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and 18 inches long. I was born two weeks late. I also remember my mother telling me that I my dad was not allowed in the delivery room because I was born in a Catholic Hospital and men were not allowed in the delivery room back then. I chose this because I do not have any children of my own yet. I am slightly overweight and feel that in order to have a healthy baby I need to lose weight. My thoughts on birth and its impact on child development is that if a mother takes care of herself while she is pregnant she will more than likely have a healthy child. A mother needs to make sure she is eating healthy and makes sure that she is going to all doctor’s appointments. If a baby is getting the proper nutrition the baby will grow up strong.

I had chosen to write about how births are done in India. My friend is from India and she had a baby last year and was able to share this information with me. The things I found out were it is illegal for the parents to know the sex of the child before it is born. In the United States there was time when the parents could not find out, but nowadays they can. In most modern hospitals (if you can find one) allow fathers to be in the delivery room. In the United States fathers are now allowed to be in the delivery room, but when I was born it was not permitted. The option of an epidural is available in few hospitals and the ones that have them are modern. C-sections are considered normal deliveries in some parts of India. In the United States C-sections are only for those who are having complications. It is important to apply for the birth certificate at the hospital after the baby is born. In the United States it is the same way.

The things I have realized is that births are different depending on where you live and what time you were born. I was born in the late 1970’s and things have even changed in the United States from when I was born. I think that India is trying to become modern and allow the fathers to participate more.