Need help!!! Offensive language in kids shows!

[PrincessBride010103]

Watching adult TV? Not even close! We watch PBS and DVD's. But truth be told my DD doesn't watch a lot of TV. She reads and draws and plays.

Surely on PBS they say oh my god and sometimes maybe a little worse...

 

[GothTink]

Why do shows include it? Well, probably because it's NOT offensive to everyone.

Since it seems you're a bit stronger than others about the words not allowed in your house, it would be a good idea for you to WATCH the shows with your children, or before they see them (do you have a DVR?).

We get bugged by that phrase, but only b/c it's a meaningless phrase to us, so it's silly when one of us brainlessly says it or says "thank god". I always ask whoever has said it "who is that?" So it's annoying when a show gives DS a phrase like that, but we aren't offended by it, b/c it means nothing to us.

Since it means something to you, your kids don't get to watch TV by themselves anymore.

Also, I have found that telling my kiddo "remember, we don't say (or do) that" is a good way to remind them that although others might get to say or do something, he doesn't. Of course, that leads to fun conversations in grocery stores...

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Surely on PBS they say oh my god and sometimes maybe a little worse...

I think they have that show Arthur on PBS. That is not a nice show at all. They are all mean to each other.

 

[jodifla]

I've now blocked the entire Nick and Disney channels on my TV set, and do you know what? The picture is blacked out but the audio still runs! Huh??!!?

My problem is I have a DS13, DD6, and DS3 who of course have wildly varying interests and capacity for filtering. DD6 is more "aware" of middle school life because she hears her brother talking about it and watches his shows. To be honest, we are on the money makeover and were just talking about cutting budgets by cancelling the cable tv service anyway. We parents never have time to watch, and my kids could watch PBS online or on DVDs. I do enjoy Discovery Health, but I could easily give that up.

As far as using OMG, yes I was raised that this was more heinous than any of the other obscenities (other than g-d@ammit) because it was taking God's name in vain. We say oh my goodness in our house, but I have one pollyanna friend whose daughter was raised to say "Oh my poodles!" which cracks me up.

The problem is that DS3 is at a very hard age to correct a habit. He doesn't understand why he can't say that word and he says it a couple of times a day. Almost as soon as he says it, he freezes and says "Sorry" "Oh my goo-ness Mommy". But it just ticks me off that I'm correcting this thanks to Nick and Disney.

Thanks for the links - I checked out commonsensemedia, and will check out family.org too. Aren't there sites too where you can buy or rent edited DVD's with the bad parts cut out? My kids want to see PG movies that seem good but need tweaking but I thought I recall there being a lawsuit over the copyrights to the film.

Boy, this really points out how people view things differently.

I can tell this is very important in your household, but I wouldn't give it a second thought. OMG is just NBD in this househould. And if my son says things I don't want him to say, I just view it as a teachable moment. I don't run out trying to ban everything.

You can't keep your children in a bubble.... and why would you want to??

 

[trivial]

Buzzkill? I can't help but chuckle. I don't know if it originated as a drug/alcohol reference or not, but I would never imagine anyone would find it "unacceptable", or berate high school students for saying it. It's such a common and unoffensive (or so I thought) word these days.

Isn't it our job as parents to teach our kids what's right and what's wrong?

You can't keep your children in a bubble.... and why would you want to??

 

[PrincessBride010103]

Buzzkill? I can't help but chuckle. I don't know if it originated as a drug/alcohol reference or not, but I would never imagine anyone would find it "unacceptable", or berate high school students for saying it. It's such a common and unoffensive (or so I thought) word these days.

Call me a liberal, but I agree

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Call me a liberal, but I agree

Is liberal a bad word too?

 

[PrincessBride010103]

Is liberal a bad word too?

uh oh you're probably right

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

Buzzkill? I can't help but chuckle. I don't know if it originated as a drug/alcohol reference or not, but I would never imagine anyone would find it "unacceptable", or berate high school students for saying it. It's such a common and unoffensive (or so I thought) word these days.

Are we still talking about saying oh my god? We don't say that at our house. I don't find it offensive so much as I just can't stand to hear my sweet little girls say it. But, I'm not going to take Disney to task for using it in shows that are geared towards elementary and pre-teen viewers just because I have a 3 year old that watches what his sister does on tv. That's the thing about being parents: what's considered acceptable in one home may not be in another home. Children are going to learn more from their parents (hopefully) than what they do from a tv show.
All I can do, is agree with the posters who say watch it WITH your children, then you will know what language is in it. And if you don't think it's appropriate, turn it off.

We don't let our daughters watch or play with Bratz dolls. Do we blame it on the company that makes it: No. We just keep it away from our kids and let them know why we don't allow them. Simple.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

Surely on PBS they say oh my god and sometimes maybe a little worse...

Actually, on the cartoons they don't.

 

[eh24fan]

In the grand scheme of things, I think "Oh my god" is trivial. If you are going to try to shelter your children from everything deemed "unpleasant" in life, they are going to have a HUGE wake up call when they finally enter the rest of the world.

As far as PBS goes, honestly, I don't think those shows are all that wholesome and wonderful all the time either. Caillou is probably the whiniest, most annoying cartoon character I ever watched. I didn't let DS watch it b/c I had enough trouble with him being that way IRL, I didn't need to hear a cartoon do it too!

I'm pretty lenient in what I allow DS to watch. He has a firm grasp on what's real and what's not, what's appropriate and what isn't. He's a smart kid with a good heart.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

Call me a liberal, but I agree

Hey, I'm a hardcore liberal and we don't use swear words in our house. Mainly because we don't want our kids using those words. Personally, I don't like my children learning and using bad grammar in any situation. They can't say "ain't" either. Drives me crazy...

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

In the grand scheme of things, I think "Oh my god" is trivial. If you are going to try to shelter your children from everything deemed "unpleasant" in life, they are going to have a HUGE wake up call when they finally enter the rest of the world.

As far as PBS goes, honestly, I don't think those shows are all that wholesome and wonderful all the time either. Caillou is probably the whiniest, most annoying cartoon character I ever watched. I didn't let DS watch it b/c I had enough trouble with him being that way IRL, I didn't need to hear a cartoon do it too!

I'm pretty lenient in what I allow DS to watch. He has a firm grasp on what's real and what's not, what's appropriate and what isn't. He's a smart kid with a good heart.

Caillous is a horrid, horrid cartoon child! I agree!

 

[deedeetoo]

I think the issue is that everyone has different opinions about what is OK to say and what is offensive.

It never would have occurred to me that OMG was a problem. It is so common place. On the other and, I do have problem with calling people idiots or stupid. We do not use demeaning language towards other people and my kids know it.

My biggest problems with these show is the kids attitudes. I hate Suite Life as these kids are always talking back to their Mom and the hotel manager.

 

[trivial]

I want to be clear that I don't think badly of people who don't want their kids saying, "Oh my God" or whatever... we'll probably do the same. I know it bothers some people while others think it's trivial, but it's all about teaching your kids your own values.

As for Bratz dolls and cartoons that teach kids to be whiney, annoying brats... I do think badly of those responsible for them. My kids won't be watching those cartoons, and my girls (if I have any) won't be buying Bratz crap, but I think those who are involved in them should be ashamed of themselves. The cartoon thing perhaps a bit less so... I don't think those people are intentionally trying to do harm, but on the other hand, I don't know why they would want to create such annoying characters or promote that kind of behaviour. I have more of a problem with my kids watching stuff like that than shows that have a minor curse (damn, hell, etc.) here and there. But yes, it comes back to our responsibility to raise our own kids with our own values.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

I want to be clear that I don't think badly of people who don't want their kids saying, "Oh my God" or whatever... we'll probably do the same. I know it bothers some people while others think it's trivial, but it's all about teaching your kids your own values.

As for Bratz dolls and cartoons that teach kids to be whiney, annoying brats... I do think badly of those responsible for them. My boys won't be watching those cartoons, and my girls (if I have any) won't be buying Bratz crap, but I think those who are involved in them should be ashamed of themselves. The cartoon thing is a bit less straight-forward... I don't think those people are intentionally trying to do harm, but on the other hand, I don't know why they would want to create such annoying characters or promote that kind of behaviour.

Oh, that's easy: $$$ and as long as parents keep buying it then there's not much that can be done about it. That's why parents that don't want there kids to watch it need to just not allow it in their homes. Yes, I don't agree with the makers but they do have the right to make them.

 

[surfergirl602]

The only cartoons that my girls (7 & 4) watch are the PBS cartoons and DVD's. We do not get Disney or Nick and although my 7yr. old sometimes feels like she is missing out on things her friends get to see, I don't feel bad at all. Hannah Montana is a show about high schoolers and their life situations. I certainly wouldn't let my girls be involved in the dramas of high school kids on a personal level and I don't think they should be watching it on t.v. either. The same goes for High School Musical. My girls do not need to be "in love" with anyone at their ages and they don't need to be concerned with boyfriends. I feel that these shows are marketed to a way too young audience and is causing our kids to grow up to fast.
Sorry for such a long ramble, but I feel very passionate about this issue. It's a hard line to walk to keep your kids "normal" compared to other kids and to also keep them innocent.
I love that my 7yr. old cares more about Reading Rainbow than Hannah Montana.

JMHO

My girls, 7 and 5, watch some of these shows without any problems, so I think it depends on the kid. They also love Angelina Ballerina... so I think every house hold is different. We don't take any offense to it... but on the other hand, some of the adult innuendos in even DISNEY movies is strong! What happens when the kids get old enough to understand it? How do you explain why Buzz Lightyear's wings popped out the first time he saw the cowgirl in Toy Story 2?

 

[surfergirl602]

oops, DP.

 

[Butwhyistherumgone?]

I
My biggest problems with these show is the kids attitudes. I hate Suite Life as these kids are always talking back to their Mom and the hotel manager.

Oh me too, I cant stand those two.
I like Maddie and London but the bratty, ill mannered, backtalking boys could go away and I would be happy.
I have used the show as a learning tool for my kids - ways for my kids NOT to act!

 

[fozzilfinder]

As a mother of two growing boys I will have to say that is not what they WATCH is what I TEACH THEM...I allow my boys to watch tv (disney and Nick and Cartoon Network) they play videos some with mild violence...but we always talk about what is right and what is wrong and we set and follow rules. My boys are well behave and honor students and they are my pride and joy and makes me proud when I have people telling me what great kids they are Once again I do believe is what you teach your child what is important , in every day life they will be exposed to so much ...then what? you need to give your child the tools and teach them to recognize rights and wrongs

You can teach your child a lot, without continually exposing them to what you disapprove of. I don't like many things on tv, so we limit those. My daughter still says stuff that makes my hair curl but she isn't hearing and seeing it everyday.

I teach third grad, and the stuff that kids come in talking about that they've been allowed to watch is horrific. It makes me shake my head in wonder when they express concern for th attitudes and violence their child is expressing.