Managing Media in the Home Tele-Class Series

Reduce Media and Replenish Your Child's Imagination, Creativity and Focus.

"Managing Media in the Home" Tele-Class Series starts March 12, 2008!

            

 Available in two sessions. Choose the time of day that works best for your schedule.

Wednesdays:   Session 1: 10 AM Eastern Time
                     Session 2:  9 PM Eastern Time
 

Managing Media in the Home is a 6-week course to help you reduce media and replenish your child’s imagination, creativity and focus.

v     Did you know…83% of ads on children’s programming are for fast food or sweets? Studies increasingly show the connection between violent video games and increased aggressive actions?

v  A University of Seattle study shows that 1 hour increase per week in the number of hours of television watched at age 1 is associated with a 28% increase in the probability of having attention problems at age 7.

v     Parents today face challenges unheard of in past generations. Media influences our children’s intellectual, social, physical and spiritual development—and it is everywhere!

v     This class gives you tools and strategies for reducing media influence and enriching your home with creativity, closeness and peace.

During the Managing Media in the Home teleclass you will hear statistics about the startling connection between children's behavior and development and the amount and quality of television, other electronic games and devices they use regularly.

You will learn to apply the same awareness you use in other parenting areas to your child's media exposure.  We will be engaged in thought provoking discussions along with some age-appropriate concrete ideas for limiting and monitoring media in your home.

This class is facilitated by Jean Rogers, mom, marketing expert and creator of the “Kids Media Diet” workshop, presented in schools, hospitals and community centers for parents, teachers and healthcare providers; and hosted by Dumari Dancoes, “Parenting through Your Heart” creator.

Each weekly class is packed with critical information, and easy-to-use strategies that make a big difference in the effect media has on your children and your family life.  Take a look at the topics for each week:

v     It’s All about Balance: Introduction to Media Awareness

v     Create a More Peaceful Home, Create a More Peaceful Planet

v     Provide Your Children with Critical Thinking Skills

v     Wrestle the Marketing Monster

v     Take Advantage of some Positive Aspects of Media

v    Idea Exchange: Parents Speak about What Works in their Homes                     

Managing Media in the Home  Week-by-Week Outline:

Part I: It’s All about Balance: Introduction to Media Awareness

Raising children today is a very different task than it was a generation ago. Considering the role of media in your child’s life can seem like just another overwhelming part of parenting. This introductory class is designed to provide some concrete evidence, and highlight a path to simple, effective changes that have immediate results.

v     Examine startling statistics about sleep, academic performance and behavioral issues related to media exposure.

v     Increase awareness of the significant influence media plays in shaping childhood today.

v     Start to make educated decisions about the level of monitoring and eliminating you do in your own home based on family interests, schedule, ages of your children and other variables.

v     Realize that the task of reducing media doesn’t have to be overwhelming and can have significant benefits to all involved.

Part 2: Create a More Peaceful Home, Create a More Peaceful Planet

Our children are with us for a short time. Television and other media suck precious time from cognitive and social development and family relationships. In this session, we will discuss how to…

v     Improve family relationships with more time looking at each other and less time looking at a screen.

v     Turn daily activities into opportunities for positive interaction.

v     Create rituals and limits that fit your family’s personality, interests and lifestyle.

Part 3: Provide Your Children with Critical Thinking Skills

Monitoring and limiting media in your home can have multiple benefits and teach the whole family to be more aware of the world around them. This session outlines monitoring principles and how they apply to other aspect of life as well. This session will highlight how to…

v     Implement the Media Litmus Test^r

v     Apply the Litmus Test to various media.

v     Hone skills with media they will use for the rest of their lives.

Part 4: Wrestle the Marketing Monster

Today marketers target children who then pester their parents for products as well as teens who have more disposable income than ever before. This session will examine how to…

v     Recognize ads that make kids grow up too soon.

v     Recognize ads that promote an unhealthy or devalued lifestyle.

v     Recognize marketing disguised as information or entertainment.

v      How to deal with bad ads broadcast in good programs.

v Protect your children from being exploited by advertisers by helping them understand how advertising works.

Part 5: Take Advantage of some Positive Aspects of Media

This entire series advocates balance. Because our children are growing up in a media-intensive age, removing it all together can create problems in itself. So this session looks at some of the ways to take advantage of technology. We examine how to...

v     Enjoy sports and cultural events that are otherwise inaccessible.

v     Make a date with your children.

v     Use media to broach difficult but necessary life topics.

v     Get to know your children better.

Part 6: Idea Exchange: Parents Speak about What Works in their Homes

Research on media is continually evolving. I talk to parents and educators daily. But, there are multiple ways to reach the goals learned throughout this program. Share what has worked in your home and connect with families who have similar demographic make-up, similar circumstances and have tried methods that work.

Weekly home practice pages will help you review class material and put what you've learned into practice at home.    

About Your Facilitators

Jean Rogers is a freelance writer and parent educator who specializes in helping families balance media and advocates for safer media in government and community agencies. In addition to a career in marketing, Jean currently presents Kids Media Diet workshops throughout the Northeast and is authoring a book on Managing Media in the Home. Her goal is to help parents and children simplify their lives and minimize the negative effects of increasingly present media.

Dumari Dancoes, founder of www.ChildrenLights.com, is hosting this teleclass series.  Dumari is a mom, a Family Coach and the creator of the “Parenting Through Your Heart” approach. Dumari empowers families by integrating leading-edge tools and a supportive environment where parents learn how to find more family fulfillment. 

Sign up for:

• Wednesday mornings, March 12 though April 16, 10 AM Eastern Time OR

• Wednesday evenings, March 12 through April 16, 9 PM Eastern Time

*Bonus:  When you sign up for this teleclass, you also receive a FREE chapter from Jean’s upcoming book on Managing Media in the Home!

Tuition : $167.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Dumari (dumari@childrenlights.com) or Jean Rogers (jean@jrogerscreative.com). 

Love,

Jean & Dumari

P.S. You can help your children discern between what is good for them within the media and what is not.  This teleclass will help you empower yourself and your children!