In-School Commercialism: A Back to School Checklist

Sept. 14, 2017 An update on the unhealthy cues sent to kids with BoxTops for Education, via Harvard Chan School of Public Health podcast  which nails the core problem quite succinctly. The program is "Leveraging poor school funding and caring parents to promote the purchase of poor quality foods." Also, here's fresh research on the Gatorade/hydration spin-spotting from the … [Read more...]

Deconstructing Spongebob, Pt2: A Preschool Parenting Lens

Sept. 20, 2011 In part one, the prelude to this post, I tried to frame the notion of critical thinking skills as a sphere to hold up to the light and rotate slowly instead of banging out opinions in point-counterpoint opposite spectrum and debate polarity. Partly that's because the two focal points I was covering (CCFC's rub with Spongebob Spongebob preschool merchandising … [Read more...]

Deconstructing Spongebob: Reasoning, Research, & Critical Thinking

Sept. 19, 2011 “So, Amy, whose side are you on with the pundits talking and the press reporting about the new University of Virginia Spongebob research?” Whaaaa? Sides? Really? That's cartoonish, like this editorial/visual statement at Beartoons.com at left... Last I checked, the ability to use critical thinking skills was rarely a "one-sided" stance. I tend to take a … [Read more...]

FCC Chair Receives Our Coalition Letter on Product Placement

Sept. 24, 2009 Shaping Youth is part of this coalition (15pp pdf here) joining over 50 signatories on "FCC Docket 08-90." As a nonpartisan, non-censorship, nonprofit recall I support two key coalitions impacting children, the other being eco-literacy, NCLI. You can get a glimpse of my reasoning here, but I'll focus fully on "'why this is important" deconstructing the … [Read more...]

SmartyCard’s Summer Challenge With Scholastic: Heads Up for Fall!

May 28, 2009 I was just about to post an in-depth review and analysis of the merits and watch-worthy aspects of the new SmartyCard.com "learn and earn" kids' program for 3rd-6th graders,  when I received this sidewinder about their brand new alliance with Scholastic’s Summer reading challenge. I know, I know, this news is supposed to be a GOOD thing from a "halo effect" mass … [Read more...]