The past few weeks Shaping Youth has recorded some preteen podcasts to hear what kids from public and private schools have to say about body image, celebrity hype, products, brands, teen media and how it all relates to the middle school experience. Yowza. It may not quite be Fast Times at Ridgemont High out there but I’m feeling quite Jurassic about the 'wannabe world,' … [Read more...]
I wrote "Counter-Marketing via Joe Camel" long before my middle-schooler was being enticed to enjoy Frapuccinos for coolness caché, or max out her prepaid Jamba Juice card with Banana Berry fulfillment, so it's interesting to see how peer buzz slides seamlessly through each age group. Guess I should be thankful she hasn't succumbed to the 'Pink Star' posse. That's … [Read more...]
This is a first-person 'retro' piece which I've recently shared with Daughters bimonthly and decided to freshen with updated research & links to post here on our own blog. Enjoy!--Amy I’m not sure when the peer lunch box radar kicked in…It must’ve been sometime between first grade and second, concurrent with the “dresses are worn with shorts under … [Read more...]
Ah, football season, home to toxic media messaging for girls. A time when beer billboards of buxom cheerleaders spill from every corner, “scoring” innuendos abound, and tacky wardrobe malfunctions remain fresh in the mind’s eye. Seems timely to post tips on ways to promote girls’ self-image through SPORTS, since body image and self worth is being pummeled in media and … [Read more...]
New media channels for sugary snacks parallel a Greek mythology lesson…even if the head is cut off the Hydra, two more pop up on the serpent to replace it. The junk food siren endlessly beckons to kids… Just when parents were granted a mini-exhale with the tightening of a few minor junk food regulations in last week's newly released CARU guidelines, the … [Read more...]
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