September 16, 2019 Blathering interrupters are exhausting. We’ve all been cornered by them, whether it’s an over-talking, sentence-finishing workplace colleague, an opinionated family member at a … [Read more...]
Talk to Jess-White House Event On Gender, Media + Toys
April 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment
April 20, 2016 As a staunch critic of the toy industry’s complicity in marketing vapid values and gender stereotypes that can limit instead of expand kid’s brain plasticity, it’s no surprise that I … [Read more...]
Positive Picks! Progress in Upending Gender Stereotypes
April 3, 2015 by Leave a Comment
May 29, 2015 Update Check out the all new Kickstarter from Gecko Clothing featuring "funky, ethical, organic, unisex" clothes crowdsourcing both the design and the funding! There's a strong … [Read more...]
Not Your Typical Dog Books for Kids: Media That Matters
November 18, 2014 by 2 Comments
Mar. 23, 2015 "Dogs make the best teachers"...Today is National Puppy Day, time to give a big "paws up" to our friends at A Puppy's New Home, creating respect, social emotional learning, and diversity … [Read more...]
The Invisible Boy: A Kids Storybook That Taps A Universal Nerve
May 21, 2014 by 1 Comment
Update Dec. 24, 2015 We're about to volunteer at a children's homeless shelter doing activities with kids and it reminded me about this post and how I've 'seen so much invisibility' over the holiday … [Read more...]
Shaping Youth at Sundance: Film Finds +Parenting Perspectives
February 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Feb. 21, 2014 For the first time ever, Sundance Film Institute added a Sundance Kids division, to introduce and inspire youth with indie films...alas, I couldn’t find anyone who knew about it.It's … [Read more...]
Reach and Teach: Get to Know the People Behind the Products
December 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Dec. 5, 2013 Amy's Note: For more Shaping Youth posts I've written about Reach and Teach's Global Goods That Do Good and "10 under $10" finds, as well as year round positive picks for kids like New … [Read more...]
Upstanding Is A Force Field! Feel The Anti-Bullying Gravitational Pull
October 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Oct. 23, 2013 May the anti-bullying force be with you, upstanding digital citizens…The month of October, once known for autumn leaves, pumpkin patches and Halloween, is now sharing time with newly … [Read more...]
Navigating Boy Culture With Masterminds & Wingmen
August 31, 2013 by 2 Comments
Aug. 30, 2013 There are certain overused terms pervasive in our media culture that jolt my critical thinking radar into high alert skepticism: ”parenting expert” is one of them, and “bullying … [Read more...]
Family Diversity In Books: A Child’s View of DOMA
June 29, 2013 by 2 Comments
Update: June 26, 2015It's official. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled 5 to 4 in favor of marriage equality (see Justice Kennedy's closing paragraph summation which poignantly concludes, "it is so … [Read more...]
Brave Girls Want: Change. That’s Not Merida, Disney. Be Brave and Fix It
May 23, 2013 by 4 Comments
June 11, 2013 Update: Brave Girls Want.com is now live! Use the hashtag #BraveGirlsWant on Twitter and “like” the new Facebook site to add your voice and views on the impact of media and marketing … [Read more...]
Youth Aids Day: First Gen Who’ve Never Known a World Without HIV
April 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Nov. 25, 2015 Update World Aids Day is coming up Dec. 1st, and Durex is promoting the creation of a "condom emoji" to be used via social media to shorthand safety messages for public health. April … [Read more...]
Victim Blaming, “Asking For It” and Baiting Outrage-On the Radio
February 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Sept. 2, 2016 Update Today's early release of Stanford student/campus rapist Brock Turner (3 months off an already lenient 6 month sentence) prompted this pithy video indictment by Elizabeth Plank on … [Read more...]
Ground Hog Day: Super Bowl Sexism Keeps Popping Up
February 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Feb 2, 2013 It's Ground Hog Day and as reliable as Punxsutawney Phil, parents and pundits await to see what shadows will be cast on kids from the Super Bowl media hype blaring at surround sound … [Read more...]
When We Were Free To Be: Revisiting A Classic w/Deesha Philyaw
December 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Dec. 18, 2012 This year marks not only the 40th Anniversary of Title IX changing women’s sports forever, it’s also the 40th Anniversary of the cycle-breaking, movement-making pop culture childrens' … [Read more...]
A Mighty Girl: Healthier Media Messaging, One Click Convenience
December 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
April 11, 2013 Update: Check out A Mighty Girl pics for Environmental Books and movies for green kidlit and Earth Day 2013! Dec. 10, 2012 What to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature … [Read more...]
CCFC: A Positive Pick, Even When Calling Out Negative TOADY Toys
December 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Dec. 4, 2012 No question I continue to land hard on watchdogs that aren’t woofin’ when it comes to media and marketing’s impact on kids, but nobody does it better than Campaign for a Commercial Free … [Read more...]
Toward The Stars: New Online Marketplace of Goods for Girls to Soar
November 19, 2012 by 5 Comments
Nov. 20, 2012 “To the moon!” was once an iconic working class phrase that 50s TV star Jackie Gleason made famous in mock-threat to his sitcom wife Alice in The Honeymooners. He'd shake his fist, “why, … [Read more...]
War Games Blitz the Homefront: Halo 4, Call of Duty Livestream
November 12, 2012 by 2 Comments
Nov. 12, 2012 There’s irony noting many who’ve never served in the armed forces are in a firestorm of shoot ‘em ups with newly hyped titles lobbed into the media mix like grenades bombarding the … [Read more...]
Powerhouse Women in Film: Seidelman Courts An All-Star Cast
October 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Oct. 23, 2012 As we wind down October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with a four-week series by USA Today amidst controversies of “Not so Pretty in Pink” moments from survivors who are … [Read more...]
