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Title: Saving Childhood : Protecting Our Children from the National Assault on Innocence by Michael Medved, Diane Medved ISBN: 0-06-093224-4 Publisher: Perennial Currents Pub. Date: 15 August, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.4 (20 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: SAVING CHILDHOOD is a must read!
Comment: For all parents and those concerned about the effects of popular culture on the minds and hearts of their children, this is an essential book. The Medveds point out the perils of the "preparation" paradigm currently in vogue. According to this way of thinking, children must be prepared for the worst, in order to protect them. In realilty by telling children that the world is an evil place full of danger the "preparation" advocates are frightening them needlessly, destroying their innocence, and making them prematurely cynical. Sex education in kindergarten, distribution of condoms in junior high, debunking of religion in public schools, bad examples set by politicians including the president, are just a few of the topics which are explored in this timely and important book. SAVING CHILDHOOD succintly demonstrates that children's happiness depends upon optimism, innocence, and a sense of wonder The Medveds give practical tips and pointers on how to provide these three qualities for your children. I highly recommend this book..
Rating: 5
Summary: Promoting security and a sense of wonder!
Comment: Controversy is deliciously entertaining, violence is shocking and sensual content is titillating.....for most adults. But what is this doing to our children? The Media has so permeated our lives that it seems there is no way to protect "childhood innocence."
"Saving Childhood" offers parents hope and practical tips on how to encourage security, a sense of wonder and optimism in the life of a child. This book will empower parents and give them hope for the future.
The first part of the book has been written to make parents aware of the realities of the situation and explains the "Assault" on innocence. The second part is the "Defense." Michael and Diane explain that the Assault is coming from Media, Schools, Peers and Parents. They show how statistics have proved that the problems in our society are getting worse at a rapid pace and back this up with scientific evidence. They also explain many points with examples from the raising of their own three children.
The Medveds explain how we live in a land where sex education has failed to reduce teenage pregnancy, children feel guilty for existing, parents push their children to grow up too fast, children have a lack of moral values, and parents have taken a passive role.
So who is educating our children? It seems an inadequate school system and the TV!
Television is well known for programs which contain high levels of violence. I have long been a believer that TV violence causes aggression. Michael and Diane prove this point and I found it interesting to read about how the crime rates increased soon after the introduction of TV into various towns.
I grew up in South Africa for most of my childhood and remember very few people having TV's in the early years. TV was apparently banned until 1975. In fact, my father never purchased a TV and so I grew up basically TV-free! Perhaps that is why I can still enjoy a movie like "Runaway Bride." Most of my friends are so jaded, they can't appreciate movies which I find to be very enjoyable. In fact, most movies are new to me.
The Medveds also show how TV promotes impatience, self-pity, superficiality and gives us all a harsh view of the world. With all this negativity, how are we balancing our lives and promoting a positive view of the world?
There are now three books I consider "essential reading" for every American: "America's Real War," "The American Paradox," and "Saving Childhood." These three books are brilliantly conceived works which explain America's present predicament and give excellent solutions. After reading all three books, I am now convinced of our nations need for:
1. Responsibility to a Higher Power. (90 percent of Americans believe in God) 2. Renewed respect for life and authority. 3. The teaching of personal responsibility, patriotism and honesty. 4. Parents that stay together and live what they teach. 5. The teaching of moral values. 6. The reading of inspiring books instead of a diet of negative TV reinforcement. 7. A revamp of our Education System. 8. Holding our Media responsible for programming. 9. Teaching a sense of gratitude for life. 10. An all-out effort to protect the remaining innocence of our children.
In order to promote the efforts of parents, Michael and Diane devote chapter seven, eight and nine to explain how parents can promote "security," "a sense of wonder," and "optimism" in the lives of their children.
"Childhood is perhaps the only phase of life when innocence can flourish. But to allow this, parents and others responsible for children's minds need to construct a protective shelter against the painful and frightening facets of life. They need to stand guard at its door, to let the harsher truths of reality gradually unfold for the child, in a way and at a pace that allows the child to maintain a positive outlook. Honoring innocence is incompatible with assuming that the earlier children grasp all the worst aspects of the world, the better prepared they'll be to handle them." -- "Saving Childhood" page 195
To this I add one of my favorite poems for children:
May tree and plant and shrub be soundless through the night and stars and moon be dimmed to shut out all the light. So when you sleep in peace, no bird will move in flight, and angles guard your sleep. Goodnight, my love goodnight.
- James Neill Northe
Rating: 1
Summary: Innocence?
Comment: The idea of childhood as an idealized, golden time of sweet innocence is actually relatively new, culturally speaking, and it was invented by adults. Anyone who actually remembers their school days without glazing them over in sentimental nostalgia knows that children are not little angels untroubled by the sins and cynicism of their elders. Kids are basically little animals that, hopefully with the careful guidance of loving parents, may someday develop into responsible, moral human beings. If you don't believe this, go observe the kids playing at your local elementary school when they don't think the teachers are watching. Listen to the things they call each other, watch them push and shove and show off. There's your "innocence".
Not that kids are little adults, either. They haven't yet formed some of the necessary cognitive, moral, and emotional constructs to understand the complicated issues that adults must. But they're human beings, and are fully capable of all the worst of human nature. The catch is, it's only by facing that side of ourselves that we learn not to be ruled by it. Otherwise why did God bother to burden us with the ability to choose wrongly?--because without knowing what you reject, choice is meaningless. What the Medveds are preaching is not the preservation of innocence--a comforting illusion dreamed up by adults--but a doctrine of willful ignorance.
I am not surprised that their daughter was so upset by troubling news reports. Their attempt to shield her has apparently made her sense of security and optimism that much more fragile, easily broken by the merest intrusion of the rest of the world. As those children grow, they will either have to continue to shut out anything that disagrees with their tunnel-vision view of the world, or completely restructure their thinking. I would rather teach my children to face this world's trials, eyes wide open, in compassion and love, then teach them to hide from it in fear masquerading as "innocence".
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Title: Hollywood vs. America by Michael Medved ISBN: 0060924357 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 04 August, 1993 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: A RETURN TO MODESTY: Discovering the Lost Virtue by Wendy Shalit ISBN: 0684863170 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 24 January, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Think a Second Time by Dennis Prager ISBN: 006098709X Publisher: Regan Books Pub. Date: 09 October, 1996 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: America's Real War by Rabbi Daniel Lapin ISBN: 1576736555 Publisher: Multnomah Pub. Date: 30 June, 1999 List Price(USD): $13.99 |
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Title: In, But Not Of : A Guide to Christian Ambition by Hugh Hewitt ISBN: 0785263950 Publisher: Nelson Books Pub. Date: 10 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $17.99 |
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