More Tips for Raising Healthy Kids in a Commercial Culture

Object en masse to television in the classrooms.

Give kids time, give them the gift of music and art, both as enjoyers and makers.

Take them to local games and let them see sports without the commercial trappings.

Take them outside for hikes and camping trips.

Take them traveling if you can afford it.

Don't just turn off the TV, but instead show them something better to do.

Respect the idea that there will always be an aspect of "I want" in a child.

Teach children they may not need all these things, and teach ourselves we don't have to give in to every request.

When the TV is on, do not allow children to shush anyone who wants to discuss something.

Give children a big box of crayons and rolls of shelf paper.

Feel free to say no.

Refuse to buy Wonder bread.

Take children to zoos, camping, state fairs; show them other areas of the country.

Give them chores but also unscheduled time to exercise their imaginations and play with other kids.

Read them bedtime stories.

Expose kids to other media - surrealist films, conceptual art exhibits (carefully selected), gatherings of interesting adult friends with non-mainstream stories to tell.

Arrange for them to spend lots of time with their grandparents.

Get schools to adopt fund raiser policies that (1) provide an educational experience for kids, and (2) contribute to some social good.

Attend high school drama productions rather than Disney on Ice.

Buy music lessons rather than fancy electronic gadgets.

Anti-commercialism line of offense: talk, talk, talk about it and hold the line; explain that Barbie doesn't DO anything except shop.

Let a child carefully experience some parts of popular culture while keeping up the dialogue in an age-appropriate way why you object to most commercial messages.

Parents need to be educated - offer short talks at pre-schools including outlines and bibliographies.

Birthdays: do not buy them toys; make up a lengthy list of material alternatives like art supplies, old magazines for collages, books, experiential alternatives like train rides.

Bring kids along when you shop for birthday presents for other children and ask them to think about whether a particular gift will have more than one purpose, if it will be interesting over a long period of time, if it will it break easily, etc. It's a good opportunity to teach them critical consumer skills.

Parents who resist consumerism for themselves are the ones who teach their children to resist it.

Don't buy when you can borrow, do without, or make do. Buy things used whenever possible. Buy local whenever possible. Look above all for quality and durability.

Articulate your philosophy to your children when the time is appropriate. For example, say, "I really like this shirt, but I have a shirt that is similar, so I don't think I'll buy it."

Do community service with your kids.

Teach children to be doers and creators rather than shoppers and buyers.

Teach about value, even if you have no kids. Pay a neighborhood child to walk your dog.

Spend your money locally. Avoid chain stores and chain restaurants. Examine the politics of mega-corporations and boycott those who exploit their workers or destroy local economies.

Participate in a "summer reading club" within your family Give each child a daily reading goal, set by the child. Non-readers can be helped by readers and tapes.

Go for walks, cycle, kick the ball around the yard, garden, play table tennis, read together, play cards and games, do crafts, wrestle around on the living room floor.

Three resources: The National Parenting Association - a parenting movement begun by Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Cornell West, authors of The War Against Parents. The Media Education Foundation, founded by University of Massachusetts Professor Sut Jhally. (e-mail inquiries to mediaed@mediaed.org) The National Council on Economic Education and/or the Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, which create non-ideological curriculums for children on economics and personal finance. www.jumpstartcoalition.org

Adopt a school board policy or push for state action on commercialism in schools. Gary Ruskin of Ralph Nader's DC-based Commercial Alert and Jim Metrock of the Alabama-based Obligation Inc. have drafted a model school board policy and a model state law (The Public Education Protection Act of 1999. Contact Gary at gary@essential.org. Jim Metrock can be reached at 202-822-0080. See also www.obligation.org

Another excellent resource is California-based Center for Commercial-Free Public Education. Contact them at unplug@igc.org

At a recent birthday party... we opted out of bringing a material gift toy, clothes, etc.). Instead we gave three hours of "play time with us" and a donation in his name to a charity.

Website resource about ethical guidelines for advertising to children: www.bbb.org/advertising/caruguid.html

Pass laws banning billboard advertising near schools.

If you're recharged best by an evening at the ballpark...maybe you can overlap goals by going with friends or local kids. And if you're a conscious and responsible consumer, you'll surely minimize your paper (and other resource) waste just as you would at a movie, church luncheon, or county fair.

Grow your own fresh produce and involve your children in the project.

If you want to promote an anti-commercial message to kids, teach them empathy for others. Instead of buying Furby, suggest they spend the money bringing some groceries to the local foodshelf.

Do not get rid of the TV. Rather teach your kids why and how to control their use of this plug-in drug. Set a good example. Watch occasional programs that you choose with good reason. Always be willing to explain your decisions and compromise if possible. Talk about the commercialism.