During this stage of life, children make changes toward becoming adults, both physically and emotionally. The important areas to focus on are:
- Independence - Children will want a sense of independence and will often rebel against parents at this age. Help them gain confidence and push themselves while keeping reasonable boundaries.
- Physical Activity - It is important for children of this age group to get into habits of regular physical activity that they enjoy. As their bodies change, they need to remain active to avoid overweight. Encourage them to join team sports at school or participate in individual sports like dance and gymnastics.
- Friendship - At this age, kids are likely to spend more and more time with friends. They will test out different groups of peers to see where they fit in and which parts of their identities they want to express.
So how does media fit into these needs of pre-teen children?
Television and Movies
Preteens are likely to watch TV and movies either alone or with friends, but rarely with their parents. Although parents will have less control over what kinds of things their kids see in the media at this age, they can still establish time limits.
Because of their desire for independence, preteens might ask for a TV in their bedroom. CMCH strongly recommends keeping media out of children’s bedrooms. Research has shown that children with media in their bedrooms are more likely to be overweight and to have sleep problems.
Advertising
By this age, preteens understand that the purpose of ads is to get people to buy things. They are often wise to the advertising industry and do not want to be "tricked" by them. They respond well to media literacy because they feel empowered by knowing the "behind-the-scenes" aspects of advertising.
Computers and the Internet
Preteens are likely to use computers for social reasons. They log on to instant messenger to talk to their friends. They post a profile on MySpace. They write blogs to keep an online journal of their lives. These technologies have a lot of benefits, like helping preteens work out their identities and connect with peers.
However, there are also risks of using the internet, such as privacy concerns, connecting with strangers, and seeing content they were not looking for.
Video Games
Preteens often enjoy playing video games, especially with their friends. These games are easy to learn and players are rewarded for their skills, getting new codes and new levels as they go.
As we mentioned with television, parents need to monitor how much time their children spend playing video games. Time limits can help preteens manage their media use.
Additionally, parents need to monitor the kinds of games their kids are playing. Violent video games teach that violence is an acceptable way to solve problems.
Music
Children of this age will likely enjoy listening to popular music on the radio and to music in their collections. Much of their friendships with others could be based on the kinds of music they like. Preteens may own or start asking for an iPod, a walkman, or another personal music player.
As with television, be aware of the content of their favorite music by listening to the lyrics to make sure they are ok with you.
- See tips for enjoying music safely
Body Image
Because preteens' bodies are growing and changing, they may feel insecure about how they look. Celebrities on TV and in the movies as well as fashion models in magazines have the potential to make preteens feel worse about themselves.
In the media, the ideal body type for women is ultra-thin. The ideal body type for men is overly muscular. Neither of these body types are realistic or healthy for preteens, but they may compare their own bodies to the ones they see on TV or in magazines.
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