Welcome

To my blog. This is my third attempt at a blog, maybe it will stick!

This is actually a homework assignment, but I've been meaning to find some discipline and start documenting my thoughts and reactions to what is happening in the world that impacts young people.
I'll try to find a way to indicate the posts that are part of my class work and those that are my own ramblings, but here I am for now.

One of the things I've always meant to do is write about organizations and programs that are ostensibly supposed to be helping support young people and their families, but are instead getting in the way. It might require naming names, though, and I might be too much of a Minnesotan for that.

For example, a University based group focused on young people and their families recently published an article in their newsletter that made me -- and my Konopka co-workers -- very angry. The article was written by a local adolescent brain/media expert who has national reach, an entire media-focused organization and many, many contacts and connections. I personally have always had issues with the media-related work, but this latest focus is so heavy into "fix those kids" that it is nearly unreadable.

Media, the writer claims, saturates kids with the "more, easy, fast and fun" message which turns them into kids with a "discipline deficit disorder." The advice:  Say no to your kids.

So let's start by telling  those kids in Mpls public schools "no" you can't have your own text book for the year because of budget cuts. Or "no" there will be no breakfast today because your parents can't find a job. Maybe we should just say "no" you don't really need to see a doctor with that broken arm because our country doesn't think health care is important.

And never mind that kids are more savvy media consumers that their parents are. Never mind that they are actually creating their own media and discovering new ways to use that media to meet their needs. Really, they are just passive players too deficient to act on their own behalf. Just say no. It worked for Laura Bush, and it can work for you, too.

Of course, the article ends on an "up" note indicating that the media can also be a source of "good clean fun" (this is, of course not at all a contradiction to the rest of the article which documents media's negative impact on brain development, academic ability, cyber-bullying and screen addiction) and that "those who care about children and youth need to take advantage of the good offered by the media while shielding kids from the negative consequences." That's our job, didn't you know? Shielding kids. If we just hide and protect them from all that bad stuff out there, then they will be okay. Maybe they won't be able to connect with their community, critically analyze a message, appreciate the contrast of dark and light or live independently, but at least they'll be safe.

Phew, I feel better now.
 g/