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limana
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 02:23 am |
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Parents: Stop Tempting Our Kids With Toy Ads
Toy Makers Urged To Redirect Toy Ads
POSTED: 3:51 pm EST November 29, 2008
NEW YORK -- Some parents who are economically squeezed are writing toy makers asking them to quit marketing directly to their children.
One man in Indiana wrote that such ads put parents in the tough spot of having to tell their kids they can't afford the toys the kids want.
A group called the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood said about 1,400 of its members and supporters have contacted 24 leading toy companies and retailers.
In a letter excerpt posted at the group's Web site, Heather W., of Russellville, Ark., writes, "We will be watching during the advertising season to see how you market your items... market to my kids -- you won't find your item under the tree at all."
The group wants toy ads directed at parents, not children. The campaign said it's "not fair" to encourage kids to nag for gifts their parents can't afford.
The Toy Industry Association argues that children "are a vital part of the gift selection process."
A consultant to the industry said toy companies advertise to kids "because it works."
http://www.clickondetroit.com/holidays/18170490/detail.html
So those parents now actually have to tell their kids that they can't have everything they see? What an outlandish idea! It's a shame that these parents should have to do that! [Cringe]
I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
I wonder what happened to teaching children restraint. No matter how much the industry cuts back on its advertising, there will always be temptations that will not be met with instant gratification. Take your children shopping, and the whole store will be full of things you can't afford, no matter how much money you have. Also, there will always be kids at school who have more, cooler, flashier gadgets. That's life. Maybe those parents who complain to the industry are the ones who don't lead by example and instead max out their credit cards because there's the next, bigger hype?
I have exactly the opposite "problem." My daughter tells me that she does not want more than two things for Christmas (one game and one movie) because more would be too wasteful. And no, I don't need to tell her anymore to restrain herself. She's on "autorun" by now.
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AyHyperbole
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 02:44 am |
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limana wrote: I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
I have a bit of a different perspective on this.
When you're ten, and you don't get a certain toy, it's not as simple as "Oh, boo hoo, you didn't get to play with it; show some restraint."
Sometimes, if you don't get that toy, you become a total social outcast. You become "the weird kid who doesn't have a Nintendo" or the kid who's considered kind of stupid becuase he keeps losing at Yu-Gi-Oh for lack of having the right cards.
And I do think the culture of TV shows devised specifically to market to children is largely to blame. Basically, if your parents don't have a lot of money, you're excluded from your own native culture. The UN goes so far as to call exclusion from a culture a violation of a basic human right.
We can't set up a society designed to tell kids that they NEED TO OWN certain things, and then expect parents to tell kids that everything society is telling them is wrong. I can see the parents' point, here.
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limana
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 03:00 am |
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AyHyperbole wrote: limana wrote: I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
I have a bit of a different perspective on this.
When you're ten, and you don't get a certain toy, it's not as simple as "Oh, boo hoo, you didn't get to play with it; show some restraint."
Sometimes, if you don't get that toy, you become a total social outcast. You become "the weird kid who doesn't have a Nintendo" or the kid who's considered kind of stupid becuase he keeps losing at Yu-Gi-Oh for lack of having the right cards.
And I do think the culture of TV shows devised specifically to market to children is largely to blame. Basically, if your parents don't have a lot of money, you're excluded from your own native culture. The UN goes so far as to call exclusion from a culture a violation of a basic human right.
We can't set up a society designed to tell kids that they NEED TO OWN certain things, and then expect parents to tell kids that everything society is telling them is wrong. I can see the parents' point, here.
I have never seen that not having a certain toy has made my daughter an outcast. So she didn't have the "ticket" to the club of the superficial snobs because she didn't have a cell phone or an mp3 player or some other knick-knacks. But there were many other kids who were in the same boat. And those are the kids who were interested in learning stuf instead of only showing off. Vera had lots or original things and thoughts to show off because she invented her own style. She developed a much more independent personality than those who run for the next hype all the time. I feel it's very important to teach kids that withstanding peer pressure is something very important to learn. It will come in handy when it comes to illegal drugs.Last edited on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 03:01 am by limana
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AyHyperbole
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 03:10 am |
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limana wrote: AyHyperbole wrote: limana wrote: I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
I have a bit of a different perspective on this.
When you're ten, and you don't get a certain toy, it's not as simple as "Oh, boo hoo, you didn't get to play with it; show some restraint."
Sometimes, if you don't get that toy, you become a total social outcast. You become "the weird kid who doesn't have a Nintendo" or the kid who's considered kind of stupid becuase he keeps losing at Yu-Gi-Oh for lack of having the right cards.
And I do think the culture of TV shows devised specifically to market to children is largely to blame. Basically, if your parents don't have a lot of money, you're excluded from your own native culture. The UN goes so far as to call exclusion from a culture a violation of a basic human right.
We can't set up a society designed to tell kids that they NEED TO OWN certain things, and then expect parents to tell kids that everything society is telling them is wrong. I can see the parents' point, here.
I have never seen that not having a certain toy has made my daughter an outcast. So she didn't have the "ticket" to the club of the superficial snobs because she didn't have a cell phone or an mp3 player or some other knick-knacks. But there were many other kids who were in the same boat. And those are the kids who were interested in learning stuf instead of only showing off. Vera had lots or original things and thoughts to show off because she invented her own style. She developed a much more independent personality than those who run for the next hype all the time. I feel it's very important to teach kids that withstanding peer pressure is something very important to learn. It will come in handy when it comes to illegal drugs.
I don't think toys are the same for girls as they are for boys. I suspect that toys are to boys as clothes are to girls.
And I really do think that for both boys and girls, the healthiest thing is for them to spend about the median amount on those things. It's not smart for them to have everything they want, but if you say "Okay, let's reject the whole system; here's some thrift store shoes and a bunch of used paperbacks," I don't think you're necessarily doing them any favors.
It can be tough for someone who was an outcast in school to relate well as an adult. In particular, there can be a tendency to overcompensate - "I was never cool before at all, but now everyone sees how much I can drink and how funny I am when I do it"... you know.
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Carol2
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 03:24 am |
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limana wrote:
I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
Is it just me, or does the sentiment expressed in your first sentence contradict the sentiment you expressed in your 2nd sentence?
Anyhoo, I had the same reaction as you did to the article. Oh horrors that a parent should say no to something. My kids are not spoiled either. My daughter has a pay-as-you-go phone and she's very frugal about using up her minutes. She, like your daughter, doesn't want me to get her anything for Christmas. My son, though not quite as frugal by nature as my daughter, doesn't want anything from us either. (Of course they'll be getting stuff though  )
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limana
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 03:26 am |
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AyHyperbole wrote: limana wrote: AyHyperbole wrote: limana wrote: I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
I have a bit of a different perspective on this.
When you're ten, and you don't get a certain toy, it's not as simple as "Oh, boo hoo, you didn't get to play with it; show some restraint."
Sometimes, if you don't get that toy, you become a total social outcast. You become "the weird kid who doesn't have a Nintendo" or the kid who's considered kind of stupid becuase he keeps losing at Yu-Gi-Oh for lack of having the right cards.
And I do think the culture of TV shows devised specifically to market to children is largely to blame. Basically, if your parents don't have a lot of money, you're excluded from your own native culture. The UN goes so far as to call exclusion from a culture a violation of a basic human right.
We can't set up a society designed to tell kids that they NEED TO OWN certain things, and then expect parents to tell kids that everything society is telling them is wrong. I can see the parents' point, here.
I have never seen that not having a certain toy has made my daughter an outcast. So she didn't have the "ticket" to the club of the superficial snobs because she didn't have a cell phone or an mp3 player or some other knick-knacks. But there were many other kids who were in the same boat. And those are the kids who were interested in learning stuf instead of only showing off. Vera had lots or original things and thoughts to show off because she invented her own style. She developed a much more independent personality than those who run for the next hype all the time. I feel it's very important to teach kids that withstanding peer pressure is something very important to learn. It will come in handy when it comes to illegal drugs.
I don't think toys are the same for girls as they are for boys. I suspect that toys are to boys as clothes are to girls.
And I really do think that for both boys and girls, the healthiest thing is for them to spend about the median amount on those things. It's not smart for them to have everything they want, but if you say "Okay, let's reject the whole system; here's some thrift store shoes and a bunch of used paperbacks," I don't think you're necessarily doing them any favors.
It can be tough for someone who was an outcast in school to relate well as an adult. In particular, there can be a tendency to overcompensate - "I was never cool before at all, but now everyone sees how much I can drink and how funny I am when I do it"... you know.
I don't think I have supported any extremes. Oh, and "overcompensation" is not only an issue for those who were outcasts. It's just as well an issue for those who were the envy of everybody else because they got away with things others didn't. Once the novelty of one thing wears off, the next one is due.
I think the whole point is that a parent's role is not to protect one's child, but to prepare one's child. Some lessons are harder than others, and the temptations of commerce will be there, one way or another. I have noticed that, in comparison, I tend to expose my daughter to the "real" world earlier than other parents do. I have often seen that she is very well capable of understanding the inner workings of society if I only let her. She has not felt the desire to be part of the bling crowd and actually finds their aspirations rather superficial. It's not a forced complete abstinence from commerce, rather the insight that she has to set priorities in her life, that makes her choose to put more value in non-economical success now.
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limana
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 03:27 am |
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Carol2 wrote: limana wrote:
I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
Is it just me, or does the sentiment expressed in your first sentence contradict the sentiment you expressed in your 2nd sentence?
It's just you.
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Carol2
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 03:33 am |
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limana wrote: Carol2 wrote: limana wrote:
I do support a ban on advertising for oversweetened cereals and other unhealthy things, including dangerous toys. But telling the industry not to advertise regular toys is idiotic.
Is it just me, or does the sentiment expressed in your first sentence contradict the sentiment you expressed in your 2nd sentence?
It's just you. You're right. My bad.  I read the last part wrong.
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Merlin
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 04:06 am |
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| Wow, I guess there's about to be a whole epidemic of spoiled rotten little shits who can't get everything they want for Xmas. Imagine that, having to spend a whole holiday season living like the rest of us always do.
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"... it would be better for her to tie a heavy rock around her neck and jump into the midddle of deep bayou than it would to lay a heavy guilt-trip on any of God's little ones . . ."
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Carol2
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 04:29 am |
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You're a little old to be disappointed about not getting enough gifts for Christmas, aren't you , Candace? 
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Merlin
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 04:45 am |
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My christmas present is that I just made the last mortgage payment on my house.
Hope you're doing well too.
Last edited on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 04:48 am by Merlin
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"Christians should go to church."
"... it would be better for her to tie a heavy rock around her neck and jump into the midddle of deep bayou than it would to lay a heavy guilt-trip on any of God's little ones . . ."
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PearlsSand2
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 06:27 am |
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Last mortgage payment?! That is certainly something to celebrate....I can only dream of such a day~ (years away)
That must be a wonderful feeling of relief!
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Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry,
the philosophy which does not laugh
and the greatness which does not bow before children.-Kahlil Gibran
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/infinitegrace.htm
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PearlsSand2
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 06:34 am |
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To the topic- my youngest son had to think through a few different things he wanted for gifts and choose the one he wanted the most. So he let me know what that was, and I bought him for him yesterday.
Then tonight, he just melted my heart when he said, "Mom, would it be too much to ask for (a game he wants) also?"
I guess it was simply the way he worded his request.... & I'll get that for him too of course, but just told him, "I'll have to think about that Jordan."
(He's the one who always get his older brother's hand-me-downs of nearly everything and thinks nothing of it, never even asking for new stuff. )
Last edited on Sun Nov 30th, 2008 06:38 am by PearlsSand2
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Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry,
the philosophy which does not laugh
and the greatness which does not bow before children.-Kahlil Gibran
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/infinitegrace.htm
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Zwarte Piet
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 07:13 am |
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Verwend kinderen....yuck! 
Attachment: Ms.Veruca.jpg (Downloaded 15 times)
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Carol2
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 07:29 am |
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Merlin wrote: My christmas present is that I just made the last mortgage payment on my house.
Hope you're doing well too.
Hey! That's great, Candace! Congrats! We're nowhere near making our last payment, but we are still making our mortgage so that's something anyway. IF we can hold onto this place until we can sell it without taking a loss...a few more years perhaps?...I imagine we will then downgrade to something a bit more affordable in the future.
My husband is managing to hold his own with his business so far. He did say from the beginning that he planned to take the Summer off to grow his business. I didn't believe it would carry us but it has, even though we lost quite a bit of money in the stock market and we lost more with the kiosk adventure.
He promises me that he will start looking for a job in January and has gotten a call from another Walmart district to interview for a co-manager position this week. I'm really hoping that will pan out 'cuz I know there aren't a lot of jobs out there to be had right now.
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Merlin
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 07:57 am |
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| There are ZERO jobs down here.
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"... it would be better for her to tie a heavy rock around her neck and jump into the midddle of deep bayou than it would to lay a heavy guilt-trip on any of God's little ones . . ."
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Carol2
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 07:58 am |
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Unemployment is high and rising. People with jobs should be thankful.
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Gayle
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Posted: Sun Nov 30th, 2008 10:58 am |
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Merlin wrote: There are ZERO jobs down here.
Sorry to be off topic, but Candace, are jobs bad all over Florida or just in Miami? My older sister (age 54) is planning to move down to Clearwater Florida. She's sick of the Minnsooota (LOL) winters and wants to be where it's warm. She pulled up the job ads and there are a LOT of jobs listed for what she does. (Accounts Payable & Receivables). The pay looks decent- $15 an hour or so, but I told her that maybe cost of living is higher. She knows one family down there and says as far as they say, it's not more expensive to live there.
I know Clearwater is way north of you, but wanted your insight just the same. Thanks.
Love, Gayle
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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7
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