Question: How can you coach kids to be critical of what they see on TV?
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
I recently came across a trailer of the excellent documentary Mickey Mouse Monopoly (hat tip to Yolanda and Kai):
Mickey Mouse Monopoly takes a close and critical look at the world these films create and the stories they tell about race, gender and class and reaches disturbing conclusions about the values propagated under the guise of innocence and fun. This daring new video insightfully analyzes Disney’s cultural pedagogy, examines its corporate power, and explores its vast influence on our global culture. Including interviews with cultural critics, media scholars, child psychologists, kindergarten teachers, multicultural educators, college students and children, Mickey Mouse Monopoly will provoke audiences to confront comfortable assumptions about an American institution that is virtually synonymous with childhood pleasure.
[If you’re reading this in an RSS reader or Feedblitz email and can’t view the video, please click on the post title.]
I was particularly struck by the film’s analysis of Beauty and the Beast — I had never thought about the underlying message of the film in that way before.
What can parents do to encourage their kids to think critically about the messages they get from TV? And how do you strike a balance between allowing your children to enjoy great storytelling and educating them to be conscious of racism and sexism? Is there a point at which we over-analyze these images?
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of 
Rachel wrote:
Wow, I’m glad someone else noticed the themes in Beauty in the Beast. I’ve always thought it was basically a manual for an abusive relationship, and it really bothers me that people think it’s harmless entertainment for little girls. The message of the movie, is “If you love your absuer enough, he will change.” Ugh.
My daughter is a toddler, and we don’t own any Disney merchandise at all. At the age when they are most into Disney, they aren’t really capable of analyzing all the subtexts, or even distinguishing between reality and fantasy at all. So I think the best course is just to be gatekeepers for your kids. Still, it’s everywhere: in Target, at our friends’ houses. . .
Thanks for the video.
Posted 09 Apr 2007 at 9:26 am ¶
Veronica wrote:
I honestly try to play dumb with that aspect of Beauty & the Beast. I always play up the fact that Belle loves books and thinks! Of course, that just makes her going back to her abuser even worse.
*sigh*
Posted 09 Apr 2007 at 10:12 am ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
Wow -
This blew my mind. It is amazing how something we take for granted can have such a large influence over our perception.
I mean, I got basic feminist/racial issues with Disney - but I never really gave critical thought to the portrayal of women over time.
Looks fascinating, and I can’t wait to check out the full feature.
To answer Carmen’s question, striking a balance is difficult. If I teach kids or read to kids (both of which I’ve done in a volunteer capacity) I normally ask them what they think. Should Belle have been patient with this mean Beast, even if he was hurting her? Do you think the princess could rescue the boy? Having them write their own stories is also quite interesting to see -they break paradigms more quickly if they are allowed to think about what THEY want to say.
Posted 09 Apr 2007 at 1:04 pm ¶
joan wrote:
We have an informal Disney ban in my house (well, loosely enforced–we do have a Pooh Bear that was a gift, and it drives me crazy that Disney now owns Pooh!). My son is 2 and not into TV, so I haven’t had to deal with this head on yet–and maybe it’s easier with a boy. But because I am a feminist and my son is black, I’m pretty sensitive to the negative images (or lack thereof) in Disney movies.
All the attention on Disney’s new black princess has made me gag. Thanks, Carmen, for sharing this video.
Posted 09 Apr 2007 at 2:16 pm ¶
Jeff Culbreath wrote:
The best solution, in my opinion, is to get rid of television altogether. Television as a medium - without regard to content - works against the development of critical thinking skills anyway. Give your kids a sense of “normal” first and they will have the resources to critique television later.
Posted 09 Apr 2007 at 2:57 pm ¶
Jae Ran wrote:
I’ve mentioned it before, but I have always believed that banning Disney (as much as I detest it) wouldn’t help as much as create a desire on the part of my kids to be obsessed with it (like my childhood friend who couldn’t have sugar and always came to my house to beg for candy).
That said, I believe moderation is key, as is being present for the viewing and talking about all of those elements of misogyny, racism, classism (all the -isms) with them.
Sometimes it takes a while for them to get it, because it is so complex. My biggest struggle is to try and help them see past the binary good/bad set-up that is all a part of Disney films and look at how the characters are portrayed. My big beef for a long time was Little Mermaid, because why did she have to lose her “voice” and try and win over Eric just by looking cute? Grrr, that just totally irked me.
What has happened (so far) in my household is that my 13-year old has become quite savvy in watching a show and deconstructing it (we do this with commercials too). My son who is just 9 is beginning to be able to do this. And I apply this critique on more than just the Disney movie.
It doesn’t get much better when they get older. The movies aimed towards the teen girls are horrendous. Still, rather than outright banning them (unless very sexually or violently graphic) my policy is to watch together and really engage in those discussions about what the movie’s “goal” is - whose story is being told, what is the message, who are they leaving out and so on.
Posted 09 Apr 2007 at 5:54 pm ¶
Kellie wrote:
Thanks for the video - this is definitely one I will be watching for at the library.
My daughter is only nine months old and will not likely be sitting through any movies for another two years or so, but I tend to think in the same way Jae Ran does. I have to admit that I was a girlie, princess-obsessed, the-pinker-and-frillier-the-better kind of child and I don’t think anything could have kept me from my princesses. However, my concern is that I don’t think even a lot of adults “get” the problems with these movies (I know I never gave much thought to any of it myself until at least high school) and I am not sure how I will talk to her about my problems with them. Like Rachel said, it seems like a lot of the problems with these movies could be beyond the comprehension of a toddler. So now I am thinking maybe it is more a matter of giving her the tools to start to think about things criticially than actually making sure she understands the subtext of the films. Perhaps the point is not to necessarily make sure she understands the full extent of the problem with these films and their negative messages at a young age, but that I ask questions and discuss these movies when we watch them, so she can learn to think critically about what she views as she gets older?
Posted 09 Apr 2007 at 8:46 pm ¶
Lauren wrote:
Here’s another slam from Disney - I wonder if it is even possible to protect our children from these influences? Maybe the best thing is open dialogue and a loving and respectful home so our kids can hopefully have an internal “judge” and a healthy self esteem. I cringe when I consider how Disney is taking advantage of their innocence. But it’s not only Disney - greed for money and power is rampant in our society - just take a look at FOX news and politics! And children are not the only “innocents”. We unplugged our TV years ago.
MEDIA ADVISORY: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CALLING MOVIE `INSENSITIVE,’ INSTITUTE ASKS DISNEY TO DISCUSS ADOPTION
NEW YORK, April 9, 2004 - The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute today called for an urgent meeting with Walt Disney Pictures to discuss the potentially negative impact on children and families of its new movie, “Meet the Robinsons,” which is generating strong criticism in the adoption community because of its insensitive portrayal of adoption and, in particular, of an orphaned child.
“I’m sure the filmmakers were well-intentioned, but their apparent lack of understanding about the realities of orphanage life (and of the effects of rejection on children) led to a storyline that is upsetting many adopted boys and girls, particularly ones who spent time in orphanages themselves,” said Adam Pertman, Executive Director of the Adoption Institute. “Many parents, practitioners and mental-health professionals also are worried about the impact the movie could have on children who still need loving, permanent homes and on the public’s general perceptions of adoption.”
Adding that “it’s hard to achieve good outcomes with insufficient knowledge,” Pertman asked for a meeting with Disney executives to explain the movie’s problems, discuss what can be done to mitigate them and, most important, to provide information intended to improve future films involving issues relating to orphans, adoption and foster care. Experts in the field, as well as representatives of affected families, will be invited to the meeting, which Pertman deemed “very important … because this is by no means the only movie, or the only studio, that has generated this kind of controversy and concern.”
The Adoption Institute has received numerous complaints about “Meet the Robinsons” since it opened, including from practitioners (some of whom have sent warnings to parents not to take their children to the movie); from adoptive parents (many of whom have reported their children became distressed, especially because the central character was rejected by more than 100 potential adoptive parents), and from birth families (particularly because the child ultimately chooses to reject his birth mother).
“I’m sure lots of people will defend this movie as simply entertaining and point out that it has a happy ending,” Pertman added. “But when anything is this disconcerting for so many kids and parents - whether the reason is its treatment of race, gender, religion, adoption or any other aspect of identity - then we need to stop and think about whether there’s a harmful downside, even if it’s inadvertent.”
The Adoption Institute is the pre-eminent research, policy and education organization in its field; it is nonprofit, nonpartisan and independent of any interest group. Its unique projects and programs include the only Media Education Initiative of its kind, designed to improve the understanding and treatment of adoption and foster care by professionals in the news and entertainment industries.
To learn more about the controversy over “Meet the Robinsons” and the Institute’s work - or to arrange an interview - please contact Pertman at 617-332-8944 (office), 617-763-0134 (cell) or apertman@adoptioninstitute.org. The Institute’s award-winning website is http://www.adoptioninstitute.org.
Posted 10 Apr 2007 at 8:48 am ¶
Vera L wrote:
You know, I took my kids to see “Meet the Robinsons.” They usually want to go see whatever cartoon kids’ movie is currently playing, and I’m a firm believer in talking to them about the underlying messages in kids’ movies & TV shows rather than hiding it from them.
I have to say, I was pretty disturbed by the movie’s ending — the film really pushed the message that the absolutely most healthy thing for an adopted kid to do is to “keep moving forward” and forget about the past. Even when he is handed the opportunity to meet his birth family, if he’s really happy with his current life and connected to his adoptive family, he should reject it. It’s an old, old message that’s been force-fed to adoptees — and adoptive parents — for too long. “It’s us or them, kiddos. Either you really love us, or you want your birth family. Make your choice.” Talk about creating split personalities!
So, in the car driving home, I asked my boys in the back seat a question. “So, what do you guys think about him deciding not to meet his birth mother?” My older son said “I don’t know why he did that. That was weird.” I asked “What would you do?” My younger son, who’s never met his birth mother, immediately said “I’d want to see her.” My older son, who has met his birth mother, piped in with “Yeah, that’s his family! Why shouldn’t he meet her?” And we talked a bit more about having two families, and how sometimes people who don’t know about adoption don’t understand that stuff.
I felt much better about my sons not absorbing the toxic message. They really didn’t like the movie much; they said it was hard to understand what was going on. I bet they were probably having trouble with the difficult adoption messages in it. But it disturbs me that Disney is still pushing the tired old stuff that even most adoption agencies have moved beyond. I really hope the Adoption Institute’s campaign has some effect.
Posted 10 Apr 2007 at 11:59 am ¶
Karen wrote:
I have a 6 year old, and since she was little we have told her that the tv lies to try to get her to buy things she doesn’t need. The stories in movies are trickier, and their prevalence is unavoidable (she was invited to a birthday party where Annie was shown). But with a healthy suspicion of the screen and (like Vera L ) lots of talks, I hope we can arm her against this toxic stuff. There are all kinds of bizarre issues Disney brings up.
She did fall for the princess stuff totally & at one point was pretty sure that Vera L herself was a real princess.
Posted 10 Apr 2007 at 2:12 pm ¶
Kellie wrote:
I haven’t seen “Meet the Robinsons” so I don’t yet have an opinion, but I have heard both good and bad about it. Here is a link to a positive review of the movie by an adoptive parent that made me decide it was at least worth seeing:
http://transracial.adoptionblogs.com/index.php/weblogs/movie-review-meet-the-robinsons
Posted 10 Apr 2007 at 2:34 pm ¶
SF Mom wrote:
At very least, AP’s, be warned and aware before you bring your child to this movie. I read the comments on the blog Kellie links to, and they are not as positive as the review. Some parents reported that their children were very upset by the movie.
Maybe older children can view it critically. I’m not taking my 6 year old to see it.
Posted 10 Apr 2007 at 6:40 pm ¶
Kellie wrote:
That’s a good point - and also of note is the fact that it wasn’t necessarily just the kids who were adopted that were upset. Some parents have also mentioned that their bio kids were disturbed by the images of the mother leaving her baby, etc.
Posted 10 Apr 2007 at 8:28 pm ¶
Tereza wrote:
My son is still a toddler. A year ago we packed up our TV and stuck it in the basement. I haven’t missed it at all. So far, my son is growing up without a TV and without Disney. I blogged about why I keep Disney out of my home here.
To sum up, Disney esthetics don’t sit well with me at all; I find Disney imagery, messages, and company history problematic on many fronts; and I feel Disney colonizes our children’s imagination. Instead of watching Disney, I prefer more hands-on and “old-fashioned” activities for my child, such as unstructured drawing, reading, digging in the garden, playing in the park…
In addition to what I say in my blog entry, I feel that Disney rewrites the original tales and myths it turns into movies, often sanitizing and thus bastardizing them in the process. Pardon my French. I do feel strongly about this, as you can tell. The stories lose the archetypal qualities which are meant to represent parts of ourselves and the larger forces in the world. Disney, in a way, predigests these ancient themes and leaves us with very little to gain from the experience.
Of course, when my son gets older, I’m sure that we’ll have to deal with some pressure to consume Disney.
When (and if) that time comes, the approach suggested by others above of watching with him (if I can make myself sit through Disney films) and discussing what we saw, seems the best. But - I have never been one to want to dictate what my son thinks. So, I mainly want to guide him to come to his own conclusions.
Posted 11 Apr 2007 at 4:26 pm ¶
Nina wrote:
I was a huge Curious George fan as a child. In my late 20’s I came across some old books and realized that the subtext of Curious George was basically the story of colonialism and the white man in the yellow hat bringing the savage (George) to a better world. As a reult I don’t intend to share those stories with my children. Disney movies, cartoons, etc. have long been filled with subtext and inaccuracies too lengthy to get into. I think the reality is that if we intend to raise critical thinkers we do have to challenge our kids on what they see and hear, ask them questions (like Vera L so beautifully did on her car ride home), point out the issues and talk, talk, talk. I wish I could say that I am getting rid of the TV, but I am not. I don’t think it is the TV in itself that is the problem, but what you allow your kids to watch. There will never be more than one TV in my home and I will monitor what is watched as fiercely as my own parents did.
Posted 19 Apr 2007 at 3:49 pm ¶
Monica wrote:
I love this film. I’m in the middle of watching it for the second time in three years. It is an amazing video, despite what critics would try to say.
Posted 20 Apr 2007 at 1:58 am ¶
Monica wrote:
I think that showing Disney films is okay, if you have a dialouge regarding the what the kids see in the movie.
Posted 20 Apr 2007 at 1:59 am ¶
Dorothy wrote:
I have had trouble with Mickey Mouse since I learned in a college class that Mickey had a black body and white hands and behaved comically in an imitation of black people at the time. I haven’t done much research and don’t know if this is true or not, but it’s a disturbing thought that I can’t get out of my head. Now my daughter is in love with Playhouse Disney (don’t even get me started on her love for the princesses), so I just try to lead by example and educate her as best as I can following my own belief system that men and women of any color are all people and should be treated respectfully unless they prove themselves disrepectable by their thoughts, words or deeds.
Posted 22 Apr 2007 at 9:03 pm ¶
Elena wrote:
I have been trying to convince my husband of the ill effects of Disney since we were dating. He thinks I am against happiness and fun and it ALL isn’t relly that deep. Thank you for hard copy proof! I do not allow Disney to enter my home and I have told friends and family to not purchase such items, yet somehow my sister in law purchased a minnie doll, that I have been trting to kill for the past year. How do I get people to respect my wishes??
Posted 23 Apr 2007 at 1:11 pm ¶