Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Guarding Little Hearts and Minds, While They're Young

Just today I had some reminders of another aspect of my role as a parent. We watch over soo much of what our children are exposed to. With food allergies I'm watching what my children eat. One reason is for safety (defensive) and another reason is to make sure they are getting what their little bodies need!! Today I was listing what Lydia had consumed and calculating how much calcium she is actually getting (since she is still NOT drinking soymilk).

But while taking a mental break I let the kids turn on the TV... PBS Kids. All of a sudden Christopher just started bawling .... It was a totally different cry than just annoyance with his sister or frustration over something....he was clearly emotional over something.

Mr Rogers was on and one of the puppets in the Land of Make-Believe was upset and crying as well......although I can assure you that Christopher's tears were much more believable and bigger!!! I don't think what he was watching was harmful or unappropriated, but obviously Christopher was disturbed by it.

It was a reminder to me of how sensitive and mold-able these little guys are. And how I (as their Mom) need to be always on guard to protect and guide them.

I know some may think we've over protective when it comes to movies, shows, etc with our kids. But I remember how Anna tried to watch a Disney movie and was scared silly in the first few minutes!! Why have something that is supposed to fun and entertainment scare them (or make them worry)?
Brian and I went to a movie while we were on vacation last week. The movie itself was ok, but the previews really disturbed me. What we call entertainment and what we are feed through media can be soo TRASHY!! Violence and sexual scenes and jokes are rampant.....

I'm not so eager to have my kids exposed to these things so soon. There are soo many things I would love to have their little hearts and minds dwell on than what I see in many forms of children's videos, movies and shows. So my kids don't have a clue who Hannah Montana is...... by the time they go to college it totally won't matter :)

Let us be sure to guard our children's hearts and minds, while we can....while they're young.

"Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things . " Philippians 4:8




And this is just proof that I do let my kids watch TV :) They love to snack and to watch a video:) Probably get it from their Daddy who loves a good movie and a late-night snack:)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

ruheaYou are so RIGHT to guard what they are exposed to on the TV. A lot of it is trash. Its funny I was thinking of the same verse as I was reading your blog and then at the end there it was!! It makes me kind of wonder what the 400 children in Texas custody are being exposed to. I know that their lives weren't perfect but I sure hope that the foster homes don't have children with purple hair and lip piercings and midriffs with hiphuggers. Poor things if they are being exposed to R-rated movies and TV. My heart goes out to them.

FinaDrea said...

awe ... calebs oddly enough not scared easily... atleast not with tv.. but i think his imagination is really into all that stuff.. but i did notice one time he saw a movie at my moms w/ big bugs and he had horrible nightmares. i felt awful and im more careful now.

its funny tho how u watched movies as kids and forget what it was like.. then u let ur kid watch it and you're like WHOA!! they said SHUT UP.. and while i didnt think anything as a kid I do now... I dont want Caleb saying that... atleast not yet!

cute pic of christopher at the base of that tree..

and the last pic lydia looks bigger than him!!

Erica said...

You know we've struggled with the video/tv issues. Even if we hand't been trying to be careful, Isaac especially was (and still is!) super sensitive to what is on. Even things I wouldn't have any problem letting them see will bother him. You are right to be careful, and take care of them, rather than numbing everything in their little hearts.