I have a Google Alert set to send me news stories, blog posts, and generally anything new that's posted on the web about tweens. It's a little disheartening to me that 95% of these alerts are somehow related to Miley Cyrus.
What else are tweens about, if not Hannah Montana idolatry? I love the PBS website for tween kids (boys and girls) called It's My Life. Their categories are Home, Family, Friends, School, Body, Emotions and Money. That's pretty all encompassing, isn't it? This community for children gets that older kids have a lot of questions and feelings around many of the same things adults think about every day. Material is presented in a way that's age-appropriate, but at the same time doesn't talk down. Brava!
There's a Celebs section on It's My Life, and guess what? Miley Cyrus is indeed interviewed. But so are lots of other tweens and teens, which gives kids a little credit for thinking beyond the Disney box.
2 comments:
There is more to tweens than Miley. I don't let my 10 year old daughter watch mindless t.v. I would prefer her to watch KCET where she can learn something, rather than wanting to be a rock star.
While I have to applaud any parent who can get their child to watch shows that are more than the mindless stuff - let us not forget two important things. First that these kids are learning new things everyday in school, from their parents and teachers, so a little down time shouldn't hurt them. Also, because they are tweens they need to fit in. So if the majority of tween age kids are watching Miley, it is OK, she is a good girl. What I do is take sometime to sit down and watch it with her. That way we can talk after the show is over and I am kept in the loop of what she is watching and what is going on.
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