June 29, 2011
CMCH staff contributed the following post to Thriving, Children's Hospital Boston's pediatric health blog, in response to questions about how the FDA's newly released requirements for cigarette packaging might affect kids. Q: Will new, graphic tobacco health warnings affect kids? A: Last week, the FDA released new requirements for labels on cigarette packaging, which will […]
December 6, 2010
Q: I don’t want to seem ungrateful, and I know my children would probably like the Dora or Batman version of toys, but I just find that sort of commercialism unnecessary. How can I tell my family that we’d prefer they not get the character versions of toys when giving my kids gifts?
A: Let your family know how important it is to you that your child make up her own stories during plattime instead of having her playtime scripted by pre-digested plotlines.
June 7, 2010
Q: My 10 year old daughter loves reading teen magazines but I don’t want her to think she has to look like just the tiny models in the ads to be valued. How can I talk to her about this?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®
April 6, 2010
Q: Much of the discussion on kids’ media use centers, appropriately, on parent involvement. I’m wondering, though, are there ways kids and teens can help each other use media safely and wisely?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®
March 8, 2010
Q: Can you tell me more about how toys get marketed differently to boys and to girls?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician ®
January 11, 2010
Q: I am shocked to see the cover photos of popular magazines bordering on soft-porn. How do I object without sounding like I’m overreacting?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician
December 21, 2009
Q: My 7-year-old son uses a lot of kid websites that seem harmless enough, but I keep hearing about junk food ads on the Internet and wonder if they will really affect him?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician
October 26, 2009
Q: I hear that Disney is offering full refunds for Baby Einstein videos, but I don’t really understand why. I received some of these videos as baby shower gifts and my 7-month-old son seems to enjoy them. What do you recommend?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, the Mediatrician
October 1, 2009
Q: I wondered if the Center has any research on the American Girls phenomenon. Unlike Barbies and Bratz, these dolls are not sexualized, and they also have connections to history and culture through each doll’s storybook. I am guessing that they are probably a better alternative for playtime fantasies (at least for families who can afford them — the dolls cost $95 each). But they are also linked to all kinds of merchandising, encouraging families to buy accessories like furniture, clothes, and even pets to go along with them (also pricey). What do you think about the pros and cons? My niece is 8 years old and I am thinking ahead to the holiday season.
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician
September 21, 2009
Q: My husband and I are greatly concerned by the commercials that are played on television, especially during “family” events like football or NASCAR races. I have contacted the FCC and NASCAR and they said that I basically have to contact each network one by one to voice my concerns. Where can I find information backing up my concerns that these types of visual images are harmful to my young children?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician
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