Okay....so the last thing I thought I'd be doing on this busy Monday evening is writing this post, but I simply can not think of other things until I do this thang. It is driving me totally insane, and I just want a good nights sleep.
Some of you lovely individuals might be aware of a fun little awards show sponsored by Nickelodeon, called "the kids choice awards." It has been around since the late eighties. Traditionally it is full of fun, super stars and lots of slime. I'm not certain what age group this particular show is aimed at, but I know that they were advertising it this year on the Nick, Nick Jr, AND NOGGIN (pre-school age shows) channels. Sugar Bear saw MANY advertisements for this event, as did I. I have rarely given the Kids Choice Awards a second glance, but this year something caught my eye during one of their promotions.
First....there seemed to be some little thing about Nickelodeon continuing to honor CHRIS BROWN by allowing him to remain a nominee. Seriously....they want to honor a man who has been charged with domestic violence? Seriously? Luckily...I have found that I'm not the only one that found that a bit appalling. However, it took Chris to withdraw himself, to end that drama.
Then, as we sat unawares watching Pinky Dinky Doo.... the Sugar and I were treated to the news that we could just tune into the awards to see some great performers. Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers....and of course......the Pussycat Dolls. Ummmmm......WHO? We can't be talking about THESE Pussycat Dolls...
ummmmm I guess so.
I have to say, that I specifically tuned in to the awards show to see if they were really going to have mostly naked woman gyrating on stage for a bunch of children. Sadly.......they did. Seriously....they did. If you haven't seen it....please check it out, and see what Nickelodeon thinks is appropriate for children. If there is any doubt that it is raunchy....take the fact that I couldn't pull up this video at work due to a security check that labeled it PORNOGRAPHY!
See Video HERE!
Ummmm...let's look at some lyrics...shall we?
"I got (I got) shivers (shivers),
When you touch my face,
I'll make you hot,
Give all you got,
I'll make you wanna say (Jai Ho,,Jai Ho)
I got (I got) fever (fever),
Running like a fire,
For you I will go all the way,
I wanna take you higher (Jai Ho)
I keep it steady uh-steady,
That's how I do it (Jai Ho)
This beat is heavy, so heavy,
You gonna feel it. "
and
"I see them staring at me
Ooh I'm a trendsetter
Yes this is true cuz what I do
No one can do it better
You can talk about me
Cuz I'm a hot topic
I see you watching me watching me
And I know you want it, oh"
Pair those words with extremely sexy clothes, risque dancing (including boob grabbing), and I'm pretty sure what the message was.
Okay...so let me say, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?"
The really sad thing is.....while searching for conversations about this totally inappropriate performance, I read many folks defending it. Their defense????? "this is the REAL world....and your kids have to learn about it sometime!!!!" and "The pussycat dolls really toned it down....it wasn't so bad!" and "The pussycat dolls aren't the only ones with suggestive lyrics!"
SERIOUSLY??????
Are people honestly thinking that we have to just sit back and allow this hypersexualization of our young children because 'that is just the way it is!'????? We have to accept that children are getting exposed to sex earlier and earlier, as just the way of life. Do we just need to relax, and let the media turn our pre-schoolers into miniature pussycat dolls, because EVERYONE is doing it?
I am so completely enraged by this mess. I have ranted about this before, with the whole Dora thing. I know I might sound like a broken record here, but it is on my mind A LOT lately. I worry so much about the messages Sugar Bear is receiving, and it isn't as easy as just not letting her watch these shows. The children she is in contact with at daycare, and preschool may be watching these things. The children of my child's generation are being tainted with this stuff, and it WILL affect my daughter no matter how much I shield her. Just the other day, a 5 year said this to Sugar Bear. "When I'm 16, I'm going to marry a HOT GUY!" She literally, put her hand on her hip (wearing low rise jeans and a belly shirt), and tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder while saying it. I was there....I saw it..... later Sugar asked me what a 'hot guy' is. Seriously? I have to try to define a "hot guy" to my four year old?????? sigh.....
23 Live It or Love It:
Oh, Corey, I see you fretting and I wish it wasn't so. I wish I could say I don't like the Pussycat Dolls, but I do. In fact, my one and only YouTube video on my blog was of them. My joke was "when I grow up I wanna be the blond in thigh high boots". I do have to agree that Nick is not the place you expect to see them. Nick should be G rated and you should feel comfortable turning it on and walking away...not something to be censored. The Cats aren't at fault for who they are...a children's program is at fault for putting them there. (and I don't care who voted for them!).
That is terrible, Corey! I don't blame you for being upset. My son is 14 and we still keep an eye on what he is watching. We've taught him that when bad or improper commercials come on, so turn the channel, look away, mute, etc.
We used the illustrationof squeezing the toothpaste out of the tube. It's easy to squeeze out, but can you get it back in? Try that! So we told him that once he witnesses these things, he can't ever get them out of his head again. Once it's done, it's done and he needs to protect himself from all of this.
It's easier for him to alter his surroundings than your daughter, tho. When he goes to a friends house and they are watching or listening to something raunchy, he just walks back home.
It makes me mad when I hear people justifying things by saying "This is life! They're going to be subjected to the world, so don't try to protect them from it." WHAT?!?!
You aren't alone. I wish I had more time, right now, to air my thoughts... they go far beyond Nick.
I completely agree with you. And one of my BIGGEST pet peeves is that "kids need to learn about the real world someday!" UGH!!!!!!!!!! I think that is absolutely what the problem is with kids today - too much exposure to the "real world"!!!!!
I hate Nickelodeon, there are too many shows on that I did not like, so we got rid of all cable - except basic network stations. So, the only kid shows my kids can watch are on PBS. MUCH better...
I hear you, and I agree with you. Kids are exposed to the TV stations morals (which are always driven by money and the #1 seller is you-know-what) which I why I adopted an all Noggin all the time mentality and NO nick jr. is allowed.
I also opted to not send Sophie to preschool because of the kids in our area--they are WAY too old for me and I deseperately want Sophie to have time for a childhood. Even our cute little first grader neighbor is 'sneaking on' makeup at school.
Makes me want to move to a slower part of the world where we don't have to keep up with the times.
You know the #1 show watched by me these days? Brady Bunch. No lie. Have bunches of episodes on the DVR. It's the only non-animated show I don't mind Sophie being in the room while I watch it. Well, that and the Gilmore Girls.
I'm with you. Sorry about my rant, but I'm glad you posted. I can't stand these tv guys any more than you can.
I totally agree with you. Unfortunately it seems that more and more innappropriate stuff is aimed at kids.
If you want a chuckle, Will saw the cheerleaders last fall when watching an NFL football game with dh. He asked why they were only wearing bras and underwear. It led to a great conversation about what was modest and what wasn't. The only issue now is when he points out someone (always loudly too) in public. Oooops!
You know I am RIGHT THERE WITH YOU on this. There is no way Nick should have even offered the Pussycat Dolls as an option. There has to be a line somewhere.
As I have already shared with you, I was particularly incensed that Nickelodeon was running the Awards ads on Noggin. I purposefully don't allow Nick Jr - but have trusted Noggin to be free from this kind of stuff. Makes me just want to go back to PBS Kids full time.
So much of the time we stand back and LET THINGS HAPPEN TO US and TO OUR KIDS! You don't have to be 'ancient', like me, to see how the world and values (in general) have deteriorated to the point of being ridiculous beyond what a fairly-well-balanced person can stand! More people need to make a stand, stop buying what's 'popular' - it's a consumer-driven industry - and let them know, "we're not going to take it any longer"!
Sweet post - and BTW, I totally agree and am angered not only for my kids, but my grandkids (all 13 of them)!
"GO COREY!"
Oh dear, I hear the frustration in your words and I share it. I'm really not sure what else to say because I don't have the answer, aside from sheltering our kids when we can and discussing it with them when other kids bring it up. When Bug comes home talking about something that is inappropriate we talk about it... and I don't mean just "Don't talk like that!" It's an in depth conversation about what is appropriate and why. No we shouldn't have to do this, we should be able to rely on other adults to make appropriate choices about programming on kids shows. But we can't... and unfortunately I don't think that will change as long as they are making a buck. This parenting gig is so hard!
Thanks for all the comments folks. I welcome a discussion on this.
I want to be clear that this post was not to say the the pussycat dolls are a horrible group, but more to say that they have no place on a children's program. And while I get the point that it was the children's program tht booked them, I do think the PCD's are to be blamed as well. They should know better than to promote their type of music, dancing and dress to young children. They should have said NO!
I'm with you... and nothing like that should ever be aired for our toddlers and preschoolers!! If they want to do it, fine, but don't make it for kids!! I'm totally with you!
:)
~Tabitha~
freshmommyblog.com
Yowzers! So I take it kids don't watch the Smurfs anymore?
I have such mixed feelings about this whole topic. On the one hand we don't have t.v. at our house, because I don't feel that Nate needs to see it at his age and Dale and I found we got to sucked in by it. We do watch lots of movies and past t.v. seasons on DVD though - in case you thought we were crazy.
I personally dislike the emphasis today in youth pop culture on violence and sexuality - but I also don't really believe that it has changed that much since I was a kid. Despite the fact that I had very well-educated, responsible parents, I remember watching James Bond as as a little little kid, and my sister received Dirty Dancing on VHS as a 6th birthday present. What were they thinking? Yet both my sis and I are reasonably well-adjusted adults in loving, committed relationships with no body-image or self-esteem problems.
We obviously survived and I think our kids will too. Does that mean I like that the Pussycat dolls are marketed to little kids? Not particularly. But I realize that I will not be able to control all of the things that Nate will be exposed to as he gets older and I hope that the examples we set and the lessons we teach him will counteract what he sees in the media and with his peers.
Thanks for sharing this. It's a really interesting discussion point and I often miss out of topics like this precisely because we don't have t.v.!
This post made perfect sense and you are perfectly RIGHT! I couldn't agree more. I wouldn't even let my 10 year old watch that.
My children are grown but I have many grand kids and worry about the liberal views they are exposed to all the time. Our schools teach some really bad ethics as well. It just shows how important good parenting is.
The Pussycat Dolls! Are you serious?! That's horrible! Keeping Chris Brown was horrible enough. I'm totally disgusted right now. Of course, you can't even trust commercials these days. The Bean doesn't watch any "regular" ie, non-Noggin type, TV except for America's Funniest Videos which we watch as a family. We need to let kids be kids. Childhood is such a short fleeting time. It should be sacredly protected.
We watched this show with all our boys. I was shocked. On the other hand my husband couldn't take his eyes off the screen. I'd rather have seen the cheetah girls up there for sure. (Sidebar: Did anyone else notice how shirt Mylie's skirt was?)
We generally listen to christian stations or country on the radio with the kids. The other day at school my 11 y/o was singing the opening verse of Chicken Fried during school and his teach told him it was inapproriate for the classroom. Seriously. I think I need to send her the verses you posted from the awards show. Chicken Fried is preschool compared to that!
This post made perfect sense to me! Thanks for taking the time to write about these issues. I get just as upset over stuff like this, but never seem to have the time to spend on important subjects. Thanks for doing your part!
Wow...I didnt watch the whole show my 11 year old flipped to it, we saw someone get slimed and that was about it. The princess used to watch Disney & Nick but I changed that and now she watches Seasame Stree, Barney, Super Why, Sid, etc...and she loves all those shows just as much as she enjoyed the others. And I will NOT allow Spongebob on either...uh hellloooo, no app. for a 2/3 year old.
Totally agree w/where you are coming from.
This is why my kids don't watch Nick. A *couple* of shows on Noggin or Nick jr, but nothing over the preschooler-level... And we, too, are a Spongebob-and Hannah Montana-free zone...
My kids dress modestly, and know what is appropriate, what's not, and why. Yes, I have been accused of being too overprotective, and have been told to "get over it," b/c that's just how things are these days. Well, excuse me, but I *do* in fact have a choice as to how my kids are raised, and whether or not they find this hyper-sexualization "normal." I am not trying to shield them from sex, but I am trying to keep things age-appropriate, and respectful.
It looks as if it's going to remain PBS, Discovery, and the Science Channel for us...
barf, this is why we don't have cable. Gotta love PBS. I am so worried for the days when I can't 100% control what my kids are watching!!!!
Amen!It's disgusting that people think it is okay for their children to watch what I don't think is ever appropriate. I remember when Nick was such a G rated television show. I loved what you had to say!
Hey Corey, this is Alexa
From a non-parent point of view I have to say that I totally agree with you and think that kids are becoming hypersexualized at a disturbingly early age.
I also worry about the 5 year old girl's comments because in my opinion they show how her self worth is being defined and established:
1) by her sexualized clothing
2) by her future role as a wife
3) by finding a 'hot' mate
None of those things necessarily point to a happy, secure person.
Women are not merely the wife of someone, or the sexual desire/partner of someone. Unfortunately I think a lot of people don't learn this until way too late in life.
Love and blessings to you!
Alexa
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