Media Education

by Mann Rentoy
 The Top 10 Tips to Raise Happy,
Self-Reliant Kids:

 1. Spend twice as much time and half

as much money
 2. Support; don’t rescue. Encourage;
don’t coddle.
 3. Get them what they need but not
everything they want.
 4. Back up teachers and schools.

 5. Take charge of media.

 The Top 10 Tips to Raise Happy,
Self-Reliant Kids:

 6. Set clear and high expectations.

 7. Give chores.

 8. Set and enforce limits and

consequences.
 9. Encourage volunteering.

 10.Become a Say Yes to No parent

 Symptoms of Computer
Addiction
 Most of non-school hours are spent
on the computer or playing video
games.
 Falling asleep in school.

 Not keeping up with assignments.

 Worsening grades.
 Symptoms of Computer
Addiction
 Lying about computer or video game use.
 Choosing to use the computer or play video
games, rather than see friends.
 Dropping out of other social groups (clubs or
sports).
 Irritable when not playing a video game or
on the computer.
 Symptoms of Computer
Addiction
Physical symptoms:
 Carpal tunnel syndrome.

 Sleep disturbances

 Back, neck aches

 Headaches

 Dry eyes

 Failure to eat regularly or neglect personal

hygiene
“Ireally want to move to
Antarctica—I’d want my cat
and Internet access and I’d
be happy.”

—16-year-old HomeNet participant

 Effects of media violence on
children*:
• Children will increase anti-social and aggressive behavior.

• Children may become less sensitive to violence and those

who suffer from violence.

• Children may view the world as violent and mean,

becoming more fearful of being a victim of violence.

• Children will desire to see more violence in entertainment

and real life.

• Children will view violence as an acceptable way to settle

conflicts. (Congressional Public Health Summit, 2000)
* According to six prominent medical groups (American Academy of Pediatrics, American
Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychological Association, American
Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Psychiatric
 Sleep
 Notgetting enough sleep can actually
interfere with the brain’s ability to
understand what’s being said. Like a
series of dominoes, a child’s capacity to
learn and cope decreases. How a child is
able to participate and perform in a
classroom is directly dependent on how
much sleep he or she got the night
before. Even an hour less of optimal
sleep has a negative impact.
 Sleep
 What is a major sleep thief for kids?
Besides caffeinated drinks, it turns out
that electronics in the bedroom, from cell
phones to computers and TVs are major
sleep robbers. A child who is hyped up
with an increase of adrenaline from a
video game or TV program will have a
hard time calming down and falling
asleep. Talking on a cell phone actually
increases alpha waves in the brain which
are not conducive to going to sleep.
 Three Reasons
 1. deception
 2. money

 3. technology
 Deception
 Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
 "Jesushas a very special love for
you, but as for me, the silence and
the emptiness is so great, that I look
and do not see, — Listen and do not
hear — the tongue moves [in prayer]
but does not speak ... I want you to
pray for me — that I let Him have a
free hand."
— Mother Teresa to the Rev. Michael
Van Der Peet, September 1979
 Deception
 Pope Joanna
 Deception
 Pope Joanna
 Others
 Limbo

 John Paul II’s apology for the sins of

the Children of the Church
 Priests in scandal
 3 Big Lies of Hollywood
1. It’s only entertainment…it doesn’t
influence anybody
2. We just reflect reality. Don’t blame
us, blame society.
3. We only give the public what it
wants.
We are affected by what we see:
We are affected by what we see:
 Bottomline: Profit/Money
 Walt Disney
The Priest
Dogma
Lion King
Lion King
Lion King
 Bottomline: Profit/Money
 The Exorcist
 Bottomline: Profit/Money
 Emily Rose
 Bottomline: Profit/Money
 Analiese Michelle
 Bottomline: Profit/Money
 Da Vinci Code
 Some Internet Tips
 Place your computer in an open
room with the monitor facing out.
This allows you to see and control
what is occurring on the Internet.
 Educate your children about the
Internet, both the positives and the
potential dangers.
 Some Internet Tips
 Bookmark child-friendly web sites. This
allows your children to easily get to safe
sites that they have used before.
 Teach your children that Internet safety
means never giving out personal
information over the Internet.
 Share your Internet child safety
experiences, both good and bad, with
others.
 Some Internet Tips
 Teach your children to refrain from chat
rooms.
 Teach children to crash and tell. If they
encounter a bad experience, they should feel
comfortable in immediately turning off the
computer and talking with a parent about the
experience.
 Never allow your children to meet with
someone from an online session unless the
parent approves.
 Know the parents of your children's friends.
 Principle

Take control.
 Principles

 Don’t
let media
manipulate you!
 Principles

Controlmedia,
not the other
way around.
 Principles

Media
addiction is
damaging.
 Principles

Re-Christianize
media.
 www.gamerdad.com

 www.screenit.com

 www.mediaed.org

 www.futureofchildren.org
Media Education
By Mann Rentoy