Heart Reflections Live

YAH! We've finally gone unplugged- our TV antannae that is!

I've never been one to watch a lot of TV, apart from the News ( except when I'm a patient in hospital!). I noticed though over the last month or so with the lead-up to the US elections, I had watched more current affairs than usual, so was thrilled yesterday when hubby announced his decision to pull the aerial out of the wall, and limit our viewing to our collection of wholesome family movies, historic and Christian movies on video and DVD.

We've expanded our collection recently, finding some good 2nd hand videos at thrift stores and garage sales, and as an added blessing , my Dad got us another 2nd hand video player, as our old one had broken. When you pay 50 c for Fanny Crosby or The Swiss Family Robinson it's too good to pass up.

This week we've watched "A Man Called Peter" (Pastor Peter Marshall) and "Boys Town" with Spencer Tracy and a box full of tissues. We also found some good Christian films on special at Big W during the sales this year. We got "God's and Generals" (highly recommended), "Chariots of Fire" (about missionary Eric Lidell), and "The Inn of the 6th Happiness" (about missionary Gladys Aylward).

It's so freeing not to have to sit down at 6pm and watch the news- we can catch the major headlines in 5 minutes on the local Christian Radio Station, and it's even nicer to enjoy peaceful family time without having to scold the children to "Be quiet the news is on!"

I'm enjoying the change already.

Labels: family life, media

How frustrating it is browsing the clothing catalogues these days keeping an eye out for bargains for our 6 year old. Talitha is very tall for her age and we generally buy sizes 8 to 10. There seems to be hardly anything in the mainline department stores that suit our criteria of modesty or simple feminine style anymore. Everything is either plastered with media-driven name brands (which we don't buy- except for an occasional Pooh Bear nightie or something). We steer clear away from Barbie, Bratz, Hannah Montana or High School Musical emblems. What I have noticed though, with the rise in popularity of Hannah Montana and High School Musical is that clothing from size 7-14 is either plastered in that, or designed to make your sweet little girl look like a rock chick!

As a Christian Mum, I object to this look on 2 counts:

1. Six or Seven year old girls are no where near high school age, and

2. It is an image of rebellion and quite the opposite to the graces of Godly Girlhood, modesty and then Young Womanhood we are seeking to nurture in both our girls.

It is very dangerous to think your little ones look cute like that, and then suddenly try to get them to dress modestly and act with decorum when they suddenly develop in their teens.

I thank the Lord that so far we've been able to keep our girls dressed modestly in girly dresses found through thrift shops. We don't allow shorts (except for some PJ's in Summer) or low-cut jeans, in fact they usually only wear fleecy trackpants when it's very cold, and little Zara likes to wear them under her dresses some of the time anyway.

All this aside, sadly both the girls know who Hannah Montana is via other children their age. Before we started homeschooling, Talitha did 2 years of Prep at a Christian school, and you wouldn't believe the number of kids- then 5 and 6 years old who had seen Harry Potter, Hannah Montana and High School Musical!

What ever happened to the simple joys of chidhood? Our children hardly ever watch TV. They mainly watch Christian DVD's or family movies with good morals we've approved. That is when they watch it- they'd rather play outside or look at books.

Whatever happened to teaching children that their characters would be set, for good or evil by age 20? This topic was covered in both "Anne of green Gables" by L M Montgomery and "Stepping Heavenward" by E Prentiss, both classics that used to be widely read by girls in older childhood or in their teens- see how far the cultural shift has taken us? For our children's sake, I will no longer buy into it.

Just recently my hubby and I were up early before the children and noticed that Hannah Montana was on and thought we'd check it out for ourselves. We didn't catch the whole show, but we caught a gay joke and were horrified when Miley AKA Hannah opened her immodest showbiz wardrobe to show a school friend, and The Hallelujah Chorus played majestically as her friend went into idoltrous raptures!- That was enough for us. It's also been reported that Miley Cyrus has stated she is a Christian and so many Christian Youth today think it's OK to follow a celebrity who says this, and they disregard the fruit shown to their own detriment!

I've been flipping through a recent Kmart catalogue as I've been writing this, and I've just noticed that on the Bratz and Barbie page, where incidentally a 6 year old model has said "I love Bratz, the fashion is cool.", they have a bright sign saying 20% of Hannah Montana and High School Musical Toys!, so you see they are now pushing Hannah Montana to 6 year olds!!

I'm not writing this to have a go at anyone- the shops are out to make money, and every parent is entitled to buy whatever they like for their children. All I am saying is let your children BE children, and if you haven't thought of it before, please consider the long term fruit these fads may bear in your children's lives.

SOME LINKS: http://homeliving.blogspot.com/2008/07/bring-back-childhood.html

http://thepleasanttimes.blogspot.com/2008/07/is-hannah-montana-harmless.html

Labels: changing times, child's play, food for thought, media