Commercialisation of children.

I watched a documentary on the ABC a couple of weeks ago about the commercialisation of children. I mean we all know that it happens; just look at the novelty meal you get with your toy at many fast food outlets. The 'need it now' attitude is being woven through every aspect of our society, even beginning before birth. This documentary explored how scientists are using their knowledge to anayse our children to work out the best ways of manipulating them. They even put toddlers into MRI's to see what stimulus produces brain activity. Scientists watch our children watching TV, and as soon as they start to blink, they change what they are watching. I find this disturbing. So often over-indulgence and misbehaviour is thrown away as a parents inability to say no or control their children. But who is really controlling our children? Maybe these isolated sects have the right idea - well at least in as far as preventing commercialism from programming their children.

My own little boy is now 14 moths old. I have long held ideas about how I would like to raise my children. Of course it is so easy to say that up until he time that you actually have them. I still hold those beliefs and values, but that is much harder to stand by as you weave them into a larger society. He has two half-brothers and a cousin that are heavily commercialised. I can't plea innocence on this front though, I too am guilty of bowing to the pressure of Wiggles. but how much is too much? One child that I know right from toddlerdom was surrounded by Wiggles merchandise. Sure I can see the entertainment value; but where did it start. Did it start from the child staring at the tv when the Wiggles happened to be on, was he at a friends house, was a DVD purchased for him? After he did show an interest, what next? Did he continue to request only Wiggles stuff, or did someone notice that he liked them, and for the next 2 years every gift or item of clothing was Wiggles labelled?

My boy has this toy that he was given after another child no longer used it. It is a hokey pokey Elmo. You know the full size Elmo that sings and dances. He adores this Elmo, mummy does at times too. Thanks to Elmo, my son is not running around naked, as he sits and does the hokey pokey with Elmo as I dress him. He was also incidentally given an Elmo bath toy for his birthday. He has still not made this link between these two, but yesterday the game changed. He was sitting on my lap as I was flicking through a Best and Less catalogue. As I reached the women's pyjama page, he was pointing enthusiastically at one of the tops. He had spotted Elmo.

I have not as yet turned the television on for him. He has been exposed to a few children's movies in the company of his brothers, but has not really paid any attention to it. Although I am sure that the time will come where I do switch on the box for him, I'd really like to delay that moment for as long as possible.