Living Healthy Media Lives
| PROBLEM | POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS |
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| News Effects | |
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Misinformation |
Get news from various sources Choose news sources that do not sensationalize; recognize the fear-factor and avoid it |
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Violence Effects |
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Aggression |
Find physically-active means for exercising anger and
limit exposure to violent content Foster real-life relationships to keep a grounded perspective |
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Advertising Effects |
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Emotional response |
Foster friendships around non-shopping activities; recognize
the impulse to shop when feeling down Surround yourself with non-materialistic friends; create and maintain a spending budget; institute a 24-hour (or more) waiting period before making a big purchase to see if you still want it later |
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Health Effects |
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Obesity |
Exercise; learn proper nutrition; become an avid label-reader Seek counseling to address the heart of the problem; reward yourself (and others) for what you DO, not how you LOOK |
| TEN STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING HEALTHY MEDIA HABITS | |
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| 1. | Establish Good Media Habits Early. |
| 2. | No TV or Computer in Your Child's Room. |
| 3. | Set a Media Diet and Stick to It. |
| 4. | Teach Your Child to Ask Permission to Use Media. |
| 5. | Watch and Listen with Your Kids Then Tell them What you Like and Don't like and Why. |
| 6. | Set Clear Rules Regarding Your Child's Media Use in Other Homes. |
| 7. | Teach Media Literacy in School and at Home. |
| 8. | Have Pediatricians Review Your Child's Media Use as Part of an Annual Checkup. |
| 9. | Read to Your Child and Share Positive Media Experiences. |
| 10. | Switch the Dial to "Off" |
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| Source: Steyer, James (2002). The Other Parent: The Inside Story of the Media's Effect on Our Children. | |