Reducing Children to Dollars and Cents

Presentation by Joan Almon

Alliance for Childhood

Website:  www.allianceforchildhood.net

      Children’s sense of self worth grows – or is reduced – according to how the adults they respect value them. What is the overall impact on children when so much of their home time is spent in front of screens – TV, video and computer – where a big part of the message is buy, buy, buy.  Their worth becomes linked to their value as a consumer.

      Children’s sense of self is also influenced when their teachers and school principal fill their school with advertising aimed at them. There was a time when schools conveyed the message that here were the halls of knowledge and every child was capable of learning  Now that message is seriously diluted by advertisements on the walls, by advertisements aimed at children on their computer screens, and by forced attendance to the advertising of Channel One.

      Children are not dense.  They absorb messages about themselves and the world around them with ease.  In both home and school the message is clear:  Child, your value is linked to your strength as a consumer not to your inherent worth as a human being.  A child’s worth is reduced to dollars and cents, while the deeper sense of human value is buried under an avalanche of the latest merchandise.   

      Within the network of children’s lives there is a place for economic life.  There is a long tradition of children selling cookies or raffle tickets for school fund raisers. Yet we recognize this can grow out of bounds if we demand children spend too much time on such activities. Within the family, children help with home chores, yet that too can grow out of bounds and become child labor when the child no longer has time for studying, for playing, or for exploring life. As a culture we have recognized these excesses and have practiced restraint.    

      Unfortunately, when it comes to advertising to children we have forgotten about extremes and about placing social restraints.  Right now the sky is the limit and each year sees more and more advertising aimed at children, both at home and at school. It is time for all of us to take action on this critical issue.    

We call on every company to establish a firm policy that they will not advertise to children.  We call on parents and schools to make every school a commercial-free zone. 

The Alliance for Childhood is a partnership of educators, health care professionals, researchers, parents and other child advocates committed to fostering each child’s right to a healthy and developmentally appropriate childhood.