International Friday: Upin & Ipin and Friends Episode 1, Season 5

Welcome to the first "International Friday" post at Eating Kids' Media! Here we will explore kids' media around the world, because let's face it-- the world is wide and interesting!
Let's get blabbing!

I finally learned how to center a photo!

Upin & Ipin is a 3D-animated cartoon about five-year-old twin boys who live with their sister and grandmother in a village in Malaysia. I wasn't really sure what to expect from this show. I've seen bits and pieces of it, thanks to my Indonesian relatives (Upin and Ipin is also broadcast in Indonesia, oddly enough, with Indonesian subtitles) but I've never actually paid attention (Upin and Ipin's voices always annoyed me) so I always ended up leaving the room after five minutes. But something inside me said it might be a good topic to explore, so here we are today.

The episode I chose to watch was Episode 1, Season 5, "Belajar Lagi?" (Study again?). I chose this episode at random, because I knew that the characters don't age, like the Simpsons, so it wouldn't matter which episode I watched. In this episode, Upin and Ipin come back to school after an unnamed school holiday. There's lots of drama and excitement as they prepare for school, see their newly-renovated classroom, catch up with old friends, and play a game in school. After watching this 20 minute episode, I can honestly say that I am an Upin and Ipin convert.

Upin and Ipin is just pure kid fun. They might be Malaysian kids, but they act like any other kid on the planet. Everything about life is amazing to them, from the shoe polish that their sister uses on their shoes, to the way their new classroom shines. This show is a celebration of the magic of being a kid, without being too heavy-handed or moralistic. My favorite scene, and this is a SPOILER ALERT, in case you were thinking of watching, is when their classmate, Mail walks in to the classroom like a cowboy. When Mail's classmates ask him what's wrong, there is a unified gasp of horror when he answers, "circumcision." Circumcision is an everyday thing in a Muslim-majority country like Malaysia. But to see it through the eyes of a child brings laughter and joy to even a jaded adult like me.

If you're looking for something different to watch with the little ones, or you just want a good laugh, I recommend Upin and Ipin. I would like to say one final thing, however. I am not familiar with the socio-political situation in Malaysia, but there was one character who gave me pause. Upin and Ipin's classmate, Jarjit, is a Sikh boy (evident from the turban he wears) with a booming, adult voice. I'm not exactly sure if this is a stereotype, or if this is meant to be derogatory. If anyone out there knows, feel free to drop me a line, and I will post your answer on this page.

Photo Credits

The image of Upin & Ipin was taken from here.

Coming soon! Let's get some print media up in here! Plus a guest blog (or two) from my writer/editor friend, Shabana! Stay tuned logged in!

Also, don't forget to comment, share a post, or email me. My electronic door is always open!

Throwback Thursday: Gargoyles: Season One, Episode One

In the last post, I talked about Lego Ninjago, and how it's very heavily marketed toward boys. So I thought it would be nice to kick off the first "Throwback Thursday" post with a classic cartoon that crosses gender lines--the 1990s cartoon, Gargoyles.

I'll admit Gargoyles wasn't at the top of my list of throwbacks to review. But one day, when I was feeling nostalgic, I posted a Gargoyles video on Facebook (Yes, I'm outing myself--I'm a child of the 1990s!) All the people who commented on the video were female. Hmmmm, I thought. That's interesting. Using today's standards of what would make a good show "for girls" the show doesn't seem to have much girl appeal. Lots of fighting. No (cutesy) princesses. No pink. So what is it about Gargoyles that fans, both male and female, love?

The opening sequence of the first episode is action-packed, chock full of falling boulders, fire, and screaming people. It makes the viewer ask, "What the heck is going on?" Five seconds later, a beautiful but obviously strong woman detective comes on the scene, only identifying herself as "Maza." (I liked that they used a less-common Latin last name like Maza. The name firmly establishes her Latin identity without making her the token minority, which would have happened if they used a more common name like Lopez or Gomez). Maza's strong, yet attractive and not too overly-primped character makes the viewers want to know more about her and also gives the female viewers someone to identify with.

Edit I just checked the Wikipedia entry for Elisa Maza. It turns out that she is not Latina, but half-Nigerian, and half-Native American. Of course, this wasn't revealed in the first episode, which was the only episode I watched. According to the creators of the show, Maza's parents' relationship is supposed to parallel her later relationship with Goliath. Whoa! Inter-species love!

Flash backward to Scotland, A.D. 994. The origin of the Gargoyles is revealed. There's betrayal, murder, friendship, and true Gargoyle love all rolled into one. There's also tension between the Gargoyle and Human races. In spite of their service to the humans, the gargoyles are under constant threat of violence and vitriol. At one point, Goliath, the head honcho, wisely says, "It is human nature to fear what they don't understand."

So what's so great about Gargoyles? Everything! Both male and female fans can enjoy the great story, wise lessons, deep characterization, interesting relationships, and of course, action. It's a cartoon worth watching. No pink or token characters required.

To purchase Gargoyles, visit Amazon.

Please be advised that due to violent content, Gargoyles may not be a cartoon for very young children. I would personally rate this a cartoon for kids 11 and up, but the best thing would be to watch it first before showing it to your child.

Photo Credits

The picture of Demona kicking butt was taken from here.

Our New Look!

Hey All,

I hope you like the new look of the blog. I finally figured out how to arrange and re-arrange some things. Until the next post! ^.~

Lego Ninjago: Episode 1, Way of the Ninja

Yes, yes, for those of you who are familiar with the series, you have every right to tell me I am a couple of years late. You are correct. But since the last topic was Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, I thought it would be nice to discuss another iconic toy-turned-series.

Legos. Some of you may remember them, before they got super-commercialized and over-marketed as a toy only for boys (I actually owned one of these blue buckets!!!!):

Back then, it was absolutely possible to buy a Lego set that wasn't from a television show:

Sadly, times are different. But, seeing as the Lego: Ninjago series has become such a cultural force, it would be best to confront it rather than run from it. Ninja-style!!!!

I know that the Ninjago series will be entering its third season, but I decided to start with the first episode of the first season, since I have only watched the series intermittently in the past.

The episode starts out ordinarily enough, with the as-yet unnamed Old Mysterious Asian Guy coming into a sword shop run by Kai, the blacksmith, and his sister, Nya. The Old Mysterious Asian guy says something pseudo-profound (like something from a fortune cookie), the sword shop gets attacked, and all heck breaks loose. Nya, the only female for miles around gets kidnapped by the bad guys (of course), Kai begins his ninja training with the Old Man, who now has a name (Master Wu), and so our story begins.

Innocuous-sounding enough, right? No sex, drugs, or violence (wait, no, there's violence!) But there are plenty of ninjas. Who doesn't love ninjas? Ninjas are fun. Like pirates or cowboys.

...except that, if you're going to talk about ninjas (I'm looking at you, Cartoon Network!) Please keep your cultural references straight!

In the opening sequence, Kai and the Old Man are talking about samurai and ninja. Both are names of different kinds of warriors from Japan. So obviously, one would think, the Land of Ninjago is based on a village from old Japan, if a village from old Japan were made out of Lego. So if Kai and Nya are Japanese, why is Nya wearing Chinese clothing? (See illustration below. Just pretend the blouse on the left is red).

Why does the ninja master from Ninjago (Master Wu), have the tenth most common Chinese name in Mainland China, according to Wikipedia?

Samurai met their official end in the late 1800s. If Ninjago is loosely based on late 1800s Japan (yes, yes, I know it's a television show, but still) could it be that Master Wu and Nya are just incredibly open-minded, or is it that the creators of the show don't know the different between China and Japan?

I'll let you decide, gentle reader. The only cool thing about the first episode for me, was when Nya helped her brother fight when their shop was under attack. Nya can kick butt! Now, if we could only get her in some culturally-correct clothing....

Coming soon, a new design for the blog, and a review of a vintage cartoon!!! Can't wait to see you there!

Photo Credits

All photos were used for illustration purposes only. No profit was made from them, nor am I associated with any of the web sites or companies listed below.

The original picture of the Lego CITY set can be found here.

And at the same web site, the Lego bucket.

The Chinese blouse was taken from here.

Here is the original picture of Nya

And lastly, Kai the Ninja!

Clips, clips, clips!

Dear All,

Thanks for reading my blog so far! I'm going to take a break in posting, to post some clips from some publications that I have written for in the past. (I haven't quite figured out how to post them on my main web site yet).

The first two clips below were published in the fall of 2008 in the Fil-Asian Bulletin, a Jersey City-based newspaper, now out of business.

The first clip is about then-Vice President of the Philippines Noli De Castro's visit to the Philippine Consulate in New York City:

VICE PRESIDENT NOLI DE CASTRO VISITS THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE

By: Maureen Roble

Vice President Noli De Castro received a warm welcome on Wednesday, October 3rd at the Philippine Consulate in New York City. Despite Consulate hopes for an "intimate affair," Kalayaan Hall was bursting with Filipinos from the Tri-State area, as well as Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Many from the crowd hailed from the Vice President's native Mindoro. Other visitors, young and old, came out of curiosity. If there were any skeptics in the crowd, no one showed it. Upon entering the hall, the former Magandang Gabi, Bayan host was mobbed for photographs by excited visitors. There was much speculation surrounding the motive for the Vice President's visit, although Consulate staff maintained that De Castro simply wanted to meet members of the Filipino community, not boost public relations. De Castro's main purpose for being in New York was official business. He delivered the Philippine government's Statement on Interreligious and Intercultural Cooperation at the High Level Dialogue for Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace at the United Nations.

The theme of the night appeared to be development of the Philippines. In her welcome address, Consul General Cecilia Rebong highlighted the generosity and achievements of Fil-Ams. According to Consul General Rebong, Fil-Ams are "more Filipino than Filipinos in the Philippines" because of the work they do to alleviate poverty in the Philippines. She cited examples such as medical missions run by Filipino doctors and nurses, schools built by Fil-Ams for Filipino students, and the swiftness of Fil-Am organizations to gather funds in times of natural disasters. Along the same vein, Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Hilario Davide called the audience "angels" and the Vice President an angel as well. The Ambassador declared that the President and Vice President's visits (GMA was at the Consulate a week prior) were a sign of their love for the Filipino people, as well as an urging to Fil-Ams to return to the Philippines and help.

Vice President De Castro began his speech with the hot-button issues of the day: the ZTE Broadband scandal and former-President Estrada. He assured the crowd that the ZTE Broadband scandal was under investigation. He believes the Filipino people have reached a "political maturity" that will allow them to make their own judgements once the investigation is over. In Estrada's case, the Vice President asked the President to consider presidential pardon. However, the focus of De Castro's speech was the development of the Philippines, a topic he feels does not receive enough exposure.

The Vice President outlined the recent economic achievements of the Philippines.

-High economic performance in the second quarter, exceeding government forecasters' expectations. Gross Domestic Product was up 7.5%, Gross National Product was up 8.3%

-A budget surplus of 13.9 billion pesos (due largely in part to remittances by Overseas Filipino Workers).

-The strong peso (43 pesos to one dollar exchange rate).

-Interest rates going down. The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), the agency of which De Castro is Chairman, has lowered interest rates for housing down to 6% or 7%, making housing more accessible to the poor.

-Concentration on building infrastructure. Agriculture in North Luzon and Mindanao, tourism in the central Philippines, and trade and industry in Metro Manila. The construction of the North and South Luzon Railway, which will run from Pampanga to Laguna. 36,000 squatters were "relocated" as a result of this project.

In spite of the good news, the Vice President emphasized that there are ways Filipinos in America can still help. "Keep the money flowing" was the Vice President's message. De Castro suggested Fil-Ams become tourists, invest in the Philippine stock market, or donate money to build a home for those displaced by the North and South Luzon Railway. At the end of his speech, De Castro implored the Fil-Am community to work with Filipinos in the Philippines to create a brighter future. "Together build a strong and progressive Philippines, not only for ourselves, but our loved ones, the ones we left in the Philippines." He quoted a popular saying from the University of the Philippines, "Kung hindi tayo, sino ba? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?"

The applause for De Castro's speech was cut off when Potri Ranka Manis, a Maranao princess and founder of Kinding Sindaw, a performance ensemble dedicated to preserving indigenous performance, asked about Mindanao. The Vice President hastily added that the Philippines was involved in the High Level Dialogue for Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace at the United Nations. De Castro quickly left the stage, and Secretary Jesus Dureza, the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process took his place. He spoke very briefly about Philippine participation in the Dialogue.

In a meeting with the press after the speech, the Vice President was coy about his plans for 2010. In response to an ABS-CBN reporter's question on whether or not De Castro would be running, De Castro replied, "Malayo pa. Let's talk of the present." If he does run, Vice President De Castro has at least one vote. When asked by the Bulletin if she would vote for a Presidential candidate De Castro, a Mindoreña from the crowd answered with gusto, "Of course!"

The second clip is from a column I used to write about local business people:

FAB’s BUSINESS OF THE WEEK

By Maureen Roble

He barely looks old enough to be running his own business, let alone be married with two kids. But 27 year old Orvin Sibug is doing both successfully. His wireless services store, G- Wire, located at 578 West Side Avenue, rarely sees a dull moment. In the morning and evening Orvin is taking care of people’s cell phone needs. The after school crowd brings kids looking to update their ringtones. “I can’t complain” Orvin says with a smile, when FAB asks how sales are doing. This year, Orvin is really excited about the new Boost plan, which is $55/month for unlimited calling. The Nokia N95 is also a popular item lately, perhaps because of the oncoming holiday rush.

Despite his apparent happiness with his current position, Orvin was not always a businessman. In his past existence, Orvin followed the path many young Filipinos followed-he was a nurse. However, his own desire to be in business, as well as a chance encounter with a good friend made him the proprietor of his own shop. His advice to Pinoy and Pinay youth considering their own paths? “Go to school, do what you like. If you want to do business…plan, plan, plan.” A large dose of hard work is needed as well. Orvin describes his work as “grueling” and there are days he is in the store 12 hours.

For Orvin, the chance to serve the community makes it all worthwhile. He prides himself on being the local cellphone shop with the heart of gold. “I don’t want people to have to go far for their cellphones. Just cross the street, and you’re here…being able to offer the best price while still staying afloat-that’s my goal.” When it comes to making it in a competitive industry, such as the cellphone industry, Orvin holds true to a basic principle. “Fair price. That’s it.”

G-WIRE

578 West Side Avenue

Open M-Sat. 11AM-7PM

Gogwire@gmail.com

201-377-1743

The next clip about the Filipino-American health crisis was published online on the web site, BakitWhy, a web magazine that discusses Filipino-American lifestyle. It was also published in 2008. Although the web magazine still exists, the link to my article is no longer functional. Please read the clip below:

It’s rare to hear about Asian American health in the news, outside the context of the miraculous healing powers of green tea, meditation, and eating lots of fish—the evening news takes Asian Americans to be one homogeneous group that has excellent health. Not only is this false, but buying into the stereotype can be deadly. The fact of the matter is Filipino Americans are facing a silent health crisis, and your 50-year-old Tito Alfredo is not the only one who should be worrying. Young men between the ages of 18 and 49, and women need to increase their health awareness, as well. Heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes are big problems in the community. Here are the alarming statistics:

Heart disease claims the lives of a third the Filipino American population…About a third of Filipino men between the ages of 18 and 49 suffer from uncontrolled hypertension. The rate increases to 51% for those over the age of 50. The corresponding rate is 61% for Filipino women of the same age range, a figure that is 1.7 times higher than whites and 1.4 times the rate for black women.

(Italics added for emphasis. Taken from NYU Langone Medical Center News Releases Website, March 27, 2006. Accessed 9/24/08) http://communications.med.nyu.edu/news/2006/nyu-center-for-the-study-of-asian-american-health

This information may come as a big surprise considering that most Fil-Ams, male or female are petite in size. But don’t let looks deceive, cautions Dr. Mariano Jose Rey, Director at the NYU Institute of Community Health and Research. He told the Asian Journal, “Filipinos die in their 30s or 40s of heart attack and strokes even though they’re thin. They’re one of two or three populations in the entire planet who while being thin, develop severe heart and brain disease.”

(Posted on ManilaMailDC.net, 11/17/2007, Accessed 9/24/08) http://www.manilamaildc.net/2007/11/17/heart-ills-top-filams%E2%80%99-ailments/

Heart disease is not the only problem. According to a 1993 study by the Northern California Cancer Center, Filipino women had the lowest breast cancer survival rate among several racial/ethnic groups (white, African American, Chinese, Japanese) except African Americans. (“Health and Health Care of Filipino American Elders”, Accessed 9/24/2008) http://www.stanford.edu/group/ethnoger/filipino.html

Causes

What is the cause of poor Fil-Am health, and what can one do about it? Health professionals believe several factors are to blame: high fat, high cholesterol, high sodium diet (patis with your pork fat, anyone?), a scarcity of culturally and linguistically appropriate medical screening and educational materials, a high-stress environment at the workplace, and cheap and accessible processed foods.

Cures

Unfortunately, there’s no other way around tried and true diet and exercise. Thankfully, “diet” and “exercise” don’t have to be unpleasant things. The autumn has not only brought the east coast cooler weather, but a fresh harvest as well. Visit your local farmer’s market and see the difference fresh ingredients make on the taste of your cooked meals (you’ll be less likely to overdo the patis this way). Try eating less meat and more fish and vegetables, and when you do, go easy on the frying. Bring your own heart-healthy baon (lunch) to work. Hot dogs with rice don’t count! Walk, bike, or skate more, drive less. Your wallet and heart will thank you. Finally, get regular medical check-ups with a doctor who is open to discussing your health concerns and questions, and encourage your loved ones to do so as well. Beware of doctors who buy into the stereotype that all Asians drink green tea and eat seaweed! They might overlook important medical tests that can save your life or the life of a relative.

Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse

Before I begin my post about Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse (a post you're all dying to read, I know) I'd like to take a minute to say, that I haven't been paid to review anything that appears on this website. In the event that I have been paid (woo hoo!), I will make sure to post it here on the blog. In the meantime, you can be sure that everything I write is my free and honest opinion.

Back to the blog.

If you watch television with your son or daughter, you've likely seen the commercials for the Barbie Dreamhouse. (For some reason I could only find the German version of the commercial. If you want to see it, you can click here). You've also probably seen the short ad that comes after it, advertising the web television show, Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. Oddly enough, my daughter didn't bother me about getting a Dreamhouse. She seemed more intrigued by the web show, and kept begging me to let her log on and watch it. Finally, after the ten gazillionth plea, I relented.

I really, really, really wanted to hate the series. I had decided, even before watching, that there would be nothing of value to my daughter in the show. Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse? Come on! Isn't each web show just a long commercial for the toy?

But after watching one episode, I am ashamed to say, I really, really, really like the series.

As of writing there are 31 episodes, each about three minutes long. There are also some extras like music videos, and Barbie's little sister's reading fan mail. Each episode deals with Barbie and her friends' (mis)adventures in and around the Malibu Dreamhouse. Although the show is being used to endlessly promote the toy, as well as the Barbie brand (I haven't even tackled the endless activities and games on the Barbie web site, though I plan on doing that in a future post) which I HATE, the show itself is smart and funny, which I LOVE. It constantly pokes fun at the Barbie brand, reality television, commercialism, and the over-the-top Malibu lifestyle. Episode 22 shows what happens when there's a glitter shortage in Malibu. Episode 29 shows what happens when Ken tries to get a life that doesn't involve Barbie--with crazy results. Each episode has something to giggle about.

The only thing that gives me pause about the series is the racial tokenism. Barbie has exactly one African-American friend (Nikki), and one Latina friend (Teresa). Barbie's enemy, Raquelle, has black hair and could be seen as Asian or also Latina. (The name Raquelle brings to mind the actress Raquel Welch, an American actress of Bolivian descent). I think it's great that the Barbie series has a diverse cast, but the characters don't really seem to have any shape or form of their own outside of Barbie. (See Episode 31, "Let's Make a Doll"). I question the judgement of the series creators in giving Raquelle black hair. Even in the name of diversity, why should the villain have darker hair and darker skin? What does this say about our perceptions of dark-haired, darker-skinned people in America?

Overall, I would rate this web series as safe, and even enjoyable to watch with your kids. I WOULD however, be ready to ask and answer tough questions about race in America, especially if your child, like mine, is a child of color.

To watch the Barbie:Life in the Dreamhouse series, click here.

Thoughts on this anyone?

Next post, boys' media!!! (I personally don't believe in strictly for boys or girls television shows, but I know that marketing and culture would mark certain television shows, movies, and toys as such.) So, see you soon! In the meantime, don't forget to comment.

Disney Channel's Jessie

I've been meaning to watch the show Jessie for a long time. I came across it one night while channel surfing, and I got really excited when I saw an Indian kid! (Actor Karan Brar).

Growing up Filipino-American in the United States, I always got excited when I saw an Asian person on television. Now that I have a child, I am even more excited when I see people of Asian descent on TV. I want my daughter to see that there are people who look like her, that she isn't an anomaly.

But my excitement soon vanished after a few minutes of watching, when Karan Brar's character Ravi Ross turned out to have a really bad Indian accent. Oh boy. In 2013, can't we let go of the "awkward Asian kid with the really thick accent" stereotype yet? Do we still poke fun at minorities for laughs? Is this kind of garbage still on TV? I changed the channel and vowed I would watch again when I could watch from the beginning, and get a fuller picture of what this TV show was about.

So I tuned in yesterday, May 14, (albeit 5 minutes late). According to my cable TV guide, it said the episode, "All the Knight Moves" was a rerun that originally aired on May 5. No matter. I just wanted to see a full episode. I wanted to see that I wasn't misjudging the whole thing from the few minutes that I saw. Boy, was my first impression right!

I knew the basic premise of the show, that Jessie (actress Debby Ryan) is the nanny to four kids adopted from all over the world by a rich family (Think: Brangelina). I suppose I can't fairly judge other episodes, but in this particular episode, I didn't actually see her do any nanny work. Sure, she is around when the kids are, but she barely offers them any supervision or guidance. In this episode, her biggest role is persuading Zuri, the youngest, to enter a chess competition so that she could win Jessie a trip to Paris. When Zuri buckles under the pressure and has a nightmare about it, Jessie, dressed as the "Queen" chess piece is telling her, "You have to practice [chess] so the Queen can meet cute French guys." Wow. Is that supposed to be funny? Meanwhile, Jessie gets Ravi (the boy with the really fake Indian accent) a gig emceeing the competition, but pokes fun at his "nerdiness" the entire time. What a great nanny! In the end, when Zuri throws the competition so her opponent, the appropriately named "Creme Brulee" can visit his family, all I'm thinking is, "What about leaning in??? I thought this show was supposed to have pseudo-feminist overtones!" (See the next two paragraphs). Creme Brulee then credits Jessie for raising Zuri to have a good heart, and Zuri fixes everything by calling their super-rich parents and asking for the use of the family jet to go to Paris. And everyone lives happily ever after.

Now I know what you might be thinking. This is a television show, Maureen. And a sitcom at that. Fiction. Why get all twisted up in knots? The fact of the matter is, this television show is marketed to kids, kids who parents may not be (are probably not) around to explain to them the problematic parts of the show. I think to understand why the show is problematic, one needs also to look at the original premise of the show.

According to Wikipedia, 18 year old Jessie defies her father by leaving her tiny Texas town to make it big in the Big Apple. Somehow, instead of stardom, she gets the nanny gig instead, where she is entrusted with the lives of four kids, all while looking fabulous, making wise cracks, and barely lifting a finger. I guess the "defying her father" part fits in with other Disney Princess movies: The Little Mermaid, Brave, Tangled, to name a few. And I suppose that it what is supposed to make you root for Jessie. It's supposed to make you think that Jessie is a strong woman, maybe even a feminist. "Look at her! She defied her parents to come to New York City, and look at her now!"

Indeed. Look at her now. She portrays the work of nanny, a very important and very difficult job, as something an 18 year old can fall into without qualifications. She is constantly manipulating or making fun of her charges, especially the one with the funny accent. JESSIE fans can correct me if I'm wrong, but Jessie, despite her young age, isn't shown trying to improve herself by going to college, or learning some other skills pertinent to her job (CPR, anyone?)

I'm super-disappointed, Disney. I will never watch this television show again.

*Edit 5/23/2012* The Huffington Post posted an article about how Disney had to pull an episode of JESSIE after negative audience feedback regarding the way the television show portrayed children with gluten allergies. It just keeps getting better and better, Disney!

My first post...gack!

As the mother of a 6.5 year old girl, I've always been conscious of what she consumes--veggies, check. Fruits--check. No artificial colors or flavors--check (most of the time). It was so easy in the beginning. But as she's gotten older, I've realized that media is another thing on the list of things she consumes, and it's yet another thing I have to be careful about. Is this television show sending the right messages to young girls? To young boys? Is that commercial racist? So I have finally decided to start a blog about all the things that have been brewing in my head about all these television and internet shows, movies, books my daughter is allowed or not allowed to consume. I am hoping to start a conversation with you out there in the hopes of...well, starting a conversation! So let's get talking!