GRAMS - Creating a Positive Media Home

What Does Your Media Glorify?

Children learn habits very early. According to Dr. Marjorie Hagan co-author of the “American Academy of Pediatrics Recommendations for Media Use”,  “A healthy approach to children’s media use should both minimize potential health risks and foster positive media use.” One method to evaluate all media is using GRAMS Rules, according to Kristine Paulsen, guest writer.
 GRAMS Rules
(Reminder from the AAP:  TV and other screens should not be allowed for infants and children under two years of age.) What video games/shows are young children playing and watching?
  G – Does it GLORIFY violence?  The National Television Violence Study found that nearly 40% of the violence in television occurs by the “good guys”. They found 71% of violent scenes without remorse, criticism, or penalty for violence. (Smith, et al., 1998, “Harmful effects of exposure to media violence: Learning of aggression, emotional desensitization, and fear. “
  R – Does it REINFORCE Violence?  This is important in selecting video games because they have the ability to directly reinforce violent behavior like killing, fighting, torturing, etc.  Violent video games directly reward violent behavior by giving points that allow advancement to the next level.  Often verbal praise is given when you kill someone. These games have the strongest effect on increasing aggression. Playing these violent video games was the second greatest predictor of physical aggression at school.
 A – ADD up total entertainment media; Minutes Matter include TV, Video Games, etc.  Families may want to keep a log for a week to find out how much time each member spends on media entertainment. This is often a wake-up call
  M –Does it MODEL violence? Does it teach players how to be violent and provide a model? Hundreds of studies have shown that children imitate what they see in movies, television, and video games, especially if the aggressor is similar in age or attractive. One study (Boyatzis) exposed elementary children to a single episode of the Power Rangers and then observed verbal and physical aggression in the classroom. Children who watched the violent TV program

What Does Your Media Model?

committed seven times the number of intentional acts of aggression, including: hitting, kicking, shoving, and insulting another student, than the control group.  These exposures teach that violence is a way of solving problems. 
S – Does it include SOCIAL or relational violence?  Some of the most serious bullying involves social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational or Indirect Bullying. Social bullying can include: leaving someone out on purpose, telling other children not to be friends with someone, spreading rumors about someone, or embarrassing someone in public.
  After monitoring all media with the GRAMS Rules, parents may wish to delete or turn off unacceptable media, monitor more closely, change activity options, and explain the reasons.
Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos 
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Making Screen Time Decisions

Substitute Logo Activities for Media

 In order to change a culture of violence, adults need information and resources about the overwhelming evidence on media violence to help them create a positive media environment for their family, according to Kristine Paulsen, coauthor of a book about media and violence with Lt. Col. David Grossman, psychologist, available in November.
  In another book “Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents”, Anderson, Gentile, and Buckley, provide an overview of research on the effects of violent video games, according to Paulsen. 
 
Content and Amount Matter
 Anderson states, “What Gives Us Hope? What happens at home seems to matter. Children whose parents are more involved in (setting limits on amount and content of games played) are less aggressive in their day-to-day lives (e.g., getting in fights)….
  Parents are in a powerful position to minimize negative effects of violent video games by limiting the types of games children play and how much time they may play them.”
  There are a number of steps parents can take related to their children’s use of media that will impact their success in school, physical health (less obesity and weight gain), psychological well-being, ability to make and keep friends, their enjoyment of life, and reduce their chances of smoking cigarettes, under-age drinking, and drug use. There will also be less risk for bullying others or being bullied by others.
   A number of studies have shown that playing violent video games is associated with argumentation with teachers (and probably parents, too).  Decreasing exposure to media may also increase positive relationships with parents as well as their teachers.
 

Never-ending Creations

Adolescents who expose themselves to greater amounts of video game violence were more hostile, reported getting into arguments with teachers more frequently, were more likely to be involved in physical fights, and performed more poorly in school (The Effects of Violent Video Game Habits on Adolescent Hostility, Aggressive Behaviors, and School Performance. 2003).
Habits Start Young
  These habits are started very young in children and toddlers when they are given seemingly innocent violent electronic media, DVD’s etc. as the number one or two form of entertainment in the home in place of reading, active games with the family, sports, conversation, interacting with nature, family excursions, conversations in the car, board games, card games, art, musical instrument lessons, educational games, and other positive learning centered choices.
 

More Activities to Substitute for Media

According to Dr. Marjorie Hagan co-author of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations,  “A healthy approach to children’s media use should both minimize potential health risks and foster positive media use.“
  What can families do when children under two are watching screens and children 8-10 years are averaging eight hours a day in front of media?
Next time: A family centered healthy approach to screen time decisions.
Author:  Jean Hetrick
Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest