Is anyone getting tired of the news/media blaming this controversial game or that violent film for messing up the kids? And why technology and fast food is the problem of making them clinically obese?
I think it is down to parenting. If you don’t show an interest in your child’s physical/mental health then I think you are to blame. People should take responsibility by being ‘unfair‘ and not allowing kids to see 18 rated films too early, and taking them out walks or playing sports with them out back.
I’m sure that those on vizzed board soon to become a Mum/Dad will agree, but I may be wrong and am just in a cranky mood.

Gonna move this thread to Debate Logic & News Discussion forum.

No that is the medias job to stir up controversy, it creates revenue and people will want to tune in to see whats up. If they didn't talk controversy they would probably be out of business.

Letting your kids watch the news is probably a lot worse then letting them play a violent video game or watching a R rated movie. I use to watch the news a lot when I was a kid. They usually ramble on about murder, people dying, so and so will cause you cancer, etc... Its a great way to go to bed at night feeling depressed after watching all the hell that happened that day.

Kids are curious, if you hold something back from them they are going to be even more curious and find a way around it. Plus, one of the biggest influences in childhood is other children so censorship wont work out too well.

Also, you can't blame parents, technology, fast food for making children obese. The child itself is the one to blame once they are old enough to know what is good and bad. I use to be a fat kid I know what its like. I know I was eating bad. I didn't blame my parents, I took my own action and lost the weight.

When kids are older then 10 they will want to take care of themselves, they wont want a babysitter. It's all about growing up. If you continue to treat them like a baby and are very strict they are going to rebel. One way or another, they will overpower you and eventually learn everything that you try and hide from them.

Parents try too much to be strict, they need to chill and be their childs buddy and friend at the same time. Telling them what to eat, what to do, what to wear is taking away the childs individuality. Let them be who they want to be don't try and mold them into the perfect image cause they are far from perfect just like you.

I agree that it is your personal responsibility to do the best thing for yourself as possible.... things like obesity are a problem created by the way society works now.

Lots of people don't earn enough money or have enough free time to buy healthy food and cook healthy meals. Going to a drive through and buying 2 cheeseburgers for $2 is cheaper and more filling than trying to have any healthy option anywhere else.


And again.... violent media is only a relatively new problem.... if we as a society didn't consume so much of it then it wouldn't exist to the degree it does. We are to blame for how pervasive this stuff is and if we stopped consuming so much of it then it wouldn't be so common. But society has become so entrenched that it's not likely that we can change anything.


I do agree that it is a parents responsibility to deal with this stuff. As a parent you are responsible for teaching your kid right and wrong and not allowing them to consume a lot of this stuff before they are ready to make the decisions for themselves. And while some of you would argue you are old enough to make that decision I would disagree with most of you. I used to be your age and know how I was at that age and I didn't make the smart decision most of the time.

Originally posted by JigSaw

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Letting your kids watch the news is probably a lot worse then letting them play a violent video game or watching a R rated movie. I use to watch the news a lot when I was a kid. They usually ramble on about murder, people dying, so and so will cause you cancer, etc... Its a great way to go to bed at night feeling depressed after watching all the hell that happened that day.

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I feel that it is impairative that we teach our children to make sound choices not based on our own personal ideas, but their own knowledge of the subject. Do not fill your childs head with your biased outlook on the world, tell them the exact truth of any given situation (to the best of your knowledge) and let them make their own mind up. I understand that impressionable minds will soak up any knowledge they can and start to make cognative decisions based on what they have heard.

A great example is from my own past.... My father was never around, but my mother never wanted me to hate him.. she sat me down and told me the truth one day, and from their she said "now its up to you to make up your mind whether you want him in your life or not" I think that right there is a perfect way of dealing with this issue. We all know that humans have an inability to follow our elders intellect, we all have to find out on our own, but when you pave the road in the right direction for your child to follow.... thats when you succeed.

I look at the food thing simply: You're the parent, you're the one buying the food that is in the house. Don't buy crap. If the kids want to buy junk food on their own time, with their own money, you can't really stop them and it is their choice. However, they really don't have much buying power so I don't know how much impact it would have.

Blaming video games and movies doesn't cause the problems they are having. I don't even blame the news, the news doesn't give you enough information. People are dicks, you have to interact with them and you will see the s*** they do. Lack of understanding what is going on will cause the problems because the kids can't cope. You want your kid to be well-adjusted, don't hide things from them, explain things.

Elara: there are some people who can't afford to buy healthy food though. Some families are either in too much debt or don't earn enough money to be able to afford good food. Or they are sick and have to spend too much of their income on medicine or treatments.

Yeah, families that make enough money to have healthy meals have an obligation to provide healthy food for the kids, but not every family has that option. For some people the only option is the cheapest thing which quite often is cheap, processed food with little value to it.

Not only that, but sometimes families have to much going on to eat healthy. My family is very busy, and we are often forced to grab fast food in between activities, because we don't have time for anything else. But when you're home, it is the parents obligation to provide as much healthy food as possible, but it is the kids' responsibility to eat the healthy food.

As for movies, it is up to the parents to protect their children from things they should not watch or play.

Geeogree: Cornflakes cost less than Fruity Pebbles or Coco Puffs or any of that other stuff. Also, the kid doesn't need soda when water is free, nor do they need a candy bar every time they go to the store. They want sweet, buy an apple, it will cost less. I'm not talking about the organic whole grain s***, I'm talking about common sense decisions.

Originally posted by Elara

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Geeogree: Cornflakes cost less than Fruity Pebbles or Coco Puffs or any of that other stuff. Also, the kid doesn't need soda when water is free, nor do they need a candy bar every time they go to the store. They want sweet, buy an apple, it will cost less. I'm not talking about the organic whole grain s***, I'm talking about common sense decisions.

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I agree with you on those choices... but eating healthy costs more and takes a lot longer than eating junk. Some families don't have the time or money to make those choices.

It all depends on how much of a health nut you are. If your job doesn't require you to be fit then there is no need to waste your time exercising or wasting money on "good food and diets". You can always die the next day by a bus, gun shot, or some sort of cancer or freak accident. You could even choke on a health bar or apple too.

Your all going to die anyway whether your healthy or not, so enjoy life

Originally posted by JigSaw

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It all depends on how much of a health nut you are. If your job doesn't require you to be fit then there is no need to waste your time exercising or wasting money on "good food and diets". You can always die the next day by a bus, gun shot, or some sort of cancer or freak accident. You could even choke on a health bar or apple too.

Your all going to die anyway whether your healthy or not, so enjoy life

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I was under the impression that life is not that enjoyable when you're overweight...

Originally posted by bignatealpha

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Originally posted by JigSaw

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It all depends on how much of a health nut you are. If your job doesn't require you to be fit then there is no need to waste your time exercising or wasting money on "good food and diets". You can always die the next day by a bus, gun shot, or some sort of cancer or freak accident. You could even choke on a health bar or apple too.

Your all going to die anyway whether your healthy or not, so enjoy life

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I was under the impression that life is not that enjoyable when you're overweight...

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Agreed... the benefits of remaining at a proper weight and fitness level are worth the effort required to maintain them. Even being 30-40 pounds overweight can cause health problems.... and being 50+ pounds overweight can shorten your life quite a bit.

the idea that I might die tomorrow so I'll do whatever to my body today is a really stupid way to live life.

I agree, and I get disgusted with the people that do live their lives that way.

The thing that is even more difficult is how much food North Americans have at their disposal and how much of it we waste. Do you think for a second that a kid in Africa or South America would turn their nose up to ANY meal that was offered them? I highly doubt it. Yet people today will throw away lettuce if it has wilted a little bit or if the banana is too brown.

We're lucky to be able to live the way we do... and most of us don't appreciate at all.

Yep I was definitely cranky that day. If you are ever in Britain dont watch the news - the whole thing is depressing and demoralising and I just wanted to catch a wee episode of Iron Man in the morning instead hehe! The main point I was trying to get across about parenting is this:
I was just sick of the fact that people as failing to see the responsibility in having a child. Some sacrifices may have to be made to allow the child to have the best emotional, physical and mental welfare they can provide based on thier income; however many parents now are not doing so - by going on holiday themselves, by not being bothered to cook and buying ready meals instead, buy going to lunch, dinner, clubbing with friends regularly rather than spending time with he family etc etc. I just feel that some people want to blame this that and the other for problems in their life and forget their own responsibility.
I realise I'm talking very generally, some parents give their children all the stability and support they need, and the child still wants to raise hell.
This is quite a deep thread sorry...