I grew up in a godly, fundamentalist home. I thought all fundamentalist homes were like mine, with parents who loved God’s Word and had good reasons for the things we did and didn’t do. But not everyone liked the choices they made, and they were sometimes ridiculed for them. One of the things my mom felt strongly about that some did not understand was the influence of music and television.
As I’ve grown up, I have retained a good deal of my awareness of the influences around me. Take for example, the Disney CD that my children have been listening to. A song on it until recently has never bothered me, “I’m a Policeman, Dressed in Blue.” Cute song, nothing apparently objectionable. It’s simply a public relations song for policemen (They direct traffic and help children. The song says nothing of drug busts and shootouts.)
After listening to it about ten times in a single day, I started wondering whether the phrase “nobody has a better job than mine” should be addressed. I wasn’t sure it mattered. Don’t you think a child is oblivious to the meaning of the words in a song or at the least would know that this phrase is hyperbole? That’s what I assumed, until I asked my oldest child “Do you think Daddy has a better job than a policeman?”
No, came the reply. Hmmm. Maybe he’s simply recognizing that the policeman in the song is happy to be a policeman, I thought. So I questioned him further. After discussion, I realized that he and his sisters really did believe that nobody has a better job than a policeman. I have a problem with this conclusion. If God wants a young man to be a policeman, then it is the best job he could have, but being a policeman in itself isn’t the best job for anybody, and I would be uncomfortable for a young man to choose any profession on that misconception.
David has started telling people he wants to be a policeman. Since this song represents his entire exposure to policemen, I’m pretty certain his perception has been shaped by the song. Is it surprising that a song can be so influential? (Yes, I’m aware that what a child wants to be when he grows up changes through the years.)
I deleted the song from the playlist, and I am more confident that limiting exposure to philosophical errors through media in early years is a really good thing.
Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. I Corinthians 15:33-34
Good things to think about!
My kids learned a little musical phrase from a neighbor that goes like this: “I like to move it, move it…” Uhhhh…… I’ve told them that it probably comes from a song that Mommy and Daddy wouldn’t approve of and asked them not to say it anymore. They don’t get it, of course, and think it’s innocuous. I want to teach them the “whys” as much as possible, but this “why” is a bit beyond their understanding. Too bad there isn’t a “remove from playlist” option on our kids’ friends’ mouths, huh? And I adore this neighbor friend in a lot of ways; his parents just have different expectations than I do, so I don’t think “remove from friendship” is a wise idea in this case.
Influences can be subtle, can’t they! This reminded me to be on guard against harmful messages. My oldest seems to pick things up from songs and video quite easily!
Addy, Part of the reason I deleted the song was that we were listening to it multiple times over the course of the last few weeks. Had it been a single exposure, I don’t think I would have reacted the way I did. I know what you mean about children not understanding the reasoning. I worked at it, but I’m not sure it was understood. I didn’t make a big deal about it; I don’t think they’ve missed the song, and I haven’t told them it is gone.
Maya– You’re right about subtle. Sometimes I feel like I’m being overly picky at what I don’t like in music or video, but it’s occasions like these when I see that our children are at an age where those subtle problems can create misunderstandings that can persist into adulthood. As they get older, those same errors can be useful tools, but for now, we avoid them.
I made a similar decision about a fundamentalist children’s CD a while back when I heard my child quoting “Ape men, Ape men, woo woo woo, we are smart, smarter than you. Evolution, evolution must be true!” In the CD/story it was ridiculed but that’s not what she picked up on! As an older child, she would understand the storyline/plot and understand those were the “bad guys” not to be emulated, but she didn’t – she just picked up on the catchy tune. Also, I had to remove a particular television show from our choices because it was a dinosaur show, really cute, but definately full of evolution. They are so easily confused at this young age! Great thoughts.
I had a similar experience with another CD in that series, so I know exactly what you mean. One of the things I’m burdened about is that those who rightly see the danger of a rule-based approach to media content, will sadly miss the difference age can make in exposing our children to error. Preschoolers listen to videos and tapes repeatedly, and they don’t easily discern moral tone (even with help). Where discussing the error can be an effective inoculation for children a little older, this approach may be ineffective at best for a younger child.