Protecting children from things adult and improper. Where should the boundaries be?

[4channel]

Protecting children from things adult and improper. Where should the boundaries be?

Today children are exposed to things that 20 years ago were unheard of. As time creeps on we see more and more things that challenge belief. In film and on television, extremely violent imagery is such an accepted and major part of entertainment that some cannot enjoy a film or program unless it is violent.

In what passes for music, the lyrics are more explicit and sexually laden than they ever were. A great deal of the video clips that appear on television would be considered pornography once upon a time. Other forms of music such as some rap have lyrics about killing people, guns and putting down women in the worst possible way.

Something that would be laughed off as impossible years ago, children before they can even walk properly are now exposed to adult entertainers such as drag queens as part of some supposed education or enlightenment program. Some of these drag queens have names of male and female genitalia. Some have names that relate to sexual scents and arousal. Some even have gone as far as doing stripping routines, twerking, teaching twerking, and  other blatant sexually suggestive behaviour. They are even reading childrens stories that are an alternative to the male and female relationships or the birth genders..

Children are playing violent video games which are much more graphic and interactive than what they were in the past. Many are not interested in a video game unless it is violent. They can play for hours and hours on these games, either connected to their own source or a source that is online. Some of the games are so violent that some adults are sickened to the degree that they refuse to even talk about it. Others that do find it almost impossible to comprehend.

* Where should the boundaries be set or where should they have been set?

* What effect is this having on children today?

* How will things be in ten or twenty years time?

[domino-710]

Quite honestly Countess - if he knows of children getting up in the middle of the night to listen to offensive music - he's in the wrong house.

[countessalmirena]

domino, there are other possibilities! I'm thinking up some of them right now.

Legitimate surveillance? Hired as a nanny? Living opposite a glasshouse in which the children can clearly be seen getting up in the middle of the night to listen to offensive music?

It may be far-fetched, but... possible. Perhaps it's more a case of being confided in by worn-out parents who have tried everything, every single thing, that they can think of to dissuade their children from getting out of bed in the middle of the night, turning the dial of their old classic radio, and listening to blaring glaring rude-lyricked filth-engrained gangsta music. Think of the King who couldn't stop the 12 Dancing Princesses from mysteriously wearing out their slippers during the night, even though the door was locked and volunteers/suitors were trying to keep watch. That story has it all: drugs! lying to their father! being indifferent to the watching suitors being killed! illicit dancing throughout the night! consorting with princes without parental permission!

[domino-710]

Countess - that made me laugh.

Seriously - spit the shot. lol

[4channel]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

I've been having some trouble sleeping lately as well.

I will sometimes make an omelette... watch an episode of Shakespeare and Hathaway... try not to watch a crime drama or thriller because I know that they stir up the mind rather than rest the mind... or put on a CD of Handel duets or Bach Brandenburg Concerti.

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Different things work for different people. A nice herbal tea works for me but my favourite one is not being sold locally any more.

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@countessalmirena wrote:

If you must listen to the radio, Classic FM or 3MBS or similar would be better choices.

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I can't see the dial on my radio when listening to it in the dark. If some music comes on that I don't like, I just try another one. I like "Old school" music plus some jazz.

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@countessalmirena wrote:

I just don't listen to radio stations that play music which would irritate me. If you know of children who are getting up in the middle of the night to listen to offensive music, tell their parents; if the parents are sufficiently outraged and can't control the situation by putting parental locks into place and giving their children good guidance and sound rules to follow, then you might get some people on board to aid you in your quest.

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One of two  possibilities with the motivation behind what you have said above. I'll go with the second. It appears that there is much in life that you still have to experience. It is possible that you have lived a sheltered life. Children can devise and be involved in many scenarios that wouldn't even be a fleeting thought in the minds of many parents.

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@countessalmirena wrote:, then you might get some people on board to aid you in your quest. There's little doubt that if you drum up sufficient numbers and that in those numbers are some very vocal and media-savvy parents, you would see action taken.

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I'm not on a quest as you suggest and from memory may have done so before. I'm just here to discuss things. I have just given an update.

[imastawka]

[domino-710]

I can't see the dial on my radio when listening to it in the dark. If some music comes on that I don't like, I just try another one. I like "Old school" music plus some jazz.

[domino-710]

@countess

One of two  possibilities with the motivation behind what you have said above. I'll go with the second. It appears that there is much in life that you still have to experience. It is possible that you have lived a sheltered life. Children can devise and be involved in many scenarios that wouldn't even be a fleeting thought in the minds of many parents.

[4channel]

LOL, more of the same from the same.

[imastawka]

My radio is always on the same station.

I just have to hit the 'on' button

[countessalmirena]

4channel, I'll take for granted that you are being sincere about not being able to see the radio dial in the dark.

A family member has expressed concern about not being able to see their way to the ensuite if they need to go there in the middle of the night. I explored nightlights from Bunnings for the family member. There was quite a cute one which displayed a starry night on the ceiling, and there are more straightforward ones which give just plain (soft) light. I don't think you'd have any trouble at all seeing the radio dial if you had one of those nightlights plugged in.

Another suggestion... I know you are old-school and like the older classic technology. (And I understand that. I collect grammophones.) But... have you thought about getting a smart phone which gives you access to digital radio? You can choose only those stations which play soft classic jazz, for instance... What could be more relaxing than listening to Ella Fitzgerald singing "Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I..." in the early hours?

If your main concern remains the broadcasting of the expletive-laden gangsta music, you really need to be getting interested influencers on board. I haven't heard such music, don't know of radio stations that play it, and wouldn't switch it on even if I did know the radio stations involved, so I'm not your target audience to become an activist in this area.