March 23, 2006
Is it "right" because it's in print???
On my "what's new" page banter from this morning I said this regarding the book Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours, by Dr. Kevin Leman:
"I don't read books like this b/c they are necessarily "good books" but because I think we need to know what mom and dad are reading! It's the same reason I will pick up Newsweek and Time. Not that it's good stuff, but it is what they are reading and you need to be ready to talk about it!"
What do I mean??
I mean if there is a picture of a sad lost little looking child on the cover of TIME, mama is going to buy it. If there is a photo of a child in front of a computer, so will grandpa. If NEWSWEEK has created a checklist to see if your kid has diagnosis du'jour parents will buy it regardless of whether or not is it good, accurate, scientific information. We want what is best for kids. Big business media has the money to package and sell what they think (might be) best... they might be able to afford to print shiny glossy pages filled with words and statements from "experts" but is it always accurate? should we sit back and take it at face value?
The article about "boys" a month or so back got everyone stirring and last year around this same time it was about Autism... why do I pick these "news" magazines up? because they are filled with evidence and scientific data? no! because mom and dad are reading them and I need to be ready to COUNTER it if necessary! How many calls did your center get last year after that Autism article came out? How many of your parents wanted a conference after the "trouble with boys" article was printed? We need to know what they are reading so that we can (here comes the buzz word again) ARTICULATE what we know about child development that either supports or counters what is printed in the mass media!!!
It doesn't mean you go crazy and start ranting and raving but it means you are aware of what they might be reading and be ready to (here we go again) TALK ABOUT IT!
Now I am not a TV watcher, but if I get word or hear that, say, "48 Hours" is doing a special on Ausbergers and the link between __________ (fill in the blank here) I will do what I can to watch it or get it on tape. If "20/20" is doing a special on outside time and the link to say, oh I don't know, A.D.H.D., I'm going to watch it! Why? Because auntie and daddy are watching it too!
This way when they come in Thursday morning saying, "OH NO! I think my child is ___________ or has ___________!!!!!!" I am prepared!!!!
Make sense????
Questions? need something? go ahead and give a call! If I am not here Erin knows how to find me and I'd love to hear more from you! I however... must go catch a plane!
bye for now
lisa
PS I started a strand in the FORUM on this too so you can talk more about it in there!!!
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