Here's to a Commercial-Free Childhood

I received an e-mail this week from the Associate Director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood -- a group I'd somehow never heard of, despite the fact that we share a distaste for the "commercialization of parenting."

According to their website, CCFC is a national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups, and concerned parents who counter the harmful effects of marketing to children through action, advocacy, education, research, and collaboration. They support the rights of children to grow up -- and the rights of parents to raise them -- without being undermined by rampant commercialism. CCFC is headquartered at the Judge Baker Children's Center in Boston.

The website includes newspaper and magazine articles about marketing to children, articles, fact sheets, and details about CCFC's current campaigns -- including efforts to stop advertising on Webkinz, the most visited virtual world for children in the U.S., to stop McDonald's from advertising on report cards, and (my personal favorite) to require Disney to show evidence that the Baby Einstein videos are beneficial for babies.

Whether you're a parent or an educator, or simply someone who cares about children, CCFC's website and work are worth checking out. Also, their 6th annual summit, "Consuming Kids: The Sexualization of Children and Other Commercial Calamities" will be held in Boston April 3-5. It looks to be an important and exciting event!

Comments

[Karen DeBolt]

Wow, this is a great resource! Thanks for posting about it. I posted about it in my blog as well.

I've been enjoying your blog very much. :)

All the best, Karen DeBolt

[Rae Pica]

Thanks, Karen! I've checked out your site -- www.counselingformoms.com. You're doing great work! : )