One of the philosophies behind my company states that it takes a village to raise a child, so I realize that many parents, especially those who work outside the home or who are not up to date with what’s happening in pop culture, might not be aware of some of the television shows that are marketed to children and young adults. It’s our job to make them aware.
One show in particular is the recently launched series on MTV, entitled Skins. The show follows a group of high school friends as they experiment with sex, drugs, alcohol and other behaviors and activities that are not typically endorsed by mom and dad.
I haven’t watched MTV (Music Television) in years (since they stopped focusing on music) and I have not watched this show, nor do I intend to. I think MTV now stands for “Mature Television” since many of its shows contain content that “may not be suitable for all audiences.” In fact, click on the Skins site on the official MTV page and you’ll be prompted to verify your date of birth to see a Sneak Peek of this new series. How does one verify this information on their television?
I have to play the devil’s advocate for a second and question whether or not MTV’s motive behind this series is to actually open the eyes of parents who might not otherwise be aware that these type of behaviors are going on when they’re not looking. Perhaps the entire goal of airing this show is to help us understand that we need to be more involved in our children’s lives so that these risky and illegal behaviors don’t lure them in, regardless of whether or not they watch controversial television shows or movies.
There has been a call to action regarding MTVs Skins and banning it from your home, blocking MTV all together and asking advertisers to refrain from buying ads during this time slot. Might I suggest you simply watch this show with your child and discuss it afterward?
After talking about this new series with my husband several times over the last few days, I’ve come up with one conclusion: Kids who engage in these types of risky behaviors & activities don’t have parents who care as much as we do or that are aware that this television show exists.
I don’t think it benefits anyone from blocking, protecting, or censoring kids from the reality that these behaviors take place among teenage crowds, but there is a need to make each and every parent and educator aware of this show and that these activities and behaviors do take place among high school and even middle school students so that we can help children make decisions that will enhance their lives, and that won’t jeopardize their futures.
I will never understand why some parents do what they do or how their children end up in the situations like those found in the scenes of this show. I’m torn between who to be more upset with – MTV for airing this show, or the parents who gave the OK for their children to be a part of it.
Where do you stand?
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