Tweens and Media: What is Too Adult

Tweens and Media: What’s Too Adult?: NPR. Retrieved July 15, 2010 from http://www.npr.org/templates/storuy/story.php?storyId=5595146

This article deals with the delicate issue about what information is available to tweens through media sources. There is an issue here that tweens are exposed to much more sexual material than there was in the past, but according to Connie Biewald, a sex education teacher, there understanding is about as deep as it was twenty years ago.

Parents are given the job of where to draw the line. Wheelock College Professor Diane Levin makes an interesting point that our culture is so saturated with sexual images, and some parents may not realize how their children process these images. Tweens don’t have the life experience that allow for deep understanding of the sexual images that are thrown at them. Tweens might want to look sexy when they don’t know what sexy is according to Levin. The key here is that tweens must have an open line of communication with their parents.

The article continues with an analysis of the Barbie doll. The author states that the Barbie message has been the same for over forty years (big breasts, flashy clothes, and a cute car). The author makes the point that the message is diluted these days when such items as a 2T shirt for a toddler is available with the words “juicy” where the breasts will eventually be.

The important message here is that tween girls should have a healthy body image. They feel powerful because they are deep thinkers and accomplished, not because they are sexy and drive a cute car.