Flawed Expectations

I’m sure by now I’ve stressed enough the fact on how much I love Disney. I won’t take the time to divulge in it fully because I’d rather not bore you. We’d be here all night.

But I think there is a certain mindset that little girls learned from Disney films long ago, and now they aren’t so little any more: mainly, they are in college and searching for that special prince or true love’s kiss, as my mom and I jest.

Media Vandalism

There are quite a few different genres of music out there and tons more lifestyle promotions in all that accessible content. I’m sure a few possibilities have come to your mind already—we’ve all heard a song or two that we didn’t find appropriate according to our own standards. Drinking, premarital and extramarital sex, and drug use are usually the “really bad ones” that come to people’s minds. But it’s a biiiiiig world out there and as noted, there’s a ton of music too. Surely these aren’t the only forms of questionable content?

You’re right, they are not.

Quality Time

One thing I’ve noticed in recent years is how much our media affects family life. At the end of the day everyone in the family pulls out their iPods or computers and focuses on the news, movies, TV shows, music, E-books, Google, YouTube, Pinterest, and the list goes on.

But no one looks around the room to see their family members doing the same thing—endlessly tied to media and not paying any attention to each other.

What would it take to put aside the devices and the media for a single night just to play a board game with your brothers or sisters, or have a meaningful conversation with your parents? When was the last time you ate a meal together as a family instead of in the living room in front of Doctor Who or that 800-page novel you’re reading?

Quality time spent together helps a family grow. Doing meaningful activities as a family, whether playing a board game or going to the zoo on a Saturday afternoon, knits a family closer together.

So next time you’re at home with your family, go to the closet and locate Clue or Life, or go online and figure out how much it would cost for your family to go to the zoo or an aquarium for the day. The more time you spend together, the more memories you’ll make that you can look back on and smile.

Save the movies and other media for the rainy days. Go do something with your family.

Friend or Foe?

I went to a friend’s sixteenth birthday party in high school; we had a great time playing games and eating pizza, his parents were great hosts and everyone from the school and church was invited. It was a great fun-filled evening.

Following the food and games one senior pulled out a couple of movies and held them up. “Here are the options,” she said. She held up the one (I honestly can’t recall what it was); there was a mediocre response. Tossing that case away, she held up the other option but covered the picture up with her hand and called out, “Or, The Grudge.” The response from the group of teens was almost unanimous.

Almost unanimous.