Letter Assignment

November 27, 2012

To whom it may concern,

I am writing on behalf of my concerns with your show Toddlers and Tiaras.

My name is Mikayla Ellison and I am a senior at Brigham Young University majoring in Family Life with a Human Development emphasis. As a part of the Family Life curriculum, I have been required to take multiple classes that have made me a more knowledgeable media consumer. As I have become more educated about the effects of media on the development of people, specifically children, I feel the need to take a stand and express my concerns with your show Toddlers and Tiaras.

I grew up watching TLC very frequently with my mother. We loved TLC. We particularly enjoyed watching your shows What Not to Wear, A Baby Story, and Little People, Big World. When I first viewed an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras, I feared greatly for the young children and their parents watching this show. I have been so repulsed by the poor values and behavior on this program that I have stopped watching the TLC network all together. I can’t imagine I am the only one who feels this way.

If the extreme tantrums, bratty bossiness, and money obsessed attitudes (of both the children and the moms) didn’t disgust me enough, the hair extensions, teased hairstyles, fake teeth, screaming mothers, and scandalous outfits did it for me. The few episodes I have seen of your show have featured 3 and 4 years olds dressed as Dolly Parton, Madonna, and Julia Roberts as the prostitute in Pretty Woman, all of which have included large, fake breasts as part of the costumes. What is this teaching the young girls in today’s society? Why is this behavior necessary to receive high ratings at these pageants? It can’t be denied that the pageant industry is sexualizing young girls and teaching them that it is necessary to have large breasts, a fake tan, and revealing clothing in order to succeed. It is teaching young girls that the only value they hold is their outer beauty.

I also have an issue with your network promoting good parenting with your TLC Parentables website while also airing shows that promote the terrible parenting practices shown on Toddlers and Tiaras. Your TLC Parentables website has articles such as, “How to Start Gratitude Practice” “5 Effortless and Economical Ways to Make a Difference During the Holidays” “5 Ways to Increase Your Happiness” “5 Ways to Inspire Your Kids to Write” “Goldie Box Aims to Spark Young Girls’ Interest in Engineering”, yet your show Toddlers and Tiaras promotes very opposite themes such as self-centered, materialistic attitudes. This is a double standard which makes me question the integrity and honesty of your network.

I understand that shows with more dramatic or shocking content may be more successful than shows without those factors. However, I am pleading that your network takes part in not perpetuating these stereotypes and poor values by discontinuing the show. Our country has enough problems with young girls struggling with body image and self-confidence.

I respect the many uplifting, inspiring shows that TLC produces. They have had a positive influence on me and I’m sure the case is the same with many others. Even if Toddlers and Tiaras continues to air, I would hope that these concerns would be taken into consideration when evaluating future decisions. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Mikayla Ellison

Facebook Fast Report

What started as a one week fast turned into a two week fast because I was so loving not being attached to Facebook! I thought for sure by the time a week rolled around I would be dying to log on and see how many notifications I had missed, but this was not the case. Even just a week without Facebook made the biggest difference! I had much more free time and was more productive with the free time I had. It was wonderful! So once a week had passed, I just was not ready to stop my fast. (Especially because the content analysis was due within the next few days-I needed the extra productive time :) ) 

The extra free time was nice, but what I loved the most is that my thoughts weren't directed towards other people's lives all the time. I got to escape the Facebook world and just focus on my life and my relationships which was so nice and so needed.

Even though I am not on an official fast any more, I plan on continuing to regulate my time on Facebook from here on out. I want to maintain the balance between my relationships on Facebook and my relationships around me everyday. 

Seriously?!

Seriously people?!  Why do you even come to class if you just sit on Facebook the entire time?

I wonder if professors realize what is actually happening on the other sides of all the laptop screens they see in class. 

(I did not take this picture. I found it on google and thought it illustrated my point.)

I can see 8 people right now (just from my chair-I'm sure there are more behind me) using some sort of media not pertaining to the Dr. Caroll’s SFL 223 class. 

Dr. Caroll's class has been my favorite class I’ve taken so far at BYU. I learned so many life-changing concepts in that class that not only apply to my future marriage, but to any relationship such as good communication, conflict resolution, etc. I actually took it last winter but thought it was such a good class that I am auditing it again this semester, just so I can be uplifted by his lectures again. Because I love this class so much, it SERIOUSLY kills me when I see sooo many people on their phones playing games, looking for Vegas concert tickets, checking Facebook, or my most/least favorite thing I saw today, a group of girls pinning Wedding ideas on Pinterest.  You are missing vital information that could change the course of your marriage because you are picking out what types of center pieces you want at your wedding! They don’t realize what they’re missing. It seriously kills me. Technology is great but it is sad how much of a distraction it can be, especially during class time.

With all of this being said, I would be lying if I said I have never done this before, especially in my other less enjoyable classes. I want to be better at not getting distracted by other media during class time.

Music, dance, & theater performances: Types of media?

This weekend I saw 3 different shows, the Folk Music Ensemble, Ballet Showcase, and Vocal Point in concert. They were all fabulous! It was a great weekend. I was reflecting on how we often only associate media with technology. Although that is primarily the medium used, I think all of these shows are also media. They are conveying a message through a medium! I think it is a very good, uplifting type of media, most of the time. Music and dance performances can convey just as strong of messages as a TV show, movie, or music.

Facebook Fast Cont.

I'm really enjoying my Facebook fast. I love having the extra free time. I can't say I'm necessarily doing the most productive things with my newly acquired free time. Baby steps, right? I'm loving it so much though that I decided to give up Instagram and Pinterest as well. I have a very large paper due on Tuesday so I told myself that I would wait to turn those forms of media back on until Tuesday night. But I think I might actually go a little longer without those distractions. It's just so nice to not feel like I'm wasting my life away on social media!!

Cell Phones

How young is too young to have a cell phone?

I have been trying to think about how I will handle the use of cell phones with my kids. With all of this talk in class about cyber bullying, texting additions, and sexting, I can’t help but to think that not letting my kids have a cell phone would just eliminate these problems. Although that could be true, I don’t want to shelter my children completely. I want them to have one so they learn how to use it properly and how to differentiate between good and bad communication. It may be silly, but I also don't want them to be out of the loop of communication and not be invited to parties or get togethers because they don’t have a cell phone! That's a lesser priority though, of course. I just want to make sure they develop good communication skills BEFORE they get a cell phone and risk becoming dependent on a phone. With all of this being said, I still have no idea what age I want my kids to get a phone. Hm.....

Facebook Fast

I spent my walk home today pondering about our lecture on social media, specifically about the negative effects Facebook might have on my life. I spend soooo much unnecessary time on Facebook. It’s not a conscious decision, I just somehow waste time on that thing like no one’s business. I just have it automatically pulled up at work, or pulled up on my phone, or pulled up on my laptop so it’s easily refreshable when I get a free minute to check up on what’s going on in my “friends” lives. Am I totally pathetic? I have noticed that I have spent significantly more time on Facebook since I bought an iPhone. It’s just too easily accessible. I don’t like that I spend so much time on Facebook, yet I'm lucky if I get 15 minutes of scripture study in a day. This is not okay with me. 

I was particularly impressed by the three girls in our class who explained why they decided not to be involved in social media. I had the thought that maybe I should try going without social media for a while and see what positive effects it may have. So I am going to try a little experiment on myself J I'm going to go a whole week (uber pathetic, I know) without Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. I had my boyfriend change my password of all three sites so that I wouldn’t even be tempted to log on. I think it will be really nice. I predict that I will have more free time and feel happier in general. I will update my blog in a week from now with my findings.