Parents For Life

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Parents For Life

• Saint Cecilia LIFE TEEN

September 18th, 2005 Self-Image and the Media
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Self-Image for Males

• Associate their image of themselves by
  accomplishment
  
• This can be translated into many areas
• Academic
• Encounters with girls
• Sports
• Eventually accomplishments in the work-place
• Their pressures come in different forms than
  females.
  
• Men tend to define their roles through
  self-fulfilling prophesy.

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Self-Image for Females

• Associate their self-image with others
  perceptions
  
• Girls are in the business of comparison
• One 15 year old girl said, everybody feels like
  they are not good enough, not pretty enough, not
  skinny enough every time you open a magazine you
  always see beautiful people you have to look
  good to be a good person

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Self-Image for Females

• In one study, adolescent girls described the
  perfect girl as being 57, 100 lbs and a size 5
  with long blonde hair and blue eyes.
  
• 9 out of 10 girls hated their body
• 19 had an eating disorder
• 90 said they thought their mother had an
  insecure body-image
  

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The Churchs Teaching on Self-Image

• CCC 364 the human body shares in the dignity of
  the Image of God the whole person is intended
  to become, in the body of Christ, a temple of the
  Holy Spirit.
• Gen 127- We are created in the Image and
  likeness of God
  

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The Churchs Teaching on Self-Image

• While poor self-image is common for young men and
  women, it is in no way natural

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Where does all of this come from?

• Media influences us more than we would like to
  admit.

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The Media- The Good and the Bad

• The Media is in business because it knows that it
  is effecting people and their lives.
  
• This is why advertising and marketing is
  effective
  
• Media can definitely be used in a positive way
• we see this in our work, entertainment and most
  importantly in our ability to gather information.
  
  
• The Media also has negative uses
• the media is effective in twisting our
  perceptions to believe something that is taking
  place is real.
  
• Example a movie or a play, a book or a magazine.
  These things make us believe that something is
  happening that isnt really happening, it excites
  our emotions and creates a reaction.
• When used in a negative way, it is clear to see
  how this would be harmful
  

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Culture as Expressed Through the Media

• We are socialized in conjunction with the norms
  of our culture.
  
• External Beauty proves then to be relative.

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• We spend a lot of time trying to conform to these
  ever-changing ideals
  
• 70 of girls and 40 of boys say they want to
  look like a character on TV
  
• ½ the girls said they had already changed
  something about themselves to do so.
  

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Does This Really Make a Difference?

• The Media functions as a Super-Peer as far as
  pressure.
  
• It is even better at making it seem that everyone
  is doing certain things.
  
• Falsely proclaims itself to be a representative
  of public opinion
  
• Who are these people who are educating your teen
  about these things?
  
• Over half have no religion.
• Over 85 seldom or never attend worship
  services.
  
• Nine out of ten support abortion.
• Three out of four think that homosexuality is
  ok.
  
• Only 14 strongly agree that adultery is wrong.

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What do the Teens say?

• Many teens say they rely on magazines as an
  important source of info about sex, birth control
  and health
  
• 1 in 5 teens say they learned the most about sex
  from the media
  
• When surveyed about their most influential
  sources of info for teens in making decisions,
  the internet ranked higher than fathers.

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Television

• ¼ of all verbal interactions in prime-time series
  watched by teens has sexual content
  
• Shows meant for teens have a casting of 94 of
  people who are under-weight
  
• If teens put this much stock in the media for
  learning such things, its no wonder that a child
  that has a TV in their room is 3 to 6 time more
  likely to be sexually active.

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Television

• TV effects not only the way that girls view
  themselves, but the way that males view women.

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The Internet

• 44 of teens have reported to have seen something
  x-rated online
  
• This is becoming easier and more common
• Addiction is becoming a prominent problem

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Magazines

• By age 15, over 90 of males have seen Playboy
  AND an x-rated film.
  
• Girls admit that they love and hate these
  magazines

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Music

• The average teen listens to 40 hours of music a
  week!
  
• Many say they like the beat, not the lyrics

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Violence

• The Average Teen sees 1,000 rapes, murders and
  aggravated assaults per year on TV alone
  
• 40 were by good characters and 71 contained
  no remorse, criticism or penalty
  
• 40 of these contained humor

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What Does This Mean to you as Parents?

• Is Media that big of a deal?
• Media seems to have become a main social agent.
• What can you do?
• Monitor media consumption
• Do you know what sites your child goes to online?
  Do you know how late he or she stays up online?
  
• Do you know what their magazines say?
• Do you know what material they have access to at
  their friends house?

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What Does This Mean to you as Parents?

• Participate in your teens media consumption
• Watch these shows with your child and calmly and
  clearly discuss the truth. Use these things as a
  launching pad
  
• Limit availability of harmful media
• Keep your computer in a central family gathering
  area to minimize the opportunity to partake in
  questionable media.
  
• Learn how to check the history on your computer
  and block questionable sites
  
• Limit access to private television viewing
• FREQUENT THE SACRAMENTS!!!

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What Does This Mean to you as Parents?

• Remember to affirm your child, especially when
  they arent expecting it
  
• Take some time for quality time with your child.
  Think how surprised and honored your teen would
  be if their dad or mom wants to have a personal
  breakfast date etc.
• Watch for signs that your childs self-esteem is
  in danger. Take steps that you feel are
  necessary to help them know their worth

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What is your Teen Searching For?

• TRUTH

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Small Group Questions

• What are you going to do as a parent to help your
  child in their battle with media influences?
  
• What are some ways that your childs particular
  personality requires specific types of
  affirmation and affection to aid their
  self-image?
• What are some ways that you were awakened to your
  childs struggles and needs through the
  presentation tonight?

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Next Meeting

• October 16th
• Discussion on the Churchs Teaching on
• Just War
• and
• Technology and Medical Advances

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This Weeks Challenge

• Create 2 opportunities to discuss your teens
  personal battles with Self-Image and Media.

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Parents For Life Prayer

• Lord grant me the serenity to accept the
  things I can not change, the courage to change
  the things I can, and the wisdom to know the
  difference. Father we surrender our teens to you
  this night. We ask that you will inspire us in
  our relationship and give us the love of the
  Father to share with them. Be active in their
  participation in our family and in their
  community. Let us use the image of the Holy
  Family as our example to walk together toward you
  always. We ask these things through the
  intercession of your mother and ours.
• 3 Hail Marys and a Glory Be
• Saint Cecilia Pray For Us
• Saints Mary and Joseph Pray For Us
• John Paul II Pray For Us
• All Gods Angels and Saints Pray For Us
• Amen