tv shows causing bratty behavior

[momma2beaugirls]

For those parents who have dds who watch disney tween shows and other shows where the characters have snotty bratty attitudes, have you seen your own dds copying the behavior in real life?

Edited by momma2beaugirls - 7/26/12 at 12:45pm

[lauren]

I haven't , but I limited my children to some extent. For example, the Rugrats were off limits (don't know if that show is even still on). There were times that I began to restrict a show if I thought it became a negative influence on one of them.
 

[leafylady]

No, my kids rarely copy the bratty behavior. They know that if they copy inappropriate behavior from tv, books, or other games, they will have the corresponding privilege taken away, especially tv, games or computer. (Ok, I don't take away books, but they rarely copy the negative behavior from books.) It works with my kids. We also spend time talking about what's appropriate for us and what's not, even if it's ok in other families or on tv.

[meemee]

i think by the time a child is say 5 bratty behaviour begins. does tv affect it? maybe a little (am guessing here for those who watch a lot of it). does that mean those who dont watch those shows are not bratty.

nope.

bratty is the normal - usually at home though. not so much outside. no tv, no media does not assure a 'not bratty' child. 

brattiness at that age has a lot to do with hormonal changes - the first signs of puberty. between 5 and 7. 

once they get over the bratty phase - you still feel they are bratty because they have suddenly matured and call you out on all your illogical statements. 

[leafylady]

good point meemee. Honestly I see kids with behavior all over the spectrum, from horrible to fantastic, all who watch tv. I assume it's the parenting (unless other physical/behavioral disorders are involved.) From what I've seen, parents who are involved in their kids lives, with what they watch on tv, the video games they play, the computer sites they visit- have the most well balanced and responsive kids. Yes those kids have to learn appropriate behavior just like the rest, but they've got a head start because their parents are involved in what they do- screen time or otherwise.

[4evermom]

How old are your girls? In my experience, many kids start getting sassier as they approach 4 with the attitude peaking at age 6, regardless of tv. Tv may influence how exactly they express that attitude by giving them phrases or gestures to mimic but I don't think it is the actual root of it. My ds is a serious quoter. He has an awesome vocabulary. When he was younger, I tried to avoid his watching shows where the characters talked in ways I found annoying. It might have kept ds from using those phrases and words but it didn't make him an easy child without an "attitude."

[gcgirl]

Originally Posted by 4evermom 

How old are your girls? In my experience, many kids start getting sassier as they approach 4 with the attitude peaking at age 6, regardless of tv. Tv may influence how exactly they express that attitude by giving them phrases or gestures to mimic but I don't think it is the actual root of it. My ds is a serious quoter. He has an awesome vocabulary. When he was younger, I tried to avoid his watching shows where the characters talked in ways I found annoying. It might have kept ds from using those phrases and words but it didn't make him an easy child without an "attitude."

ITA. DS1 has several friends who don't watch TV at all (Waldorfers), or only very little, carefully chosen for content. Most of these kids got "brattier" as they approached 3, 4 and up. A couple of them are holy terrors with their parents sometimes. It's just part of their natural development to experiment with communication and personality.

My kids don't seem to behave any differently when I let them watch TV vs. when I don't. And they are often "better-behaved" than some of their non-TV friends. I suspect if I let them watch more, or certain inappropriate shows, that could change. As with so many things, the quantity and quality of TV watching may have an effect, and, as always, to some extent it depends on the kids and the family dynamic.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by momma2beaugirls 

For those parents who have dds who watch disney tween shows and other shows where the characters have snotty bratty attitudes, have you seen your own dds copying the behavior in real life?

 Yes.

Thus the reason they are no longer watching them. Also, they watched DVDs of the earliest brady bunch episodes and their behavior was terrible then as well.

On the shows, the actors mouth off, have bratty attitudes, and just say some nasty stuff. And after all of this, there is canned laughter which enforces its ok and rewarding.

[rightkindofme]

My kid is only four and I severely limit what she can watch. I look shows up on Wikipedia and tell her they are too old for her. For some reason she accepts wikipedias authority.

[WindyCityMom]

My four year old certainly does pick up witty/bratty behavior from a lot of the things her grandma lets her watch (we are TV free, but I need to work, and we can't agree on anything with my MIL... TV is used sparingly in the summer though, I think).  Anyways, though I do notice a behavior change from TV shows and movies, I notice it more when she's around her older and same age bratty cousins who have a complete disrespect for everything.  She's a little like a chameleon- even her speech pattern changes.

[tiqa]

My kids are four and five.

I'm not sure what you guys mean by "bratty".  I think that word would be good to define.

I don't let them watch shows that I consider innappropriate.  For the longest time, they were only allowed Little Bear, Fifi and the Flowertots, older Care Bears, Caillou, Kipper, movies like Mary Poppins, etc.  Lately DH has been showing DS some super hero cartoons from the 60's and so forth, and I'm a bit iffy on them, but allow them.  If we are in a hotel and they see a show that is targeted for tweens, I don't let them watch but distract them with another activity instead.  I'm sure they'll pick up tween expectations later on - I don't need them picking this sort of thing up when they're clearly NOT tweens yet.  I'm always shocked at the conversations of how little girls are "dressing sexy" and "going crazy for Justin Bieber" or whoever the teen heartthrob is at the time.  Why rush things?  They used to be TEEN heart throbs for a reason.  A four year old going crazy for J.B. (or even knowing who he IS) or a 6 year old begging for a "sexy" outfit or whatever... those things shock me, honestly.  We're at the point of working UP to Barbies - when I know there are some kids who feel they're "too old" for that sort of thing when they're around 5 or so now.

Maybe this all is a bit of a tangent, but those are my reasons for not having tween or teen entertainment in our house yet, nor including stuff meant for "older kids".  It makes sense to me that kids would model their behavior on what they see.  When I was seven or so and reading Babysitter's Club books I wanted desperately to be like the "cool" thirteen year olds.  It didn't really fly.

Of course 3, 4, 5, 6 year olds are going to have some experimenting with their personalities and aren't going to be perfect angels, but why would you want to show them potentially bad behavior that they can learn from - when there are equally good or better choices to entertain younger kids?  If you have kids of varying ages, that's different.  I don't have that experience, yet.  So I'm not sure what I would do in that case.

[eastkygal]

My DD1 will be 7 this weekend, and I have to say age six has been a trial, especially the second half.  Her attitude has really changed, but not her heart IYKWIM.  She has seen some of these shows at my family's houses or at friends' houses, but she isn't allowed to watch them here.  We don't have cable and only view things from Netflix or Hulu.  But, I have seen her behavior change when she has been allowed to watch shows that typically she isn't allowed to watch at home.  It usually takes her a few days to "come down" from a visit to the grandparents or a friend's house.  I do believe that the content of the shows have something to do with it.  At this point, I'm not worried about her seeing them every now and then, but I don't think they are truly appropriate for her age group.

[crayfishgirl]

We definitely notice our three year old is super whiny after watching Cailou, so that is generally off limits (I can't stand that show anyway).  Kipper, UmiZoomi, and the Wiggles are currently on the permitted list and shows that she asks for.  
 

[madis81]

It absolutely does in my 8-year-old! There are a couple of Disney shows that me and my DH actually enjoy and we would let her watch them with us. After a couple of weeks she developed an attitude and decided she knew better then we did. We stopped letting her watch the shows and a week or so later she was back to her sweet loving self.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by WindyCityMom 

 Anyways, though I do notice a behavior change from TV shows and movies, I notice it more when she's around her older and same age bratty cousins who have a complete disrespect for everything.  She's a little like a chameleon- even her speech pattern changes.

a definite YES to this!!!! dd and her friends do a lot of sleepovers at each others houses. i see dd pick up from her friends (speech patterns) and vice versa. 

while dd hasnt really taken on TV ones, she definitely has picked up ill manners when she is around the kids. peer pressure? when NOT around them she is back to her good behaviour. 

[mkksmom]

My dd doesn't show much interest in the tween Disney shows, but she likes some of the movies. I preview them and I do allow some. But I think her friends watch them and they do influence her. She hasn't had play dates as much and she is toning down her attitude some. Not as much as I'd like, but enough that I notice an improvement.

[seaheroine]

Originally Posted by crayfishgirl 

We definitely notice our three year old is super whiny after watching Cailou, so that is generally off limits (I can't stand that show anyway).  Kipper, UmiZoomi, and the Wiggles are currently on the permitted list and shows that she asks for.  
 

^^^ yeah that!  My kid started whining quite a bit after watching Caillou. A lot more.  We finally picked up on it, and thankfully, it lessened considerably after we deleted Caillou from the lineup. 

I'm pretty selective about what they watch.  Only DVR or DVDs, no commercials, no tween shows.  It's been pretty easy to control up to now...they really aren't aware of what's out there to watch.  We like nature shows, Little Bear, Little Einsteins, original Lassie, Max and Ruby.  Some of the shows have some "bratty" behavior -- siblings getting picked on in Jacob Two-Two, etc, but they don't seem to act too much of it out, and, well, coming from a big family, it makes me laugh.   

I'm more concerned about "sexy" tween behavior and little kids wanting to be teenagers.  We avoid that at all costs.
 

[Ravensong13]

I notice it WAY more from older 'friends' than from tv. DD is four and she is only allowed pbs and some videos. I've let her watch some of the Harry Potter movies and a few doctor who episodes, but I keep the shows aimed at teen or tween girls far away. I've noticed her attitude change a lot after her bio dad's girlfriend with two kids moved into their house. She wants to be just like the older girl and has started to do things she never did( throw things when mad, tell me I'm mean, become candy and treat obsessed). Not much I can do about it but continue to keep things consistent and help her through it. I wish it was an easy fix like shutting certain shows off.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by seaheroine 

I'm more concerned about "sexy" tween behavior and little kids wanting to be teenagers.  We avoid that at all costs.
 

dunno how you avoid that. dd picked that up from teh teens on the street rather than tween show. she wanted to show her tummy and wear makeup and argued with me why 5 year olds cant wear makeup. i agreed since she made a good point and we got her pink tinted lip gloss, v. light pink eyeshadow and in time that phase went away. 

i have never encouraged dd in any of the outside influences. neither have i discouraged it. because at that time its effects were minimal.

dd today has a v. healthy outlook towards life inspite of her exposure to everything around her. i think its because of our own family philosophy. not just our nuclear family but also extended family too.