Sexting, Drugs, and Risky Behavior -- Teen TV Is Back
Sexy nighttime soaps are a staple of guilty-pleasure TV. But the current fall lineup -- which includes Gossip Girl, 90210, Melrose Place, The Vampire Diaries, and The Beautiful Life -- seems a little edgier than ever before. With their portrayals of over-the-top behavior, these shows provide guilty pleasure entertainment for older-but-wiser parents. But they're intended to attract a large teen audience, whose relationship to some of the issues the shows deal with hits a lot closer to home. Topics like losing your virginity, eating disorders, and trying pot are tame compared to what this season is packing: Sexting, a hit and run, murder, the model industry's dirty (and racy) little secrets, hooking up in college, and an undercurrent of vampire lust ... all set to a soundtrack of the latest songs and outfitted in top-of-the-line clothes.
So how do you manage it?
Watch first. If you can preview the show first, that will give you an idea of what to expect -- and what you can talk to your teen about.
Don't let younger kids watch these types of shows. The subjects they cover -- consequence-free underage drinking, smoking, drug use, and non-consensual sex -- aren't appropriate for kids middle school age and younger.
Watch with your older kids. Use these shows as an opportunity to insert your own values about some of the topics they cover. Sensitive subjects like sex, drugs, and alcohol are often easier to discuss in the context of fictional characters.
Enjoy. Treat the shows as the shallow entertainment they are -- and feel free to laugh along with your teen at the ridiculous shenanigans on the screen.
Have a reality check. Remind your teen that no one actually lives like the characters on these shows and that the storylines are designed for maximum entertainment value to increase viewership.
im 18 and i watch all of these shows... i really dont think its inappropriate for teens to watch these shows because it shows them what life in the real word is all about... i think that they are old enough to make responsible decisions... i have been living with my husband since i was 17 and i have learned to be responsible... and tv had nothing to do with any of the choices i made... so just let them cuz either way they are gonna watch what they want.. and parents not letting them is just a reason for them to be rebellious...
im 18 and i watch all of these shows... i really dont think its inappropriate for teens to watch these shows because it shows them what life in the real word is all about... i think that they are old enough to make responsible decisions... i have been living with my husband since i was 17 and i have learned to be responsible... and tv had nothing to do with any of the choices i made... so just let them cuz either way they are gonna watch what they want.. and parents not letting them is just a reason for them to be rebellious...
I am a teen and watch gossip girl and 90210 and I think that they are great!!! they make you think and the actions that certain people make on the shows you how actions you make can have an impact on your life forever.All my friends watch these shows too. i think it is fun to sit with them and disscuss topics that came up in the show.. we always have great convos and learn form them :)
Some teens who have been banned from watching these shows at home have figured out how to download (illegal) copies to their portable MP3 video players, iTouch, and phones and watch them! I know of one middle school girl who watched Gossip Girl this way... Also, be sure to set your rules about what they can watch when at their friends house. What do they say if their friend turns on these television programs? Discuss this ahead of time.
I don't let my daughters watch these shows at our house, but amazingly they see things elsewhere, and everyone talks about the shows at school. It seems to me that kids who are exposed to these kinds of topics come to find them more normal, making it more likely for them to engage in these behaviors. Why risk it, especially when, with a little effort you can find another activity or movie that is a lot more appropriate. Kids of tween and teen age are perfectly capable of finding a different activity themselves. Besides, when kids are tweens they haven't been exposed to the activities that are portrayed, so they're more likely to see the glamorous side of things than the reality of STDs, car accidents, and consequences that come from risky behavior. These impressions are lasting. We've been watching 7th Heaven and these are shows I can recommend. They deal with tough topics and they actually DEAL with them. There are consequences, there are risks considered, and there is -- wow! -- parental involvement. Good stuff and my 12 and 14-year-olds LOVE it! Actually, the whole family loves it and it creates great conversation.
We are the producers of one of these upcoming shows, Popzilla http://www.popzilla.tv that is going to be airing on MTV starting 9/28. It's definitely not for the younger kids in a household. Not much we as a producer have control over with respect to the timeslot a network chooses to air the programming and ultimately the control is in the hands of the guardians to determine what's appropriate for their children to engage with.