How Much Time Should Kids Spend in Front of An Electronic Device?

How much time should kids spend in front of an electronic device?

Pediatric therapist Cris Rowan wrote an excellent piece last year called “10 Reasons Why Handheld Devices Should Be Banned for Children Under the Age of 12.” Referring to research finding by the American Academy of Pediatrics, he claims that a little use of an electronic hand-held gadget (cell phones, tablets, electronic games) is bad for children's social, physical, and psychological growth.

Even Pope Francis expressed his own concerns on this topic, urging young people recently to not waste time on the Internet, smartphones and television, but to spend their time on more productive activities. He said, "Maybe many young people waste too many hours on futile things... Our life is made up of time, and time is a gift from God, so it is important that it be used in good and fruitful actions... chatting on the Internet or with smartphones, watching TV soap operas, and (using) the products of technological progress, which should simplify and improve the quality of life, but distract attention away from what is really important."

The 77-year-old pope has described the Internet as a "gift from God" but also cautioned that the fast and digital world of social media need to be used with discernment and reflection so the young generation will be "a network not of wires but of people."

Filipino Christian Blogger: Raving About Duck Dynasty

Filipino Christian blogger asks: Does the success of Duck Dynasty prove that Americans understand and value strong, faithful families?

I rave about Duck Dynasty (on A&E Network) because it is one of the few shows on TV that is safe for my entire family to watch. My 8 years old daughter enjoys Uncle Si and she loves seeing the Robertson granddaughter, Sadie on TV. My 3 year old son also now wants a duck caller.
 
This article from Rob Sumrall said it all on why we love Duck Dynasty and why it makes my family's Wednesday night, "Happy! Happy! Happy!"

Which TV Dad Are You?

Last Father’s Day, Focus on the Family asked “who is your favorite TV dad?” The following choices were given:



  - Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon, Little House on the Prairie)
 
 - Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby, The Cosby Show)
  - Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont, Leave it to Beaver)
 - Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith, The Andy Griffith Show)
  - Mike Brady (Robert Reed, The Brady Bunch)
 - Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosley, Happy Days)
 - Steve Douglas (Fred MacMurray, My Three Sons)

  - Uncle Bill Davis (Brian Keith, Family Affair)

  - Ben Cartwright (Lorne Green, Bonanza)

  - Mike Seaver (Alan Thicke, Growing Pains)

  - John Walton (Ralph Waites, The Waltons)

  - Steven Keaton (Michael Gross, Family Ties)



What kind of adults are we raising?

Exhibit A:
Raymart Santiago, Claudine Barretto and friends vs. Ramon "Mon" Tulfo brawl at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Philippines.



Exhibit B:
Tulfo brothers, Erwin, Ben and Raffy airs grave threats on live TV.



(UPDATE, 5/9/2012) Erwin Tulfo issued an apology for threatening remarks on Raymart Santiago and TV5 suspended the Tulfo brothers Erwin, Raffy and Ben, for the threats they made on national television. As for Raymart, Claudine Barretto and Mon Tulfo, a legal brawl is now headed to court.

Filipino Christian Blog: "Face to Face" With Pinoy Reality TV

I don't need to watch TV5's Face to Face everyday to find out what it's all about. It is obviously the Filipino version of The Jerry Springer Show. Amy Perez is the host or referee of the popular daily talk show also referred to as the only "talakserye" on Philippine television. As expected, everything that made The Jerry Springer Show a US hit is also on its Pinoy counterpart: guests vents their ire on each other, punching, hair-pulling and throwing bleeped invectives, slippers and sometime chairs at each other- a "palengkerafest" (minus Annabelle Rama) or a Barangay hall on TV (see embedded video below- WARNING: there is foul language in the video).

You Call This Entertainment and Hope? Humiliation of 6 Year-Old Boy on Willie Revillame's Willing Willie

My jaws dropped on the floor when I saw this video and article about the child abuse that took place on Willie Revillame's "Willing Willie". I was appalled not only because of the boy's humiliation but from the cheers and applause of Willie and his audience. It just show how desensitize many are on poor taste, sexuality and the false hope of prosperity on TV. If this is what many Filipinos find entertaining, then many should take a deep breath and a good look at the mirror.

Willie Revillame Hope for Poor Filipinos?

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. Psalm 34:19

The image that TV shows like Willie Revilliame’s Willing Willie (ABC TV5) and formerly Wowowee (ABS-CBN) like to portray is that they rescue people from poverty. An industry that is bent on making money through TV ratings tries to add a facade of respectability by saying it stands for helping the poor. However, the reality about these shows is that it indirectly creates a culture of dependency in the Philippines.

"Darna" Soars High

I saw an episode of GMA 7's top show Darna online the other day, and would like to share my initial thoughts on the series. First, technology in TV special effects has improved. Flying mid-air is a bit more realistic in this TV age than those during my time. There's still lots of room for technical improvement but its good to find less of the blue-screen background, smoke machine, and giant electric fan from the old days.

Second, the women in the show are gorgeous. Thought no one can beat Nanneth Medved in the early 90's for Darna-hotness, until Anjanette Abayari came along in the late 90's, and now, Spanish-mestiza, Marian Rivera has the title. Even the villains on the show no matter how de-glamourized they were with prostetic make-up still look beautiful for my eyes. Supports my earlier claim that Filipinas are one of the the prettiest women in the world.

Lastly, the show has an underlying theme of good winning over evil, kindness versus revenge and self-sacrifice to help others which for me soars high superpowers points for teaching positive moral values to many young Filipinos- like one writer said, its a good reminder that sometimes tales of the fantastic are better able to address the big themes of our lives in ways that more “realistic” fiction cannot.

The show is on primetime and for parental guidance.

Kapuso, Kapamilya, KaBlog

Blog posts that caught my attention this week:

Probe of LPG ‘Shortage’ Should Start with ‘Big Four’ Firms
A supposed shortage in the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), one of the prime commodities in the Philippines, has sent some quarters pushing for an investigation into the issue. The question, however, is the context within which the probe is to be carried out...

Top Ten Filipino Films, According to The Movement
One of the best and informative Filipino news sources online, Bulatlat.com , asked a cross-section of aktibistas in the Philippines what their top ten local films were. The poll was conducted in 2002 among 37 organizers representing people’s organizations and NGOs. Most of the films mentioned match up with many critics top lists, such as Lino Brocka , Ishmael Bernal and Mike De Leon’s martial-law era social critiques (Maynila - pictured above, Himala , Sister Stella L ). But it’s interesting, but not surprising, to note how high Orapronobis (Brocka, 1988) - Brocka’s most overtly political film (and which has been banned from screening in the Philippines) - is ranked.

26 Percent Growth of Outsourcing in The Philippines
Sound like good news but I still keep my fingers crossed. This was about the announcement or declaration made by the head of the country’s Business Processing Association, Oscar Sanez. He declared that there was a 26 percent growth compared to 2007 and the companies in this country earned 6.06 Billion dollars in 2008. Also, officials and industry leaders anticipates the continuous growth due to the global financial crisis because foreign companies are seeking ways to cut expenses by hiring cheaper labor like in the Philippines.

Bb. Pilipinas 2009 Notables
Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Incorporated (BPCI), a non-stock, non-profit organization founded by its chair, Stella Márquez de Araneta, and the organizer of the Philippines most prestigious beauty pageant and the Philippine franchisee of the three most prestigious beauty title in the whole universe, namely, the Miss Universe Pageant, Miss World and Miss International, has concluded its grueling search for who will make it to their initial screenings.

Gambling Filipino

Umabot pala ng more than $100 million ang jackpot sa lotto recently. Sigurado akong humaba na naman yung pila sa mga lotto stations sa Pilipinas.

Whether you agree with me ot not, lottery is a form of gambling at napakalaki ng impluwensya ng sugal sa buhay ng mga Pilipino. Linggo-lingo makikita mo ang dami ng taong bumibili ng lotto tickets. Bukod dito meron ding organized gambling activities (illegal or legal) na popular sa mga Pinoy tulad ng jueteng, casino, sabong, karera, at iba pa. Siguro nga dahil sa kahirapan ng buhay kaya malakas ang sugal at tumataya na lang ang ilang Pilipino sa suwerte. Ang mga TV gameshows tulad ng Wowowee at Eat Bulaga ay sugal din. Milyong-milyong piso ang pinamimigay araw-araw at kapansin pansin na tinatarget nila ang mga mahihirap. Maganda ang kanilang intensyon, but good intensions doesn't always mean a good idea.

Ano bang ang Christian perspective sa gambling o sa Wowowee? I hope hindi ito lumabas na legalistic or parang nanghuhusga pero bilang mamamayan, dapat di tayo pabor sa gambling dahil sa problema na dulot nito sa bayan tulad ng corruption, poverty, broken family at krimen.

Oppose din tayo dahil it promotes poor work ethics. Mas maraming tao ang mas gustong tumaya o sumali sa gameshows kaysa sa magtrabaho, mag-aral o mag-ipon. Naghahangad ng instant gratification na hindi naman realistic o healthy lalo na sa mga mahihirap.

Kailangan mas maging demanding tayo sa ating mga lawmakers to make tighter limits on gambling and be tougher to those who promote and abuse illegal gambling.

More importantly, we should also oppose gambling because it encourages people to substitute faith in God’s provision with the illusion that trusting in luck is the surest route to wealth and happiness.

(image from The Philippine Star)

Love Life & Twilight

(Filipino Christian Blogger) I came across an online community of Filipino enthusiast of Stephenie Meyer's book Twilight. The site shows that many Filipino girls (and boys) are captivated by the book. In fact there were rumors that a local adaptation will be produced by ABS-CBN. Avid Pinoy fans of the book negatively responded to project and ABS-CBN later denied such version.

Filipinos are culturally romantics and are quick adaptors of American popular entertainment that's why the growing Filipino followers of the human-vampire love story is not surprising. The book has a pro-abstinence storyline which is a positive message to Filipino teens. However, through a Christian perspective, the book and now a movie has a deeper message the Filipino audience should also ponder if they think Twilight is the ideal image of romance or what Pinoys refer to as "love life."

Here's an interesting commentary on Twilight which is worth thinking and are good talking points when discussing the film to friends and families:

If we had found a book or a movie that really offered a healthy, chaste, chivalrous vision of romance that was attracting teenagers by the millions, well, that would indeed be cause for rejoicing. And I’d be as eager as anyone to climb on the bandwagon and help promote them. But unfortunately, I can’t do that this time. Because underneath the surface, there are some truly disturbing themes and ideas in Twilight. Chief among these is that old, dangerous idea that a “bad boy” can easily be won and tamed by a “good girl”—an idea that has brought heartache to untold millions of good girls. As a Christian, I obviously believe that redemption and change is possible for sinners. But I also know that human beings alone cannot change each other. So when you’re talking to your daughter about Twilight, here are a few points you might touch on. It is not romantic, or safe, when a boy spies on you, follows you, and sneaks into your room without your knowledge (and especially without your parents’ knowledge). It is not romantic, or safe, when someone tells you he’s dangerous and he’s killed people, to give answers like, “It doesn’t matter,” and, “I’m not afraid..." It is not romantic, or safe, to try to see how close you and your boyfriend can get to the edge of danger without going over. And it is not romantic, or safe, to offer yourself up for a boy to do whatever he wants to you—symbolized in the movie by the young heroine asking the vampire to bite her so she can become like him. (Colson, BreakPoint.org, 11/26/08)
(image @ twilightthemovie.com)