What Are Our Chlidren Seeing At The Movies?

 There's an old joke that Jewish people have Chinese and go the movies on Christmas Day. At Yavneh, our middle schoolers will have a Yom Iyun and a chesed opportunity. But, since we do have only a half day of school, perhaps some families will opt to go to the movies. The search for family movies is not an easy one.

Many of our teens are not going to the movies with us anymore, but are being dropped off at the theater with their friends. The decision of when a child is old enough to go to the movies alone with friends depends on the child. But, assume your child is old enough- how can we ensure that they are watching movies that we deem appropriate? I have heard from numerous parents that they are setting strict guidelines as to what movies their children are allowed to watch, and yet their children might say, “I am the only one who isn't allowed to see that movie!” Often our children claim that we are the only “evil” parents who restrict them, and we find that claim to be untrue.

Why are we so firm about the movies our children are allowed to see? The pasuk in Bamidbar 15:39 states,  "לא תתורו אחרי לבבכם ואחרי עיניכם "Do not stray after your heart and after your eyes” . Rashi states that “The heart and the eyes are spies for the body. The eye sees, the heart desires and the body commits the sin.” That which we view with our eyes makes an indelible imprint on our life view.

Modern psychological research has substantiated the assertion of Rashi in Bamidbar 15:39. We all know of the plethora of research concerning the impact of watching violence on TV, movies or games on violent tendencies in children.

Most recently, in studies in both the United States and Europe, teens who have high exposure to scenes of alcohol drinking in movies are twice as likely to experiment with drinking and to binge drink. The same was found with smoking. Studies at the Dartmouth- Hitchcock Cotton Cancer Center in New Hampshire found that the more children were exposed to smoking in movies, the more likely they were to try smoking. If they got rid of the exposure in movies, the risk went down by 18%. Based on this study, there are those who are trying to get an “R” rating for movies with smoking.

Another intuitive area impacted by movie watching is the teen's attitude towards sexuality. A Dartmouth University study showed the kids who watched movies with more sexual content are more likely to have sex at younger ages and demonstrate increased risk taking when it comes to sexuality. In addition to promoting sexual behavior, it is also desensitizing our teens to the promiscuity and risque relationships that have become commonplace in today's society. When I run my “Adolescent Life” workshops with the middle schoolers we discuss with the 8^th graders, (in separate gendered settings), what is their view of what a relationship should be? We then highlight how much of what we perceive relationships to be is based on what we see on television and movies, and not at all realistic. What does the media tell us relationships should be like and how does that differ from Judaism's view? I worry that our young people are growing up with images of relationships that can only set them up for failure.

(Similar findings can be found with reality shows. The Girls Scouts Research Institute recently conducted a survey that girls who watched reality shows were more inclined to focus on their appearance. Such a focus puts undue pressure on girls who are already feeling insecure about how they look. Those who watched the shows also stated that “the shows are reflective of real life and that the antics, such as lying and being mean, are normal, acceptable and ultimately the best methods for excelling in life. Some alarming results: 73% of teens believed that the shows demonstrated that fighting is a normal part of a romantic relationship. 70% said the shows make people think it's okay to treat others badly. 78% said that gossiping between girls is normal. And 63% said it's hard to trust other girls).

What can we as parents do? Clearly, the movies our teens watch affect their social, emotional, and spiritual development. We cannot preview every movie before our children watch them. But, we can visit invaluable sites like: www.parentpreviews.com and www.commonsensemedia.org. These are just two websites that rate movies based on for what age is this movie appropriate? They discuss language, sexuality, violence, sex, positive role models, consumerism, drinking/drugs/smoking and positive messages. Such ratings are essential- especially for PG13 movies. With information in hand, we can make decisions for our children. We need to do the homework to oversee that our children are being exposed to media that “ teaches responsible, and ethical behavior.”

If all of us, as parents, are checking these websites before we allow our children to watch a particular movie, we will all be in this together. We are then not the evil ones when we see a concerning review on these websites and do not allow them to watch that movie. Let us help each other as parents and support each other.

Just to provide examples, there were two PG13 movies that a number of our teenagers were going to see and see their ratings on commonsensemedia.org. (I have to admit, that I have never seen these movies- so I am taking the concerned tone from parents who have shared their concerns about these movies with me). One movie “Pitch Perfect”- “Parents need to know that Pitch Perfect -- a winning musical comedy about a fiercely independent college student -- will give teens (and adults) plenty to like. Expect some strong language ("s--t," "b-i-t-c-h," "d--k," and one use of "f--k"), drug references, and underage drinking (though it's not heavily emphasized). There's also some kissing and lots of sexual innuendo and some sexual discussion, plus several jokes about a lesbian character's attraction to other women in the group. Although the young women portrayed here are, for the most part, strong and confident, sometimes a shaming word, "slut," is used to refer to them.”

Another- “Fun Size” Parents need to know that because Fun Size is from Nickelodeon Studios and features Victoriousstar Victoria Justice and her on-screen little brother, many parents and kids might assume that it's OK for young kids and tweens... The humor, innuendo, and violence -- however comedic they might be -- are inappropriate for Nickelodeon's TV audiences, though far less raunchy than R-rated comedies like Superbad and The Sitter. On the bright side, the movie does encourage teens to look beyond the superficial when it comes to romantic partners and to appreciate and look after your family and close friends. Expect some language ("s--t" and more), underage drinking, implied teen hook-ups, and some scuffles and threats.”

But, we do realize that we cannot always protect them. We need to talk to them about our values regarding sexuality, drinking and all of the above. If they have seen a movie with objectionable elements, we need to have a values talk after the movie. Let them think about what they have just seen and why it doesn't mesh with our values. We need to talk to them before going out with friends and set the guidelines, (i.e. we need to know where they are going, what they are doing, who they are going with- and even put it in writing, if need be). We need to have the names and phone numbers of all the parents of their friends. We also need to tell them that we have the right to pop by and check on them.

Rabbi Mordechai Willig, on the above words and Rashi in Bamidbar points out that in the pasuk, the Torah places the heart before the eyes, but Rashi reverses the order saying “ The eyes see and the heart desires.” Why? Rabbi Willig answers:

“Perhaps the heart does two things- one prior to seeing and a second, after. First, the heart strays. As a result, the eyes stray, as natural curiosity takes over. This is then consistent with the order in the pasuk, as "The eyes follow the heart" (Medrash Tehillim 14:1).

Much of the expanded range of vision presented by natural curiosity is benign. Nonetheless, inevitably one's lust is aroused by what the eye sees, and at that point, the heart desires. Occasionally, a person cannot control these desires, and the body sins, as Rashi explains.”

What Rabbi Willig points out is that the impact of what one sees might be changed by one's heart – one's attitude, values etc. As parents, we need to strengthen the hearts of our children daily with the values and ethics of our family and religion. If we raise children with strong “hearts” hopefully they will know themselves when there is something they should not be seeing. That is our goal- for them to know what is right when we are not with them to cover their eyes. As Common Sense Media says on their website, “We can't cover their eyes, but we can teach them to see.”

This Past Week- Lessons in Empathy

 As we celebrate the last day of Chanukah and create memories with our children, we experience mixed emotions as we hear more details of the terrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. As parents, there is nothing more terrifying. By now, you have received some information from the school about how to discuss this tragedy with your children. The most essential aspect is to validate their feelings, assure them that things like this rarely happen and describe what their school has done to keep them safe- as they all know the lock-down drills that we have been having in school. As parents and teachers we are doing all we can to keep them safe from danger.

When we discuss the holiday of Chanukah with teens, it is interesting to note that many of them have never considered the danger that children were in during the Chanukah story. We tend to focus on the victory of the Maccabees and the Chanukah oil, without focusing on the years of oppression that impacted on even the children. For example, the game of dreidel. This game developed when the Jews were forbidden to teach Torah, and moved Torah teaching to the caves. When the Greek soldiers would pass by, the children would quickly put away their Torah books and break out the dreidels. Most of our children know this story. How many of them have stopped to think how terrifying it must have been to be a child in those days?

Then there is the story of Chana and her seven sons. Again, a story that our children have been told since they were small. We focus upon how Chanukah, unlike Purim, was an effort to destroy our religion. The decrees of Purim were more physical and that of Chanukah were more spiritual. Perhaps only as parents could we stop and think about the horror of the thousands of children whose physical lives were in danger על קידוש ה.

When I speak with teenagers about the story of Chanukah, I highlight those aspects, encouraging them to imagine what it was like to be a teenager in those days. Aside from leading them to a better understanding of the miracle of Chanukah, it encourages them to develop their skill of empathy. This is the ability to “stand in the shoes” of another, rather than simply sympathizing with them from afar.

Empathy is needed for the development of all prosocial behaviors and has been associated with self-esteem, positive relationships and imaginative thinking- needed for creativity and humor. And, of course, low levels of empathy have been associated with aggressive behaviors, delinquency and poor social interactions. (There has already been a plethora of articles written about the lack of empathy in the perpetrator of the horror in Newtown). Empathy is therefore the mainstay of our 7^th Grade Advisory curriculum.

As our 7^th grade parents already know, this past week, our 7^th graders visited the Hackensack Homeless Shelter and had the opportunity to converse with the residents and deliver warmth packages of hats, gloves and scarves. This visit was the culmination of over a month of preparation in their Advisory classes in a unit called “Operation Respect.” In their classes they discussed what empathy is, and practiced the skills needed for empathy so that they could in fact put themselves in the shoes of another. More important than learning the skill of empathy is the ability to have empathy that motivates us to perform empathic behaviors.

During the week of Chanukah, when much focus is placed upon, “What will I be getting this week?” students were asked to focus on another person rather than on themselves. What does it feel like to be homeless? Could I imagine the pain they must be going through? Now that I feel their pain- what am I going to do differently? I will quote what I wrote to the 7^th grade parents last week:

 “The students have been preparing for this visit for the past month, and
yet they tentatively walked off the buses excited and feeling
simultaneously nervous.  Moments later, when the first "guest," (as
residents of the shelter are called), entered the room our students
sprung into action.  The students had split into groups of 2-3
students and each group approached one of the guests, handed him/her a
warmth package and began to converse.  We had discussed in their
training in Advisory some possible topics of conversation and the
students confidently asked guests, "What sports teams do you root
for?" "What's the last movie you've seen?" or "Where did you grow up?"

Before we left,  Mrs. Julia Orlando, director of the Shelter,
addressed the students. She said that more important than the guests
receiving the hats, gloves and scarves was the feeling they had that
someone actually cared enough to have a conversation with them.
Especially during this time of year, when they have no homes and many
have no family  they have no hope. We have restored some of that hope
to them.

Students shared how inspiring the visit was for them. I was inspired
by watching our children.  This is the first time we have done this
visit during Chanukah. I think this was the perfect opportunity to
relay to our students that it feels wonderful to receive the many
gifts they tend to get this week, but it feels even more wonderful to
give.”

In discussing their visit upon their return, students emphatically stated that this experience in empathy will cause them to act differently, (at least for a time!). They will appreciate what they have more. They will remember how lucky they are to have a family and to have hope for the future.

Chanukah can be a lesson in empathy. (How lucky are they to live in a time period where teenagers are free to learn Torah without fear! Will I now view my Torah learning differently?). A visit to a homeless shelter can be a lesson in empathy. (Let us appreciate what we have! Will I now express my thanks more often?). Even a tragedy in the news can be a lesson in empathy. (Hug your family members tight and don't forget to say, “I love you.”). Our students have learned empathy is worthless if it does not inspire us on to action. 

The Power of the Upstander

The news this week focused on the tragic story of Ki Suk Han, a 58 year old man who was pushed to death on the subway tracks in New York City. The past few days have been filled with discussion about whether the man could have been saved by the 18 people who were standing on the platform. Chris Cuomo, ABC 20/20 anchor, wrote on Twitter: 'Man pushed onto subway tracks. Some wave at train to stop, others take pics of man. No one goes to help him? What am I missing?'

It is not our place to imagine what is like to be the witnesses to such a terrible event. However, imagining the role of the bystanders is a discussion we have with our students. We discuss the story of Kitty Genovese in 1964. Ms. Genovese was stabbed twice about 100 feet from her apartment and her screams were heard by several neighbors. 38 neighbors came to their windows and not one offered assistance. No one even called the police. Some even saw the perpetrator return as she lay dying and stabbed her several more times. Finally, someone called the police. This story led to an area of research in social psychology called the bystander effect or “Genovese syndrome.” Why do people witness injustice and do nothing to help?

There are various possibilities we discuss with our students. One idea is that the bystanders may be afraid that some harm may come to them if they intervene. Research also indicates that the more bystanders there are the less prone bystanders are to intervene. We call this “diffusion of responsibility” as each person assumes that someone else will do something. Another possibility is that bystanders are looking around and noticing the reactions of others around them trying to ascertain if they should intervene. We commonly call this peer pressure.

Students can all relate to situations like this. Have you ever been on the playground and noticed someone being teased and not do anything? Why? Do the above reasons apply to why we as bystanders do not take steps to intervene? Are we sometimes worried about the negative ramifications of getting involved? The focus of our training when it comes to issues of bullying is to stress the important role the bystander can play. It is the bystander that has the power to ensure that injustice is stopped. In the periodic Quality Circles that we run in our Advisory program we focus on what we are doing in Yavneh to ensure that we as bystanders create an environment where everyone feels safe.

We highlight with the students that the power of the bystander is a Jewish ideal. This is the essence of the mitzvah in Vayikra 19:16 as it states, “לא תעמוד על דם רעך" “You shall not stand idly by when the blood of your fellow man is being shed.” We even do an activity with them

What Would You Do In This Case?

This is a true story of an event that happened years ago. What would you do if you were confronted with this situation?

Years ago, in a country in the Middle East, a young man who grew up in a wealthy home was walking in the fields. He grew up with everything he could ever have wished for- servants serving him night and day, the finest cuisine and no need to work a day in his life.

As he walked the fields, he noticed a poor group of people working hard to build some buildings. It was hot, as the Middle East can be, and they were sweating hard. No water, just some dry bread was their food. One of them attempted to slow down for a moment, and their boss took at a whip and literally beat him senseless.

This young man could not believe his eyes. Never did he see such cruelty. But, really- was it his business? It did not affect him in any way? Did he want to get involved in something that had nothing to do with him? Who needs the headache? It wasn’t even someone he knew or even cared about. And, if he does get involved- maybe he might suffer the consequences. And, no one else seemed to care that these workers were being beaten- why should he? And, if he steps in, life might get worse for the worker or even the other workers.

And, so he thought for only a split second- as if something came over him- and he confronted the boss and attacked him. He would never stand by and allow such injustice to happen again.

He then realized that someone might prosecute him for what he had done. So, he ran away.

Who is this story really about? What would you have done in this case?

The need for the bystander to intervene is the story of Moshe when he went out to the fields and killed the Mitzri beating the Jew- despite the risks.

This is  also the message of the Maccabees.   When  the Syrian Greeks "bullied" the Jews, the Maccabees stated "מי לה' אלי"- "Whoever is for Hashem, come with me.”  Have the power to resist the peer pressure.  Don't just stand there and allow injustice to happen. Stand up for that which you believe. 

 

What can we do to help our children become bystanders who make a difference?

1. We teach our children what they can do as bystanders. They need not confront the perpetrator directly. They can tell an adult. They can befriend the victim. They can distract the bully. These are all techniques we teach them.
2. If our children tell us of a story of a child being victimized we need to stress the importance of their getting involved and doing something to stop it. This is a theme that we can stress in other teachable moments (i.e. the subway story above).
3. Being an active bystander does not only apply to cases of bullying. It also applies to any time they see wrong being done. (If I know there is rampant cheating in a class, should I say anything?)

Our goal is for our children to not just be bystanders but to be “upstanders” who stand up for what they believe in.

The Lottery- Do Good Things Come to Those Who Wait?

 Now that Cindy and Mark Hill of Dearborn, Missouri have come forward to claim their Powerball winnings, I guess it is final- we didn't win. The other big winners from Arizona, as of press time, have yet to come forward. I wonder what they are waiting for. Some months ago I heard on the news of a man who waited months to come forward with his ticket. The news anchor said, “That is what we call delayed gratification!” His comment got me thinking. Winning the lottery is the antithesis of delayed gratification.

Fox News had a roundtable on the topic The Lottery- The death of delayed gratification. People don't want to work hard for their money anymore, they asserted. Rather than start a business and work hard for years to build it up, they want to win the lottery.

In the book Drive: 9 Ways to Motivate Your Kids to Achieve by Janine Walker Caffrey, she highlights this reality amongst today's children. She calls one chapter in her book “Resist the quick fixes of the lottery, game shows and reality tv.” Teens watch American Idol and “assume that everyone who was successful in the business had a big break and fail to realize that making it in the music industry requires a lot of hard work and perseverance.” The same with the show Extreme Home Makeover. They watch people, (although well-deserving), being handed their homes on a silver platter. They then get the message “wait for someone to give them things instead of understanding their own power to make things happen.” And, then there is the lottery. We purchase our tickets and speak about what we would buy if we win. “If only we could win the lottery!” If your child hears that message repeatedly, she really will make the assumption that the way to material goods is the lottery, Caffrey maintains. She will understand that she cannot attain these wonderful things unless she wins them. In other words, she is helpless to alter her financial status except through some lucky kind of windfall.

This belief that people are helpless to change their status without luck has a detrimental effect. “People who believe they are helpless to change their situation do not have any motivation to make things change. Reality TV and lotteries have created a sense of ... helplessness.” Caffrey also states that lotteries also create feelings of entitlement. “Children are inundated with images of people getting things just because they want them.” A student can purchase papers and answers online. A person can lose weight if he takes a pill. We need to teach children to patiently wait for want they want and work for it.



This sense of entitlement is pervasive in our world of technology. The fast pace of technology has robbed our children of patience and perseverance. David Greenfield, the founder of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, compares e-mail to playing a slot machine, (or playing the lottery). “The hit when you get a good e-mail is like the hit of winning money. It provides instant gratification. Today's teens demand instant gratification. Everything must be immediate and now! Movies on-demand, instant messages, instant music downloads- all is accelerated. “Because many things have come easy... they aren't always willing to pay their dues. Some educators and employers worry that their work ethic isn't as strong as that of previous generations and that they are willing to cut corners and even cheat in school to get what they want now.” Weight gain has also been tied to the inability to delay gratification, as with greater self- control, one can better resist unhealthy foods. (I often consider the halachot of meat and milk and notice that they enforce the need for waiting to eat something one might really want. So, after eating meat, even though that chocolate bar looks delicious, I must exercise self- control. Even saying berachot before eating forces one to stop and think a few moments before eating- not just stuffing oneself immediately with the food of choice. And, of course, the laws of Kashrut in general force us to say, “No” to ourselves, even when a food is very tempting. And, in the other realms of physical need, the laws of Taharat HaMishpacha, serve the role of delaying gratification).



The need for instant gratification underlies most addictions, whether to drugs, gambling or even internet addictions. In his article, “Gotta Have It Now, Right Now,” Ronald J. Alsop quotes an English professor named Harold Schweizer who stressed the importance of waiting – as it can be “regenerative and restful, as well as a time for inspiration and fresh ideas.” In his classes, he has incorporated pauses and waiting times.



How do we encourage this ability to delay gratification in our children?

1. We make them earn their privileges (i.e. cellphones).
   
2. We praise them when we see they are practicing self- control and are able to wait for what they want.
   
3. We encourage them to take the time to think before they answer or discuss.
   
4. Those who attended my Tu B'Shevat parsha and parenting shiur last year might remember the famous Mischel marshmallow study where children were told they could eat a marshmallow right away or wait (delay gratification) 15 minutes and could then get two. Children who were able to wait showed increased success in school and overall in life. They recently redid that study to consider what made some children delay while others needed instant gratification? They found that children from stable families, where parents generally delivered what they said they would, were more prone to wait. “Beliefs about the reliability of others' behavior inform children's decisions about whether to wait for a better reward.” A child's ability to delay gratification depends upon his assessment of the reliability of the adults and world around him. Our job as parents is to send the message to our children that if they wait, they will get what we said they would. We will deliver. They can depend on us.