Raising MediaWise Kids
American children now spend over 44 hours a week in front of a screen - more than any other activity except sleeping. In this presentation, our speakers combine the latest discoveries in brain science with up-to-date research and data to explore the power and impact of video games, the Internet and television in shaping norms, attitudes and behaviors. We will pay particular attention to the impact of media on academic performance, health and wellness, and discuss how media create and nourish a "culture of disrespect." We will explore ways to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities media offer our kids while minimizing the danger and risk. Our speakers will explain why it is crucial to pay attention to the role of media in children's lives and share concrete strategies for communicating with and staying connected to kids in the media age.

Are We Creating a Culture of Disrespect? Values and Attitudes in the Media
Whoever tells the stories defines the culture. That isn't new. What is new is that we have delegated more and more of the storytelling function to mass media. Some of the media take the art to new heights. Too many, however, specialize in dishing out heaping servings of violence, mayhem and degradation. In this presentation we will discuss the role of the media in creating and nourishing a "culture of disrespect" among young people. Combining the latest discoveries in brain science with cutting-edge research, we will discuss how media stories of disrespect, sex, and violence in television, video games and online affect our kids and what we can do to help our kids become MediaWise.