News Releases

The Power of Media Focus of 15th Annual Conference for Parents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2008
Contact: Gina Kelly, (603) 536-1020

Save the date: Saturday, April 5, 2008

PLYMOUTH, N.H. — How often have your kids said, "buy me that," repeatedly for a toy, gadget, food or article of clothing until you were worn down? Ever tried to have a conversation with your child while they are staring blankly at a TV or Nintendo screen? Do you know who they are chatting with on myspace.com, facebook.com, or watching on YouTube? Can you interpret their text messages?

Media—technology has made it an integral part of our kids' lives. What affect does media have on their brain development, health, behavior and learning abilities are questions researchers have begun to address. The Power of Media: How it is affecting our kids and what we can do about it is the focus of the 15th Annual Conference for Parents being presented on Saturday, April 5 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Plymouth Regional High School auditorium.

Rona Zlokower, from Media Power Youth based in Manchester, will deliver the keynote address and facilitate a panel discussion on raising "media smart" kids. According to Zlokower, kids today spend more than 35 hours a week in front of media screens—TV, video games, cell phones, computers—more time than on any other activity in the waking lives. She says, "What our children watch and how much they watch, makes a big difference on their physical health, how well they do in school and how well they get along with others, including friends, teachers and parents."

"This conference will help parents understand how TV, movies, Internet, video games and music is influencing our kids' health and well being," Zlokower continues, "as well as compare values parents have for their kids with messages they receive from various media. They will also learn how to guide their children though a media saturated world."

Conference for Parents will be a multi-media presentation giving parents examples of what their kids are exposed to and how it affects brain development and learning ability. Additionally, practical parenting tips will be provided to help families successfully navigate our media saturated world, and be advocates in our community to help lessen the negative effects of media and maximize its benefits.

Conference for Parents, in partnership with CADY, Whole Village Family Resource Center, Speare Memorial Hospital and Plymouth State University is sponsoring The Power of Media: How it is affecting our kids and what we can do about it. The conference is free of charge and childcare is available. Call 536-9793 or visit www.conferenceforparents.org for more information.

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Michele Barney Hutchins
Director of Community Relations
Speare Memorial Hospital
(603) 238-6468