It sounds like your daughter would benfit from having some discussions about being a consumer? Suggest this discussion takes place at a time when she is not suffering the effects of being influenced by the ads she sees Try getting her to think about the cost of items and what is involved in earning sufficient money to purchase things. Also talk about the accuracy of advertising. Ask her questions about whether she thinks the advertisers tell people watching television about the negative aspects of the products being advertised. Get her to look at advertisements in magazines. Ask her about the good things about products and what does she think might be the not so good things about the products. I would also suggest that you discuss with her the possibility of limiting her watching television if it causes negative behaviour.
My kids used to be exactly the same but grew out of wanting all the material things they saw on ads when they were around 10. When they did get some of the stuff they craved, for birthdays and Christmas, they were very disappointed because it looked so much better on the ads. We just kept saying 'no' and now they have moved on to other ads and seriously worry about cancer, child neglect and distressed animals - the power of advertising on children is quite shocking. My daughter can recite all the loan company telephone numbers. When I say I can't afford to buy her something she tells me to ring Ocean Finiance and quotes the number!
TV has more of a negative effect on children, and people in general, than we think. Why not just turn the TV off for good? What would you really be missing? A friend of mine refers to TV as
"optical herion." Pretty strong remark, but it sure rings true.
Check out "The New Read-Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease for a full description of what TV does to young minds.
