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KIDS FIRST! NEWS 2003
Turning your TV Time into Quality Time

CQCM Newsletter Archive:

 


 

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KIDS FIRST! NEWS 2003
Turning your TV Time into Quality Time
Issue #3
Ranny Levy, Editor
[email protected]

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IN THIS ISSUE
1. Letter from the Editor
2. New Endorsements
3. Media News
4. Parent and Family News
5. Members' News
6. Events, news, special events
7. Classifieds
8. Subscribe/un-subscribe
* Permission to forward or reprint the content herein is granted with
complete attribution.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to KIDS FIRST! NEWS. All articles are by Coalition for Quality
Children's Media unless otherwise noted.

* QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say ‘It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes." Fred Rogers 1928-2003

Dear Friends,

KIDS FIRST! learned this week of the passing of Harrison Apar, the 15-year-old son of CQCM Board member Bruce Apar and his wife Elyse. Everyone at KIDS FIRST! sends the Apar family their deepest condolences. "Life, is the journey between birth and death, and celebrating that journey, be it yours or someone else's is the greatest blessing you can give to yourself, and the highest tribute you can pay to another." (Diana Nightingale)

Dr. Diane Levin from Wheelock College provided the following brief guide in response to the many requests she has received for assistance in helping children during this difficult time. I am summarizing it for your use. If you wish to receive the complete guide, please contact Dr. Levin at [email protected]. For parents, teachers and caregivers, hopefully this will be helpful.

1. Protect children, especially young children, as much as possible from exposure to news reports and from hearing adults talk about the war. The more coverage children see, the more dangerous and violent the world can seem and the more information they will have to try to figure out.

2. Trusted adults have a vital role to play helping children feel safe and sort out what they do see and hear. They need trusted adults to help them feel safe and work out their ideas about what they do hear. How you respond will influence how children feel about talking about the war and what they learn about it.

3. Base your response on the age, understanding and concerns of the children. While your responses need to take into account the unique ideas and responses of individual children, their age also influences how they need you to respond.

4. Young children won't understand the war as adults do. They will often relate what they hear to themselves and worry about their own safety. They tend to focus on one thing at a time and remember the most dramatic things they see like bombs, explosions, and images of wounded people. They relate what they hear to what they already know which can lead to misunderstandings. "Planes in the war drop bombs, maybe the planes over my house will drop bombs too!"

5. Older children begin to think about underlying issues about the war and possible real world implications. They use more accurate language and make logical causal connections, but still don't understand all the meanings or motivations and can develop misunderstandings and fears. Explore the meanings behind their language ("What did you hear about Saddam Hussein?). Then base your responses on what they seem to know and be asking. Do not rush in to provide more information than they are asking for.

6. When children ask questions, start by finding out what they know. Asking an open-ended question to find out more often works well. That way you can provide a response that meets individual needs. If a child asks a question about the war, you might respond by asking, "What have you heard about that?" If a child doesn't ask, you can raise the war by asking, "Have you heard anything about a place called Iraq? What did you hear?" If they say they haven't heard, you can just drop the issue.

7. Answer questions and clear up misconceptions that worry or confuse. You don't need to provide the full story. Just tell children what they seem to want to know. Don't worry about giving "right answers" or if children have ideas that don't agree with yours. You will often need to help them distinguish real from pretend (like the Power Rangers) violence, help them see how they are safe despite the war. You can calmly and simply voice your feelings and concerns. End the conversation by letting them you're available to talk about things more later.

8. Be on the lookout for signs of stress. Changes in behavior such as increased aggression or withdrawal, difficulty separating or sleeping, or troubles with transition are signs that additional supports are needed. Protecting children from violent media images, maintaining routines, & providing reassurance & extra hugs help children regain equilibrium. Knowing that caring adults are there to maintain their world is usually the best antidote to worries the war can create.

9. Help children learn alternatives to the harmful lessons they may be learning about violence and prejudice. Talk about non-violent ways to solve conflicts in their own lives. As they get older and less egocentric, help them look at different points of view in conflicts. Help them sort out narrow and dehumanized ideas about real world and fantasy enemies. Point to positive experiences with people different from themselves. Try to complicate their thinking about these issues rather than tell them what to think.

10. Discuss what adults are doing to make the situation better and what children can do to help. It can help children to feel secure when they see adults working to help keep the world safe. And while they need to know that it is the adults who are working to keep them safe, taking meaningful, age-appropriate action steps themselves can help them feel more in control.

11. Talk with other adults. Work together to support each other's efforts to create a safe environment for children. This includes agreeing to protect children from unnecessary exposure to violence. Talking together can also can help you meet your own personal needs in this difficult time, thereby keeping these kinds of concerns more separate from your work with children.

Thank you for your concern about children and media. You are making a difference in this world.

Much love,
Ranny


NEW ENDORSEMENTS http://www.kidsfirstinternet.org/kidsfirst/html/newend.htm

Audio
Ages 0 -2

*** MUSIC FOR BABIES: CHEERFUL BABY -The Cheerful Baby compositions were specifically selected to encourage a happy mood in baby listeners. Includes lullabies, nursery rhymes, and classical pieces. Adult Juror Comments: Upbeat and peppy. Fun music selections and varied instruments. Great variation of genre: some well known, some not. High quality, wonderful sound. Very happy music. The music box selections were particularly pleasant and uplifting. Kid Juror Comments: All liked the music and all the different instruments. They danced, clapped and twirled. Energy level was just right - did not overstimulate the children. Many wanted it played over and over. Little ones liked it better each time. Audio. 60 min.; $15.95; Age: 0-5. ADVANCED BRAIN TECHNOLOGIES.

*** MUSIC FOR BABIES: SLEEPY BABY- The Sleepy Baby selections were made with the intention of inducing sleep in baby listeners. Selections gradually slows in rhythm and softens tonal range. Adult Juror Comments: Gentle program of instrumental classics. Songs blend nicely into one another, or each song can stand alone. Music is soothing. Exposes children to instrumental music at an early age. Can be used to quiet children in a pre-bedtime routine. Kid Juror Comments: Seemed to calm down and settle into a tranquil mood while listening. Some would occasionally stop and stare at the stereo as though reflecting. Responded favorably to the gentleness and smooth transitions between numbers. Audio. 69 min.; $15.95; Age: 0-5. ADVANCED BRAIN TECHNOLOGIES.

*** MUSIC FOR BABIES: PEACEFUL BABY- Peaceful Baby selections were chosen to have a calming influence on baby listeners. Features nursery rhymes, lullabies and classical compositions. Adult Juror Comments: Beautiful, soothing music. Extremely enjoyable. Engaging improvisations flow smoothly with familiar pieces. Provides a quiet environment, great way to transition from playtime to naptime. Includes informative materials suggesting where to place speakers. Kid Juror Comments: Smiled, sang to recognized songs, swayed in time to music, paused and listened during improvisations. Some went from active play right into a nap. Many requested a re-play. Noticeably lowered the level of energy among most listeners. Audio. 60 min.; $15.95; Age: 0-5. ADVANCED BRAIN TECHNOLOGIES

*** MUSIC FOR BABIES SET- .A selection of acoustic recordings, featuring harp, celeste, violin, viola, cello, clarinet and flute played by the Arcangelos. Includes folk music, lullabies and nursery rhymes. Each CD is designed to induce one of four moods in infant listeners. Adult Juror Comments: Wonderful collection of music. Provides great background music for various activities and environment. By blending the familiar with new, the collection exposed young children to instruments and a variety of music. Easy and enjoyable for adult listening. Kid Juror Comments: Overall, children responded appropriately to the intentions of each category of music. All of them enjoyed it, physically interacting with the more stimulating selections, and calming down during the quieter ones. "Not one of them minded listening to it." Audio. 240 min.; $59.95; Age: 0-5. ADVANCED BRAIN TECHNOLOGIES.


Video, Ages 1-4

** BRAINY BABY - SHAPES & COLORS Introduces early learning basics that every child needs to know - eleven shapes and twelve colors, plus great sing-alongs to help kids remember what they've learned. Includes music from Mozart, Vivaldi, and others. Adult Juror Comments: A fun learning tool. Uses toys, objects and food in a very simple way to help children learn basic shapes and colors. A wide range of music, from classical to kid favorites. Uses repetition which can help kids remember what they learned. Kid Juror Comments: Enjoyed the music and recognized some of the songs. "I want to learn more about shapes." "I liked the music." Children were excited to see examples of the shapes and colors. Definitely too long to view all in one sitting. All but one child got restless. Video. 45 min.; $15.95; Age: 1-3 THE BRAINY BABY COMPANY. 1-931959-02-1.

*** OSMOSIS "HOUSE-CASA" - Offers a bilingual learning experience in a playful, interactive and multi-sensory journey using objects found in a child's natural environment to maximize on his or her language development. Adult Juror Comments: Excellent learning tool; very informative. Excellent production quality, fun and colorful. Teaches Spanish using easy-to-understand images with names in both English and Spanish, familiar objects and nursery rhymes, and lots of repetition. Kid Juror Comments: Children loved the music and colors. Caught on very quickly and were dancing, singing and counting. Familiar pictures are shown and translated into Spanish. Afterwards, children asked for translation of other words not shown. Many asked to watch it again. Video. 30 min.; $15.99; Age: 1-4. OSMOSIS, LLC.

Video, Ages 2-6

** FINGER PLAYS WITH "MISS LORI" (SQEDUNK CHILDREN PRODUCTIONS).Miss Lori shows her young friends and viewers several different finger plays to encourage fine motor skills development. Includes B-I-N-G-0, I'm A Little Teapot, and Where Is Thumbkin? Adult Juror Comments: Teaches classic finger plays with familiar songs and nursery rhymes. Easy to follow and very interactive. Presenter is enthusiastic, positive, friendly and full of praise. Simple production values. Although quick-paced, very suitable for young children. Kid Juror Comments: Kids recognized the songs and rhymes and immediately started trying to do the finder plays and singing along. "I sang with Miss Lori and used my hands." " It made me want to sing the songs." Most wanted to watch it again and thought it was lots of fun. Video. 23 min.; $12.99; Age: 2-5. SQEDUNK CHILDREN PRODUCTIONS.

** MAGGIE AND THE FEROCIOUS BEAST WE ARE FAMILY- Maggie learns real-life lessons with her imaginary friends, the Ferocious Beast and Hamilton Hocks the pig. In this compilation of three episodes, Maggie plays that she is a mom, learns how to take a great nap and discovers how photos make friends happy. Adult Juror Comments: Delightful. Rich colors and very imaginative premise. Flight-of-fancy stories flow easily from one to the next. Shows kids how pretending can be creative, and how to work things out with friends. "A curious romp through make-believe land." Kid Juror Comments: Even the littlest ones loved the colors and sounds. All were taken with the idea of going to an imaginary place. "Can we go to make believe land?" "I want to show this tape to my friends." "The Beast is neat with his spots." "They are all good friends." Video. 39 min.; $12.98; Age: 2-6. COLUMBIA TRISTAR HOME ENTERTAINMENT.

Ages 5 - 8

** CHRYSANTHEMUM…AND MORE KEVIN HENKES STORIES (SCHOLASTIC VIDEO COLLECTION).Two other Kevin Henkes favorite mouse stories are featured along with Chrysanthemem, narrated by Meryl Streep. "Owen" is narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker and "A Weekend with Wendell" is narrated by Mary Beth Hurt. Adult Juror Comments: Deals with every day conflicts such as being made fun of at school, outgrowing a beloved toy, and dealing with a difficult playmate. Helps kids figure out how to resolve these conflicts in a non-violent way but also deals with frustration and sadness. Kid Juror Comments: Mixed reactions from the kids. They started doing puzzles and playing with other toys. The emotional content may be too intense for a group viewing situation. Muted colors and gentle music is so low key that they tend to drift. Olds kids responded best. Video. 34 min.; $9.95; Age: 4-7. NEW VIDEO GROUP, INC.. 0-439-3988-x.

** UNDER THE WAVES EPISODE 4: SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS - Explores how unrelated creatures help each other under the waves. Includes an exploration of cleaning stations, coral, algae, manta ray and remora, humpback whales and barnacles. Adult Juror Comments: Well produced, beautiful underwater cinematography, quality sound. Shows how sea creatures clean, protect and provide for other animals. Teaches scientific concept of symbiotic relationships. Flirtation between adults is inappropriate. Kid Juror Comments: Enjoyable and informative. "I liked seeing the sea creatures up close. The sting rays doing loop-de-loops and the people swimming with the humpback whales were cool." "Swimming with the humpback whales was my favorite part." Video. 30 min.; $19.95; Age: 5-8. CARIBBEAN PRODUCER SERVICES.

Ages 5 -12

*** FAMILIES OF UNITED KINGDOM (FAMILIES OF THE WORLD).Two children, in both rural and urban landscapes, share their daily world with the viewer. Live-action program presents the customs and culture of the U.K. including foods, celebrations, family interaction, schools, home and more. Adult Juror Comments: Offers insight into life outside the U.S. It shows the typical day in a UK child's life (who lives on a farm), from start to finish. It's very believable and shows parents who are caring and teach responsibility to their child. Kid Juror Comments: Kids enjoyed this; they were glad they don't have to work as hard as the kids in the video do. It shows positive interaction between children as well as between adults and children. Some kid went online afterwards to learn more about life in the U.K. Video. 30 min.; $29.95; Age: 5-12. MASTER COMMUNICATIONS. 1 888194 38 3.

** SCOOBY DOO MEETS BATMAN - The legendary Batman and Robin join forces with Scooby Doo and the gang to foil a counterfeiting scheme hatched by The Joker and The Penguin. When the super criminals return to steal a flying suit the dynamic gang prove that friendship can save the day. Adult Juror Comments: Mysteries with a twist of humor, silly antics, and a few spooky spoofs are trademarks of Scooby Doo. Mix in a familiar super hero and you've got a funny story, familiar characters, a message that crime doesn't pay, and a demonstration of good teamwork. Kid Juror Comments: Appealing. "I like the mysteries they solve." "Sometimes it's scary and I like that." "I like these Batman and Robin better than the new ones." "Batman and Robin are my favorite superheroes because they are smart but don't have special powers." Video. 90 min.; $14.95; Age: 5-12. WARNER HOME VIDEO. 1 56039 783 7.

Ages 8 -12

** GETTING THERE: SWEET 16 AND LICENSED TO DRIVE (MARY-KATE & ASHLEY OLSEN).Grab a seat in their convertible as Taylor and Kylie Hunter set out on their first road trip since they got their driver's licenses…to the Olympic Winter Games in Utah. Cute outfits and cute boys and lots of friends along the way, but lots of detours too. Adult Juror Comments: An enjoyable story that values the innocence of teenagers. May encourage young viewers to try winter sports. While demonstrating some risky behavior and poor judgment, still provides good role models as characters work through their situations. Kid Juror Comments: Kids enjoyed watching this colorful adventure, while seeming to realize that parents allowing a group of teenagers to take a road trip alone was rather unrealistic. "It made me want to go skiing again." Recognized and pointed out unsafe behavior. Video. 85 min.; $19.98; Age: 8-12. WARNER HOME VIDEO. 0-7907-6994-8.

Ages 12 -18

** HOMETOWN LEGEND Athens is a little town on its last legs. The high school, with its once mighty football team, is about to be closed. But, the legendary former coach rekindles the team's will to win, and the power of faith the town gets one last chance at redemption. Adult Juror Comments: Worthwhile story; a community works together for something they believe in. Subtle Christian content - prayers and music. Coach is tough and stereotypical. Lessons in self-esteem and belief that "work hard at something you believe in and it'll happen." Kid Juror Comments: Kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy this movie. Even some who were resistant at first to watching a jock film, became totally involved. Shows kids learning how to work together as a team. Video. 106 min.; $24.98; Age: 11-18. WARNER HOME VIDEO. 0-7907-6942-5.

Adult

*** WE SIGN: BABIES & TODDLERS -Offers instruction for using sign language with pre-verbal infants and toddlers. Includes basic instruction and teaches more than 200 words. Adult Juror Comments: Well produced, clearly presented, easy-to-follow. Moves quickly. Offers a tool for children to communicate with an adult before they can speak. Broadens children's view of the world. Stimulates language development. Kid Juror Comments: WONDERFUL! Kids loved this. By the end they knew about twenty signs and immediately demanded to watch it again. Video. 60 min.; $29.95; Age: adult-adult. PRODUCTION ASSOCIATES. 1887120653.


MEDIA NEWS *****************************
************************************************
KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION ISSUES REPORT ON TV SEX
More Sex Scenes But More Mention of 'Safer Sex' on Television Shows, Study Says

The Kaiser Family Foundation's third biennial Sex on Television 3: Content and Context study was released last month. Key findings show that although more television shows are including sexual content, such programs are also including more mentions of "safer sex," abstinence and possible consequences of intercourse. For report, visit http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=15877

FROM CONNECT FOR KIDS:
**Special Interactive Presentation: Kids in Tense Times
Adults with children in their lives are walking through an emotional minefield when it comes to helping kids feel and stay safe in these tense times. Connect for Kids talked with three experts: Psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint, well-known for his insights into the minds and feelings of children; historian William Tuttle, who explored how U.S. children experienced home-front life during World War II in his book "Daddy's Gone to War"; and Principal G.J. Tarazi of Glasgow Middle School in Arlington, VA, who has helped children from dozens of countries -- as well as relatives of Pentagon staffers -- negotiate their feelings about the September 11, 2001 attacks and the mounting Iraq crisis. Hear their perspectives in a Connect for Kids' interactive presentation. http://www.connectforkids.org/

**Help with Healing, on the Web
From grabbing the newspaper before the kids see it to pulling the plug on the evening news, adults are adopting a range of strategies for shielding children from the images of war in Iraq and concern about possible terrorist threats at home. Fortunately, there are many resources on the Web to answer adults' questions about how to help their kids cope, and Connect for Kids has compiled some of the best. http://www.connectforkids.org/benton_topics1544/benton_topics_show.htm?doc_id=157890

**Protecting Iraqi Children
Half of Iraq's 24.5 million people are children. UNICEF has provided high-energy biscuits and therapeutic milk to 400,000 malnourished children in a bid to rapidly improve their nutritional status, immunized 500,000 children against measles and polio, and readied thousands of metric tons of emergency relief supplies, including emergency health kits, birthing kits, school-in-a-box kits and water purification units in humanitarian relief efforts in Iraq. Learn more, including how you can help, on the UNICEF Web site. http://www.unicefusa.org/emergencies/iraq/

BUDGET NEWS ON THE HOME FRONT

**House Budget Would Cut Programs for Kids
Last week, both the House and Senate struggled to approve budget resolutions, the budget blueprint for federal spending. By a narrow margin (215 to 212), the House passed a budget with $726 billion tax cut package that, according to the Children's Defense Fund, would necessitate some of the deepest cutbacks in programs and services for children in history--cuts in education, Medicaid and CHIP, foster care and adoption assistance, food stamps, Head Start and child care assistance, school meals, and others. http://www.cdfactioncouncil.org/house_budget_letter.pdf

**CBPP State-by-State Analyses of the House Budget Blueprint
For a breakdown of the Housed budget blueprint, check out the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) summaries.
http://www.cbpp.org/3-20-03bud2.htm

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities charts how much each state might lose in federal Medicaid and SCHIP matching funds under the House Budget Resolution.
http://www.cbpp.org/3-20-03health2.htm

Here is the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' analysis of how each state would be affected by the House Budget plan's deep cuts in key low-income entitlement programs.
http://www.cbpp.org/3-20-03bud3.htm

**Tax Cuts: a Major Contention in the Senate
Last week, the Senate budget debate centered on the size of tax cuts. Some senators argued that any permanent tax cut is too expensive, given deepening deficits and expanding public responsibilities; others said they would not support any cuts short of the President's $726 billion proposal; and still others tried to broker a $350 billion tax cut alternative. Several senators from both parties noted the difficulty of deciding on long-term tax cuts without a budget estimate of the costs for the Iraqi war, and proposed reducing the total tax cut package by $100 billion to cover war costs.

The Senate rejected the $350 billion tax cut alternative. The Senate budget resolution is expected this week. Once that's in, the House and Senate will convene a conference committee to resolve differences between their budget plans. Each house will then vote on the final resolution. Meanwhile, the House Ways and Means Committee is reportedly ready to develop the specific tax cut language this week.

For more on the federal budget, visit the Connect for Kids "Kids & Politics" section.
http://www.connectforkids.org/resources3139/resources_subject.htm?doc_id=82346

**Connected to the Future
For many children, logging onto the Internet is becoming as common as picking up the phone. But even with dramatic gains among disadvantaged children, the historical disparities between Internet "haves" and "have-nots" persist at home and at school, according to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
http://www.cpb.org/pdfs/ed/resources/connected/03_connect_report.pdf

---------------------------------------------
From The PEACE X PEACE Newsletter: http://www.peacexpeace.org
SISTER CIRCLES: What They Look Like
By Patricia Smith Melton

Sister circles will have as many looks as there are women in them, as many personalities as there are individual women's groups in the world. Some of them might not even be women's group, but may be women and men's group, so long as they hold at their core the principles of nurturing, inclusion, deep listening, and compassion - the qualities that tend to be lumped
together and called "feminine." You know the qualities, the ones that are often considered as "soft," but that hold together families and cultures, raise children, and get food on the table day after day; the qualities that heal wounds and rebuild social structures.

Sister circles are primarily about "no nonsense." Our world is hurting, it needs healing, and women understand that the healing process starts with a single individual and then builds from there.

Sister circles will ask each other what each other needs, they will listen to each other, and they will not be embarrassed or think it is too small if what is needed is "simply" a witness, is a magazine subscription, is help learning a new language, is help figuring out how to start a small business, is boxes of fabrics or thread for sewing, is help trying to find a university
with funding for a refugee child. Nor will they hesitate if what is needed is guidance in gathering courage for individuals to leave abuse, for the group to organize educational institutions, for their sisters to keep their faith in their own beauty and power against oppression.

Learn more about the benefits of circles and how you can become involved at http://click.topica.com/maaaLgCaaVdGNbaOOzUb/

"... [I]t is not enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

PARENT AND FAMILY NEWS *****************************
*********************************************************
As Easter approaches and war looms, megastores such as Kmart and Walmart are selling Easter baskets for children laden with war toys. Included with the Skittles and Willy Wonka chocolates are military action figures toting AKA rifles, toy grenades, and a board sporting a human figure for target practice. Kmart's Abigail Jacobs told the Village Voice: "It was meant to be a lighthearted and fun gift. http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0310/baard2.php

The following suggestions for action come from the Lion & Lamb Project (www.lionlamb.org) and the Parent Coaching Institute http://www.thepci.com

1. Contact Retailers:
Kmart: 1-866-245-6278 (press 1, then press 5); Abigail Jacobs can be contacted directly at 415-229-9769
or via E-mail at [email protected]
Wal-Mart: 1-800-925-6278 (press 1, then press 4)
Rite Aid: 1-800-748-3243 (press 1, say 3 after the tone)
Genovese: 1-800-325-3737 (press 5)

THANK WALGREENS for pulling these baskets from their shelves: Contact spokesperson Carol Hively at 847-914-2923
or E-mail: [email protected]

2. . CONTACT RELIGIOUS LEADERS:
Print out a copy of the Village Voice article and ask your minister or priest to speak about this issue at an upcoming service.
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0310/baard2.php

3. CONTACT THE MEDIA
If you have a Wal-Mart, Kmart, Rite Aid or Genovese store in your community, contact the local media to express your concerns.

****STUDENT PRODUCTIONS SOUGHT FOR NATIONAL MEDIA EDUCATION CONFERENCE ****
The deadline for submitting projects to the National Media Education Conference's Student Media Festival is right around the corner - March 8th! Educators who are members of AMLA may enter media productions on behalf of individual students or student groups. For full details including selection criteria, log onto: http://www.amlainfo.org/smf.html. Also, now is the time to make plans to attend NMEC, "Literacy and Liberty: Rights, Roles and Responsibilities in a Media Age" taking place from June 28 to July 1st in Baltimore, MD. Read more about it at: http://www.amlainfo.org/nmec_conf.html.

Become a Coalition for Quality Children's Media Member ***
********************************************************************

If you've found our e-zine and web site helpful, please consider
becoming a member of KIDS FIRST! Members help underwrite the various
projects of this organization and are a critical component of our
success.

The Coalition for Quality Children's Media's relies on the generous
support of its members and donors to support its programs. An
individual/family membership is only $25/year. An organizational
membership is $100/year. An independent producer membership is $200 -
$10,000 / year. For more information, visit our website
(http://www.kidsfirstinternet.org) or contact our office for an
application form, 505.989.8076.

***********************************
Resources ***********************

******* KIDS FIRST! Book ***
Our book, A Parent's Guide to the Best Children's Videos, DVDs, and
CD-ROMs, featuring reviews of more than 1800 KIDS FIRST! endorsed
videos, DVDs, TV shows, and CD-ROMs is available now. To order your
copy, call our office, 505-989-8076 or send your request, to
kfnews@http://www.kidsfirstinternet.org. You can view sample pages of
our book at http: //www.pgpress.com/Book_Excerpts/kidvid/

*** MEMBER NEWS ****
Please note the new Coalition for Quality Children's Media members
below and support their work by visiting their sites.

VISIT OUR MEMBERS' SITES ******************
*****************************************************
http://www.advancedbrain.com
http://www.adventuresinoz.com
http://www.allbymyself.com
http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com
http://www.babybrother.com
http://www.a-imagination.com
http://www.activeparenting.com
http://www.BabyAboutTown.com
http://www.babyplaytime.com
http://www.babysongs.com
http://www.babyeinstein.com
http://www.babygenius.com
http://www.babyplaytime.com
htto://www.coachcoz.com
http://www.devine-ent.com
http://disney.go.com/DisneyVideos/
http://www.eatyourlunch.com
http://www.edact.com
http://www.familiesoftheworld.com
http://www.fancymonkey.com
http://www.finemediagroup.com
http://www.filmmarketonline.com
http://www.familytv.com/index_usa.asp?AFID=2002072002"
http://www.hunktabunkta.com
http://www.iluminadaproductions.com
http://www.kidskills.com
http://www.kathybyers.com
http://www.kirikou.net
http://www.lafete.com
http://www.Littlehardhats.com
http://www.magicfrank.com
http://www.mybestenglish.net
http://www.nafce.org
http://www.nestfamily.com
http://www.newvideo.com
http://www.northbayentertainment.com
http://www.pixiesage.com
http://www.powertocreate.com
http://www.production-associates.com
http://www.rainbowplace.com/
http://www.sesameworkshop.org
http://www.shanabanana.com
http://www.sosmart.com
http://www.splashesfromtheriver.com/web/pl1.html
http://www.sqedunk.com
http://www.strangerinthewoods.com
http://www.tcfhe.com
http://www.underthewaves.tv
http://www.vidmedia.com
http://www.hamtaro.com
http://www.vtmproductionsinc.com
http://www.wamtv.com
http://www.warner.com
http://www.zula.com

Thanks to our KIDS FIRST! Film, Video and DVD Festival 2002 Sponsors:
Edwards Theatres, LA Parent Magazine, Orange County Parenting,
Parenthood.com, Parents Guide Press, Walt Disney Home Entertainment,
PAX-TV, Paramount Home Entertainment, MGM Home Entertainment, Artisan
Home Entertainment, Clearview Cinemas, The Wiz, The El Capitan
Theatre, Rhino Home Video, Artmatten Productions, Devine
Entertainment, Embassy Suites, KidsEdge.com, Productions La Fete and
to supporters: Anchor Bay Enterprises, Backyard Enterprises, Big Idea
Productions, Child Magazine, Children's Media Project, Columbia
Tri-Star Home Entertainment, Noggin, Nomadic Pictures, Nickelodeon,
Sesame Workshop, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner Home
Video.

EVENTS and NEWS ***************
***************************************
LITERACY AND LIBERTY: Rights, Roles and Responsibilities in a Media Age, National Media Education Conference 2003; Baltimore, Maryland; June 28-July 1, 2003 http://www.AMLAinfo.org/nmec_conf.html


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Copyright 2002 by Coalition for Quality Children's Media,
http://www.kidsfirstinternet.org

**************ABOUT CQCM AND KIDS FIRST! ***************

KIDS FIRST! is the not-for-profit Coalition for Quality Children's
Media's initiative that evaluates and rates children's media -
videotapes, CD-ROMs, and television - using a highly acclaimed method
that has been praised by parents and educators alike. It utilizes
professionally designed criteria and evaluation tools and engages a
volunteer jury comprising child development professionals,
teachers and parents nationwide and children of diverse geographic,
socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. KIDS FIRST! endorsed titles
appeal to people around the world and include many programs on topics
important to children's development. KIDS FIRST! - endorsed titles
are available on CQCM's award-winning Internet site, in The Parent's
Guide to the Best Children's Videos, DVDs, and CD-ROMs and in reviews
it provides to more than 75 publications.

CQCM evaluates feature films, television programs, videos, CD-ROM,
DVDs, and audio recordings. For an application form and application
deadlines, visit our website , call
our office (505.989.8076) or send an email to

 

 

KIDS FIRST! NEWS 2002
Turning your TV Time into Quality Time

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