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"Eating together as a family is not just about food and nutrition. It is about civilizing children, about teaching them how to become members of their society and culture, says Robin Fox, a professor who teaches anthropology at Rutgers University in New Jersey."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timi-gustafson/family-dinner_b_1898387.html

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“Even the nation’s youngest children are watching a great deal of television. About one-quarter of American children between the ages of two and five have a TV in their room.” Pg. 46

Even simple changes such as not allowing young children to be subjected to commercials on the television can have a tremendous effect on their life. Children should use their imagination to have fun and not be constantly watching commercials that target them and inspire them to beg for the newest toys that companies try to sell them.

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“The bulk of the advertising directed at children today has an immediate goal. “It’s not just getting kids to whine,’ one marketer explained in Selling to Kids, ‘it’s giving them a specific reason to ask for the product’”. Pg. 42

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"Considering the rising prominence of youth obesity as a national health problem, it seems that teens could certainly benefit health-wise from eating more meals at home. Also, dinnertime might be one of the few opportunities during the day that parents get to talk with their children about what's happening in their lives. All parents want to know what's going on with their children, but a 2003 study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University suggests that family dinners can have some concrete benefits for teenagers. The study found that teens who have dinner with their families two nights a week or less are twice as likely to take drugs, more likely to be "high stress," more likely to say they are often bored, and less likely to perform well in school than teens who eat with their families 5 to 7 times a week."

This article proves how having quality family time and building relationships can really have an impact on children's lives.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/10336/empty-seats-fewer-families-eat-together.aspx

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“The McDonald’s Corporation now operates more than eight thousand playgrounds at its restaurants in the United States.” Pg. 47

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“Today children are being targeted by phone companies, oil companies, and automobile companies, as well as clothing stores and restaurant chains. The explosion in children’s advertising occurred during the 1980s.” Pg. 42

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“Over the course of ten days in April of 1997, by including a Teenie Beanie Baby with each purchase, McDonald’s sold about 100 million Happy Meals.” Pg. 47

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"…Parents took their children to McDonald’s because they ‘want the kids to love them…it makes them feel like a good parent’”. Pg. 50

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“‘I have lots of kids who are terribly depressed,’ Trogdon says. ‘I’ve never seen so many, so young, feel this way’” Pg. 80

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“As more and more kids work to get their own wheels, fewer participate in after-school sports and activities. They stay at their jobs late into the night, neglect their homework, and come to school exhausted.” Pg. 79

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“Parents increasingly turn to the schools for help, asking teachers to supply discipline and direction. The teachers do their best, despite a lot of disrespect from students and the occasional threat of violence. Trogdon worries about the number of kids at Harrison who leave school in the afternoon and go straight to work, mainly at fast food restaurants. She also worries about the number of hours they’re working.” Pg. 79

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Some solutions to the issues of children being targeted and families spending time together could be that a law could be enforced/made that children under the age of 10 can't be targeted by industries. This would help with the issue of children being so heavily concerned with products and nagging their parents for things. There could also be focus groups made to teach parents and kids about the importance of healthy eating and spending time together. Part of the solution is making a conscious decision to eat healthy.

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“A manufacturer of “playlands” explains why fast food operators build these largely plastic structures: “Playlands bring in children, who bring in parents, who bring in money.””

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“When these kids don’t like the working conditions or the manager, they quit. Then they find a job at another restaurant, and the cycle goes on and on.” (pg.78-83) Getting into a cycle of quitting/being a quiter.

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“Elisa had wanted to work at McDonald’s ever since she as toddler- a feeling shared by many of the McDonald’s workers I met in Colorado Springs.” (pg. 78-83)

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“It concluded that the long hours many American teenagers now spend on the job pose a great risk to their future educational and financial success.” (pg.78-83)

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“The labor structure of the fast food industry demands a steady supply of young and unskilled workers. ” pg.78-83

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"In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the simple art of listening to your child is one of the most basic, but most effective, ways to prevent your child from engaging in risky behavior. Moreover, reports from the Office of National Drug Control Strategy indicate that strong family bonds can prevent children from developing drug problems." This article talks a lot about effects of children and parents not spending time together and communicating. So if the teacher from Harrison (from FFN) is right about parents not being there when their kids are, it's no wonder they're depressed.

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Jennifer Brozak

As a mother, wife and recovering English teacher, Jennifer Brozak is passionate about all things parenting and education. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and St. Vincent College, Jennifer writes features for the IN Community magazine network and shares her daily escapades on her blog, One Committed Mama.

Today's families are busier than ever. In many families, both parents work outside of the home while trying to maintain some semblance of organization inside the home. And parents aren't the only ones with packed schedules; on a given night, kids are routinely being shuttled to sports practices, music and dance lessons and a host of other after-school activities. With so much going on, it's easy to get wrapped up in handling life's day-to-day challenges and lose sight of spending quality time with your child. While you may feel like there are never enough hours in the day to get things done, not spending enough quality time with your child can have detrimental effects on his bond with you, his well being and his school success.

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It's no secret that communicating with your children is important. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the simple art of listening to your child is one of the most basic, but most effective, ways to prevent your child from engaging in risky behavior. Moreover, reports from the Office of National Drug Control Strategy indicate that strong family bonds can prevent children from developing drug problems. Whether he's 2 or 12, if you feel that you're not spending enough one-on-one time bonding with your child, try enhancing the time that you do have by simply talking and listening to him when you're cooking, eating dinner, shopping or driving.

According to research reported on familyfacts.org, the children of parents who are frequently absent throughout the day -- such as when they wake up, come home from school, eat dinner and go to bed -- are more likely to feel emotionally distressed than their peers. In addition, familyfacts.org reports that there is a strong correlation between parental involvement and a child's self-esteem and "internal controls," which points to a child's ability to regulate his emotions. In other words, involved parents equate to happier kids.

Spending quality time with your child not only impacts his emotional and social well-being, but also can impact his long-term academic success. Not surprisingly, children whose parents are involved in their daily lives tend to perform better academically than their counterparts. They are more likely to graduate or earn a GED. Why? Because parents who spend time with their children tend to read to their children more when they're young, help them more with their homework and have higher academic expectations -- all of which influence a child's desire and ability to succeed in school.

Not spending enough time with your child can lead to a multitude of detrimental behavioral problems. For instance, according to research reported on familyfacts.org, children who do not have strong bonds with their parents are more likely to become involved in risky, antisocial behaviors, including aggression and delinquency, unsafe sexual relationships and teen pregnancy and tobacco and illegal drug use. Many of these behaviors can be prevented through the simple act of spending time with your child.

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How Not Spending Time With Your Child Affects Them

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Today's families are busier than ever. In many families, both parents work outside of the home while trying to maintain some semblance of organization inside the home. And parents aren't the only ones with packed schedules; on a given night, kids are routinely being shuttled to sports practices, music and dance lessons and a host of...

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"Now it seems that no one's home and that both parents work just to make ends meet., often holding down 2 or 3 jobs. Many of the kids at Harrison are on their own from an early age. ...(kids) leave school in the afternoon and go straight to work,..." (pg. 79) Some parents have no choice but to be working nearly all hours of the day. Kids get home and are raising themselves and their younger siblings. And if the parents aren't working, their kids are. All of this means that parents aren't spending time with their kids and are therefore not instiling in them the morals and love that they need.

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Nothing But TV and Sleep (No Family Time

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Nothing But TV and Sleep (No Family Time

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"Outside of school, the typical American child spends more time watching television than doing any other activity except sleeping." (pg. 46)That means little to no family time, not playing or imagining as much, not interacting as much.

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"They study the fantasy lives of young children, then apply the findings in advertisements and product designs." (pg. 44) It's sick how they observe kids and target them so directly.

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"The aim of most children's advertising is straightforward: get kids to nag their parents and nag them well." (pg. 43) Kids are being encouraged and taught to nag their parents by fast food companies. If kids are constantly nagging their parents, this surely puts a wall between them.

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"Hoping that nostalgic childhood memories of a brand will lead to a lifetime of purchases, companies now plan "cradle-to-grave" advertising strategies." (pg. 43)