Television – weemagine

Kicking it Old School: Challenging Your Kids to Be Screen-Free

On October 21, 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced new recommendations for media use. Here are few old school ways to help cope with reduced screen time while not sacrificing the “break” media provides.

On October 21, 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced new recommendations for media use. Here is the quick and dirty:

For children younger than 18 months, the AAP recommends avoiding use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming, and watch it with their children to help them understand what they’re seeing.
For children ages 2 to 5 years, the AAP recommends limiting screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
For children ages 6 and older, the AAP recommends placing consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.

In conjunction with HealthyChildren.org, the AAP also created a Family Media Use Plan Tool, that allows parents to come up with a healthy diet of media depending on their age.

While these recommendations are a highly-anticipated update to the stringent media use recommendations of the past, if you are anything like me, they are scary. Sometimes plopping my kids in front of the television or electronic device provides a well-needed respite after a long day at work, or a chance to use the bathroom or take a shower without my kids constantly asking me what I’m doing or what I plan on making for dinner. The thing is, although my husband and I set limits on screen use in our house, I always feel guilty watching my kids zone out in front of a screen instead of engaging in the world around them. No matter how educational I tell myself the program is. Here are few old school ways to help cope with reduced screen time while not sacrificing the “break” media provides:

1. Solitary Toys and Screen-less Electronics

Did you know they still sell Rubiks Cubes? While its popularity was a little ahead of my time, I still remember my older brother losing hours trying to figure out that little cube. A few years ago, my eldest received one as a gift and despite the inevitable frustration, he loved it. Solitary toys like the Rubick’s Cube are often a great way to engage an active mind. While my youngest isn’t quite as interested in solving the cube, he loves Magna Doodles and Etch-A-Sketch which also allow him to work independently and still engage his mind. Our kids also enjoy toys like Simon and Flash Pads which are electronic but screenless. Both are puzzle games and boost memory skills. We regularly pack these toys for long car rides or for appointments when waiting quietly is an expectation. The funny thing is, they are so rare, they usually attract a hoard of kids around them who would rather play with the old school toys than their own iPads!

2. Coloring/Activity Books

The great thing about coloring and activity books is that you can really find them anywhere and to match any budget. Before a long car ride, I load up on a few from Target, my local grocery store or chain pharmacy but you can load up at places like the Dollar Tree for even less. My kids really enjoy Highlights Hidden Pictures, Look and Find Books or Where’s Waldo which give them a chance to work towards a goal. You can find more academic geared activity books at Barnes and Noble. B&N also has drawing books which are great alternatives to coloring books for older kids. Crosswords and Sudoko for Kids are also great if your kid is up for a challenge. I usually find those at my local grocery store in the magazine isle or check out line.

We also have a 4-drawer plastic storage cabinent in our kitchen, that I purchased for $15 at Target, that I try to keep fully stocked with crayons, markers and construction paper. I’m a little ashamed of how many times my husband and I have said “go draw something” but you’d be surprised at how well it works. They love drawing. They even created a comic book together. If you’re kids need a little more direction, give them an assignment (e.g., a picture of Grandma or a snowball fight). I call a wall in our house the “Art Gallery” and regularly display their work to show my pride.

3. Books and Journaling

A few summers ago, I read Baratunde Thurston’s book “How to Be Black.” While I enjoyed many aspects of the book, one take-away was his amazing mother’s commitment to encouraging his education outside of school. She would take him on trips and give him independent reading and writing assignments. Totally taking a cue from Baratunde (my kids will thank him one day), I regularly assign my kids reading and writing assignments. This summer, my nine year old read Wonder by R.J. Palacio and The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate and had to write weekly essays on themes and reactions to the book. I made sure to listen to them on audio so I could engage with him about the books, but I also found awesome questions on google prepared by other teachers and parents (I believe Ivan also had discussion questions at the end of the book). If I needed some “me” time or had to get something done, I would just ask him to go to his room or sit at the table and work on a prepared assignment.

With my six year old, it wasn’t quite as easy. He is at the age where he still works better collaboratively so independent assignments tend to tire him out. For him, I assigned short reading assignments (thanks, Google) or created mini-scenarios and asked him to write reactions to them. For example, the assignment would ask him how he would help a friend who was being picked on by other members of his class or require him to create a list of things he would do to prepare for his new baby brother. These short assignments were less taxing on him but still allowed him to work independently.

4. Scavenger Hunts

I work from home a great deal. While I try to get the majority of my work done while my kids are sleeping or at school, sometimes they are wide awake and ready to be entertained. When I know they are going to be at home and I know I may be distracted for a block of time, I coordinate a scavenger hunt throughout the house. I hide toys and household items in safe places, compile a list of the items and give it to them to find. When they were smaller, I confined them to one room but as they have gotten older, I spread things out throughout the house (leaving a few places – like Mom and Dad’s room – off limits). If you’re like me, just don’t forget to make a mental note of where you hid things. I learned that lesson the hard way.

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About The Author

Faye McCray is an attorney by day and writer all the time. Her work has been featured on My Brown Baby, AfroPunk, AfroNews, For Harriet, Madame Noire, Black Girl Nerds, Black and Married with Kids, and other popular publications. Faye also has a number of short stories and a full length novel available for purchase on Amazon. Most importantly, Faye is a proud wife and mother to three beautiful and talented young boys who she is fiercely passionate about raising. You can find Faye on Twitter @fayewrites and on the web at fayemccray.com.

Activism through the Arts: Meet Veteran Actor Tim Reid

As a 90’s kid, I can’t look at Tim Reid without thinking of him as the dad from Sister, Sister. However, after getting a peek into his remarkable life on a recent episode of TV One’s Unsung Hollywood, I had to learn more! Tim Reid is an actor, producer and director whose career has spanned over four decades. His integrity shines through his work. Here are a few facts about his life:

1. He overcame a tumultuous childhood.

Timothy Isabel Jr. was born on December 19, 1944 in Norfolk, Virginia. He was named after his mother’s fiancee who was a soldier in World War II. In 1948, his mother married a man who became abusive and would frequently beat her in front of Reid. His mother feared for his safety, so she sent him to live with his aunt who ran a brothel. Reid would provide entertainment for the patrons by dancing for nickels. In 1953, Reid went to live with his maternal grandmother back in Virginia who sold alcohol illegally and ran an unlicensed boardinghouse.

2. He worked for Martin Luther King, Jr.

After falling in with a bad crowd, Reid went to live with his biological father, William Lee Reid. While living with his father, he was recruited as a bodyguard for Martin Luther King, Jr. He credits Dr. King with changing his life. He became involved with the Civil Rights Movement, straightened up his life, and graduated high school. He enrolled in Norfolk State University in 1963. That same year, he also attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He later became President of the Student Chapter of the NAACP at his university.

3. His entertainment career started unexpectedly.

In 1968, after graduating Norfolk State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business/Marketing, he went to work for DuPont, a well-known chemical company, as a marketing representative. He was the first Black person recruited by the company from a Historically Black College or University. While at Dupont, he met a white insurance agent named Tom Dreesen while working for an outreach program in local schools about the ills of drug use. Reid and Dressen’s presentations were so well-received, the men formed a comedy team and toured nightclubs with their act called “Tim and Tom.” It is believed to be the first interracial comedy duo in the United States. “Tim and Tom” toured together for about six years before they each decided to move on to other projects.

4. He worked on the Richard Pryor Show.

In 1977, Reid was cast in Richard Pryor’s 10-episode sketch comedy series called the Richard Pryor Show. Reid and Pryor related over their similar background of poverty and abuse. Interestingly, they both spent portions of their childhood in brothels. Reid cites the show as being a strange experience that broadened his views on the possibilities of artistic creativity. In that short time he was able to work with young comedy legends like Richard Pryor, Paul Mooney, John Witherspoon and Robin Williams.

5. He fought against stereotyping in his iconic role on WKRP in Cincinnati.

In 1978, Reid was able to land the role of Venus Flytrap, an energetic disc jockey, on WKRP in Cincinnati. Upon his initial audition, Reid recognized the character as a stereotype with little substance. He actively fought against this and argued that he should be allowed to control his character. The director eventually agreed and Reid was able to not only act as he saw fit, but also write several episodes in the series. In one episode he co-wrote called “Venus and the Man,” he encouraged a gang member to leave street life behind and return to high school. Several teachers’ organizations lauded the episode. Scenes from the episode were remade in comic book form and featured in Scholastic magazine.

6. He frequently collaborates with his wife, Daphne Maxwell Reid.

Reid married model and actress, Daphne Maxwell Reid on December 4, 1982. Mrs. Reid was the first Black woman named Homecoming Queen at Northwestern University and the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Glamour magazine. She has appeared in several television shows and movies, but her most famous role was as Vivian Banks (the Second Aunt Viv) on the 90’s television classic, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The duo started appearing in shows together as early as WKRP in Cincinnati. When Mr. Reid became a regular on the television series Simon & Simon, playing Lieutenant Marcel “Downtown” Brown, Mrs. Reid was cast as his girlfriend, a television reporter named Temple Hill.

7. He executive produced and starred in Frank’s Place, a critically acclaimed television show in the 80s.

In 1988, after a brief hiatus from acting, Reid executive produced and starred in Frank’s Place, a comedy-drama set in New Orleans. The show chronicled the life of Frank Parrish (Reid), an African American professor at Brown University who inherits a restaurant in New Orleans. The show lasted 22 episodes and was critically acclaimed. He received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series. TV Guide ranked Frank’s Place number 3 on it’s 2013 list of shows canceled too soon.

8. Long before Tyler Perry, Reid opened his own film studio.

In 1996, while working on the television series, Sister, Sister, Reid and his wife started New Millennium Studios in Petersburg, VA. The facility was a 14,850 square foot studio that resides on almost 60 acres. At their studio, which was sold in 2015, the Reids created 14 documentaries and several television shows and films were shot there, including parts of Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed film, Lincoln. Though the Reid’s sold their studio in 2015, they continue to create in smaller spaces and mentor others in the film making industry.

9. Legacy Media Institute is Tim Reid’s way of giving back.

In 2011, Reid formed Legacy Media Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to educating young filmmakers and artists on the entertainment business. Prior to selling his studio, he would invite young artists attending Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, and other local universities to use the facilities of New Millennium Studios. After selling the studio, his wife commented that the Reid’s would continue to work to ensure the students would have access to the equipment and space they needed to continue to learn and grow.

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Information attained from:

Leah Small, “Movie making couple Tim and Daphne Reid sell New Millennium Studios”, Published on Jan. 7, 2016, http://www.progress-index.com/news/20150507/movie-making-couple-tim-and-daphne-reid-sell-new-millennium-studios

Michael B. Kassel, Museum of Broadcast Communications, Reid, Reid “U.S. Actor/Producer”, http://www.museum.tv/eotv/reidtim.htm

Tim Reid’s Biography, http://www.simon-and-simon.info/laurasappreciation/timreid.HTM

Michigan Chronicle,”Tim Reid and Daphne Maxwell Reid, a talented and enduring couple”, http://michronicleonline.com/2014/12/03/tim-reid-and-daphne-maxwell-reid-a-talented-and-enduring-couple/

The Richard Pryor Show, http://www.tv.com/shows/the-richard-pryor-show/

Tim Reid Productions Inc., http://www.timreidproductions.com/biography.htm

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About The Author

Rick McCray is a married father of three amazing sons. He is also a proud graduate of Duke University where he holds a BA in History and African/African American History, and Howard University School of Law. He is also a regular commentator on the In The Black podcast. Rick is passionate about our history and helping to educate our community concerning the great contributions of people of color to the world. You can find Rick on Twitter @RealRickMcCray.

Saturday Morning Cartoons Just Got Way Cooler

Here are 7 shows that will take your kids around the world and back in your living room!

Representation in kids television is often just as hard as finding representation in kids books. However, with the demands are modern lives, it is difficult to avoid turning to the television on a rainy day or when you just need fifteen minutes to take a shower. Here are 7 shows that will take your kids around the world and back in your living room!

1. Bino and Fino

Bino and Fino is a cartoon aimed at three to five year olds, about a brother and sister who live with their grandparents in an unnamed African city.

“I said I’m not going do African folk tales, animals — that’s what you get in (animated movie) ‘Madagascar’ — we don’t want to do that,” Creator Adamu Waziri said to CNN.

“We want to show a couple of kids in a middle class life, which I know isn’t the reality of all the kids in Africa, but let’s show that reality — the reality of people using laptops, phones, going to school, doing their daily business — no talking ants, no dancing ‘jinga jinga’ music — just a cartoon of life.”

2. Chhota Bheem

According to Wikipedia, Chhota Bheem is “an Indian animated comedy-adventure series. First premiered in 2008 on Pogo TV, it focuses on adventures of a boy named Bheem and his friends in the fictional kingdom of Dholakpur. In this series Bheem and his friends are usually involved in protecting Raja (Hindi for King) Indravarma of Dholakpur to save the kingdom from various evil forces. Sometimes they are seen helping other kingdoms as well. It is one of the most popular animated series for children of India.”

Full episodes are available on YouTube! The show is in Hindi but as with most kids shows, I found my kids were engaged by the exciting animation and the universally awesome theme song (seriously, listen to it once and you will be singing it for the rest of the day).

3. Burka Avenger

According to Wikipedia, “Burka Avenger is set in the fictional town of Halwapur in northern Pakistan. It features a superheroine who wears a burka as a disguise to conceal her identity while fighting villains. Her alter ego is Jiya, an “inspirational teacher”at an all-girls’ school. Jiya fights corrupt politicians and vengeful mercenaries who attempt to shut down girls’ schools, using “Takht Kabadi”, a martial art that involves throwing books and pens. Together with children ‘Ashu’, ‘Immu’ and ‘Mooli’, the Burka Avenger fights the evil magician ‘Baba Bandook’, his henchmen and corrupt politician ‘Vadero Pajero’.”

This awesome show is in Urdu but has English subtitles.

4. Sara Solves It

Sara Solves It was a “musical animated series on Amazon Prime that follows 9-year-old whiz kid Sara and younger brother Sam as they solve mysteries in their apartment building, at school, and beyond — employing math, music, and creative thinking.”

The good news is mini-episodes are available on YouTube. The bad news, the show didn’t get picked up. The bright side: if your kids are anything like ours, if they like something, they can watch the same thing over and over… and over again.

5. Maya and Miguel

According to Wikipedia, “[t]he show chronicles the adventures, and sometimes misadventures, of fraternal twins Maya and Miguel Santos and features their family, friends and a diverse neighborhood. This show centers on Maya’s well-intentioned meddling in her family and friends’ lives, ultimately creating new quandaries to fix. Their mother is from Mexico, and their father is from Puerto Rico. The underlying message is the importance of doing good for the family and community, and the philosophy that shared happiness is greater than personal gain. The show presents a positive, culturally rich portrayal of Latino family, language and cultures. In some markets, each episode ends with Maya announcing, “Here’s what some of our friends are up to,” introducing clips of children engaging and interacting in ways consistent with the show’s themes. Maya concludes episodes by exhorting viewers to “visit your local library like ‘Maya & Miguel.'”

Episodes and games featuring Maya and Miguel are available on PBS Kids.

6. Home Adventures with Tip and Oh

My 9 year old says its “funny, cool and happy (like never really sad, unlike the movie).”

There you have it.

7. Project Mc2

If your kids are a little older, Netflix pulls another win with this diverse all girl team!

According to Wikipedia, “the series revolves around the fields of STEAM and the adventures of McKeyla McAlister and her friends, who work for an organization called NOV8 (pronounced “innovate”), a highly secretive group of female operatives that are trying to protect the world.”

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