EmpoweringParents.com

Grandparents in Lagos, Florida are fighting to keep their 6 year-old grand daughter Kimberly from being evicted from their retirement community.

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A Nielsen Co. reports kids are watching more television than ever and television viewing for children ages 2-11 is the highest since 1995.  Kids ages 6-11 watch 28 hours a week with about 4.5 hours on DVD.  And worse, kids age 2-5 are watching 32 hours—yes, that’s even more than the 6-11 year-olds, presumably because they’re not in school.

I’m not surprised about the Nielsen numbers.

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In the last week, we’ve witnessed the Balloon Boy saga, seen the Gosselins back in court, and heard that the Duggars had their first grandchild — and are expecting baby #19. Octomom has her own show, too, just in case you’ve forgotten about her.

I have to ask this question: would you allow your family to be filmed for a reality TV show? And why do you think so many parents are opting to create shows around their lives? According to the police, the Heene family put on the runaway balloon stunt in order to get their own reality show. By now everyone knows that they appeared on Wife Swap a couple times, and that they met in acting school in Hollywood. I’m not sure why this couple thought it was OK to pretend their son’s life was in peril in order to get publicity (who in their right mind would do something like that?) but  I do know that it seems like more people out there are hitching their wagon to the reality show star. I’m just not sure why it’s happening.

Liz Searle, author of Celebrities in Disgrace calls it “Attention Desiring Disorder” on her blog, and I think that’s a fitting description. It seems like people can’t get enough of fame in the form of T.V. time, in spite of what the camera reveals about their lives.

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I have just been inspired by Jon Gosselin.

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Last week, the first Internet Addiction Center in the U.S. opened in a Redmond, Washington, a Seattle suburb near the home of Microsoft’s headquarters. Called ReSTART, the residential treatment center helps kids and adults who are addicted to online gaming such as World of Warcraft, and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. While Internet addiction isn’t yet listed as a separate disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, it is thought of a true addiction in South Korea, China and parts of Europe.

According to Dr. Kimberly Young, a leading expert on Internet Addiction and the director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery in Bradford, Pa., the following are addiction warning signs:

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Last week, a man in Georgia slapped a 2-year-old girl who was crying in a suburban Atlanta Walmart. Apparently, 61-year-old Roger Stephens approached the child’s mother and said, “If you don’t shut her up, I’ll shut her up for you.” Then, according to reports, he slapped the toddler hard enough across the face (at least four times) to leave a red mark. Afterward he said, “See, I told you I would shut her up.”

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Over-parenting, over-praising and micro-managing your kids is suddenly out of fashion. What’s hip now? A revolutionary new idea: just letting them be. At least, that’s what a new article in the New York Times stated last week.

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Octomom just signed a book deal, a documentary deal and finalized plans for a line of diapers while seeking to trademark the word “Octomom”.

Sounds like she’s got it covered, right?

‘Cept Not!

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