In a world where children have been babysat by the television set, it is becoming more important to ensure that parents keep up with the media experience of their offspring. Wii, Playstations and satellite television are fast becoming the purveyors of morality to the average child. It is of no use to explain the dangers of exposure to parents who themselves are unable to grasp the nature of the virtual world and the impact on the mind of a child. Young children are still discovering themselves and the world around them. The veil between reality and fantasy is a delicate web when a child is young. In the mind of a child, an imaginary friend is real. Their personalities are shaped by what they hear and see and their morality is deeply entrenched in the formative years. If they are bombarded with images of violence, benign to the adult mind, how will they perceive violence in reality? Seeing violent images in movies or computer games and then seeing the same images on a news channel, how does the young mind differentiate between reality and fantasy? They rely on the guidance of their guardians.

However, many parents do not have the time or perhaps the inclination to assess these representations prior to their children viewing them. All families are different. What is suitable viewing for some families, may not be for others. I recently watched Madagascar 2, a thoroughly entertaining film, but found myself wondering whether many of the issues incorporated into the movie would be understood or whether they would be suitable for children of all ages? And yet this movie is a family movie. One could argue that the "adult" content would go straight over a child's head, but I beg to differ. A giraffe and a hippo falling love? A zebra finding his herd, but still wanting to be seen as an individual? These are lessons steeped in social commentary and yet the film creators will have you believe that parents will see these issues as fun for the whole family. Will parents not be obliged to unpack these issues with their children in an attempt for their offspring to see differences as superficial and the desire to cut your own path while remaining true to their ancestral heritage as vital social lessons? The onus falls on the parent to be aware of these issues and be prepared for the resulting discussions with young, inquiring minds. A parent needs only to watch a few films to discover that although they are entertainment, they raise important issues that while some may say children are too young to understand them, the seed has been planted. The veil between reality and fantasy is blurred when social commentary is so obviously portayed on the silver screen.

As long as adults make movies for children, our social and moral agendas will shine through the fantasy. We expose our children to lessons and opinions as we see them, even when thinly disguised as family entertainment. Is it then not only our responsibilty, but our duty to ensure that we follow through in the development of the minds and moral growth of our children, that we don't leave them with merely the message, but the understanding of that message? The world of children's entertainment may be geared towards a young audience, but the underlying social commentary may be an element parents need to take cogniscence of if they wish to nurture the moral and social development of their children.

Tags & Keywords : children's entertainment, family movies