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Girls Gone Wild: Young Women Celebrities as Role Models? |
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From the Editors of Common Sense Media
July 24, 2007
Role models, anyone? Lindsay Lohan was arrested for drugs and alcohol once again -- weeks after her release from rehab. Britney is still on the party circuit after her stint in rehab. Nicole
Richie awaits her DUI trial and we all know Paris has been in and out of jail lately. Our kids are growing up with these stars and celebutantes as role models. Their antics are strewn across magazines, blogs, and the evening news. But what kids may not know is that these media role models can have a profound effect on their own behavior and expectations. So what can parents say to kids who look up to them?
Check out our talking tips:
- Point out all of the places that kids see drinking -- ads, movies, TV shows, celebrity news. Tell them that these appearances are all designed to get them to drink.
- Let kids know what's at stake -- that the age many kids say they first try alcohol is 12.8 and that 47 percent of kids who start drinking before age 14 become alcoholics within 10 years.
- We already know how advertising impacts drinking among teens -- so why should we underestimate the influence of today's celebutantes? Talk to your kids about the influence of their peers and media personalities. Click here for tips on using media to teach teens.
For more parent tips on kids and media, visit Common Sense Media.