Time for a call out. I make it a habit to be encouraging on this blog. But I felt the antithesis of encouraged after watching the following commercial.
~~~ The commercial conjures up these words instead: Materialism. Entitlement. Isolation. Disconnect from parents. ~ Painful? Lame you say? So young blue-eyed blonde boy, a lame parent it makes to sing on key, enthusiastic together about something other than a sweet ride, guilty of…what, harmonizing? We didn’t even see your parents. Not a face, nothing but a few wisps of hair. ~ I realize I’m interpreting 400 level lessons from a car commercial meant to incite laughter, a jovial guffaw at what families having to live without a built-in entertainment systems might possibly have to endure, but that’s how I roll. I cringe every time this commercial comes on. Why? Because I’d rather be in the car jamming with my folks than thinking I’m better than the rest of the world. ~ What’s your reaction to this commercial?
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This isn't just our country and I have to say that's sick.
ReplyDeleteI love that song and They did a pretty good job. If the kid had joined in they might have switched to another one.
We have the DVD but I'll turn it off and we'll rock to some oldies or newer ones. A favorite that gets the van (yes, minivan) rockin is I gotta feelin' by Black Eyed Peas.
Great post!
Sat at breakfast in a restaurant yesterday and noticed a young couple eating while their child watched one of those little TV's. I thought it was the saddest sight all day. The three of them might as well of sat at different tables. I must be old fashioned. I don't even turn on the radio in the car. Drives my kids wild but some days it's my one shot at long conversations without their chance to escape.
ReplyDeleteWow. That commercial gives me a bad feeling in my stomach. It's weird how advertisers (and the general public) find that sort of thing humorous.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen that commercial before but yeah, I've seen similar ones that have made me shake my head.
ReplyDeleteI also don't like it when people encourage their kids to bring their electronic games and phones with them out to dinner instead of talking to their parents. No wonder teenagers don't talk to their parents. Grr...
I'd much rather be jamming with my kids for sure, but I was disappointed not to see the jamming parents trying to include their child.
ReplyDeletePoor little blonde guy doesn't know what he's missing, sadly!
oh wow (that's what i said after watching)
ReplyDeleteamen and amen to what you have to say. we're a plugged in culture, aren't we?
thanks for this post, Wendy! Glad to be reading your thoughts again:)
-Mel
That is a sad, sad commercial. Unfortunately, it's not the first I've seen like it. I struggle with worrying about the culture that surrounds our kids. Short of living in a cave--or maybe with the Amish (maybe not a bad idea)--it seems we can't escape it. I continue to pray and try to instill good values in my kids. Teach them what's truly important. I hope I'm getting through...
ReplyDeleteHeidi C.
First time I ever saw it, I was watching TV with my kids...and they laughed at the kid with the singing parents and said "Those parents are just like you and dad...we thought it was only you guys!!" Made me happy that they saw us in the kinda-crazy, much-too-happy-to-be-together, come-on-and-sing-with-us parents...rather than the alternative. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad statement when a car company thinks that buying a vehicle because it will enable our children to disconnect from us is what we want.
ReplyDeleteIn our family, we listened to our daughter belt out show tunes from the back seat for years. She's in college now, and although I used to tire of her repertoire at times, I'd love to hear her break out in song these days. =)
I'm not fond of that type of commercial either. One of these days I'm going to go off-grid! :-)
ReplyDeleteI cringe at this entire line of commercials and I want to take that kid to a soup kitchen or homeless shelter or community food shelf for a little while.
ReplyDeleteWhich is silly, because he's an actor doing what he's told...but still.
I thought it was bad too. The funny thing is, the other car is pretty nice too compared with some of the junkers people have to drive. This commercial is especially lacking in humility with the state of the current economy.
ReplyDeleteI saw this commercial this weekend, and I'm in total agreement. We have a van with a DVD player in it, and we only turn it on on long trips (like - 12 hour trips) and we don't use headsets.
ReplyDeleteI feel so sad when I see families out together but all plugged into their own thing. Smart phones, ipods, DSi.... I don't think those things are bad. But there's a time and place for them, and when you're with the family it's not the right time.
The time you have together as a family is so fleeting. Every moment we have bonding today is a stronger bond we have in the future.
I have the same reaction as you do and for the record, my kids notice the same disrespectful attitude of cute, curly haired kid. Dare I go one step further and say I don't even like those flip down tvs in the car (unless for long trips.) Yes, they're convenient, and help "tame" kids, but don't we have enough disconnect with our kids? When we homeschooled my kids "studied" in the car or listened to music. Yes, there are more arguments and sibling nit-picking without the electronic distractions, but it's a great way to teach your children about getting along, especially when you have a captive audience. Okay, I'll get off my soap box now!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100% on all of your points.
ReplyDeleteGive me a Smucker's commerical anytime.
When I saw this commercial, all I could think about is what I did as a kid traveling in vehicles since we didn't have to wear a seatbelt. I don't mind TV in the car, but only for long trips.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I have so many things I could say. But I won't. I'll just say I'm not a fan of the commericial.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter always says, "see? we should have bought the car with the entertainment system!" When she sees this commercial. (Is this the one where they sing, just call me Angel? I didn't click on it.) BTW, I LOVE that song, lol so I always sing along. Why my daughter wouldn't want to hear me sing is beyond me. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank You!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were toddlers and suddenly all our friends were buying DVD players for their cars I vowed I never EVER would do it.
I spent so many hours sitting in the back of cars driving for hours and hours when I was a child. This is what I remember:
-interacting with my family members
-using my imagination
-being bored (and being forced to use my imagination)
-being spontaneous, including breaking out in cheezy songs
Todays kids are missing so much by being constantly entertained.
Wendy:
ReplyDeleteI haven't liked that commercial either. I first thought "How dare that (blond)boy carry on about how another family lives. I am in the midst of working on a newsletter to families and caregivers of children of incarcerated parents,so I don't care for anything that reminds others of what they don't have or can't have. We drive an '07 Pontiac Grand Prix sedan. It has a CD player. We bought it almost three months ago. We are happy without all the bells an whistles of the fancier cars. Oh, did I mention we are retired? Where we live is considered an economically depressed area for about a decade now. I REALLY don't like that commercial.
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ReplyDeleteProud lame parent here :) but we always sing rounds of "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain!"
ReplyDeleteHere's my reaction. This is all the more reason not to get a new car. I'm hanging on to my beater until it dies!
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy -
ReplyDeleteI don't like commercials with precocious children, who think they know more than their parents. Children are NOT miniature adults. They need to be trained up properly.
Get the idea I have strong feelings on the subject?
Blessings,
Susan
I was pretty bugged by the commerical as well when I saw it the first time. Nothing about teaching our kids or any responsiblity or courage as parents. Just buy this car and your kids will think your cool. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteI agree. They're horrible. They're telling kids to be ashamed of their square parents and meager means and old stuff. They're pitting kids against parents to buy more stuff. More stuff! More stuff!!
ReplyDeleteBecause this is what is wrong with our country, I do not think it will be wrong for much longer. I do not comprehend the patience of our God.
ReplyDelete"Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty ..." ~Ezekiel 16:49-50