Every spring school children across America bring home notices about the upcoming Dove Family Film festivals. For approximately six weeks, selected movies are shown for free to children 12 and under and for only $2 for adults. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see some age appropriate family movies without denting the family budget.
However the Dove Foundation, who sponsors the film festivals, does so much more than offer free movies. The Foundation is a non-profit organization established to promote and support the creation, production and distribution of wholesome family entertainment. The Foundation, which doesn’t operate under commercial pressures, awards a blue and white Dove Seal to any movie or video that is rated "family-friendly" by its film review board. The review board is made up of parents who have been trained to evaluate each film or video based upon Judeo-Christian ethics. To date they have approved over 3,000 videos and movies.
That amount of R-rated movies that have been released since 1968 is staggering. Of all films released since then, 60% have been rated-R. Parents are fervently seeking high quality, wholesome entertainment options for their families. They don’t want their children exposed to all the unnecessary sex, violence and anti-family values that runs rampant at the movie theaters and on their own DVDs. Now, because of the Dove Foundation, there is a reliable indicator to identify movies that are safe for family viewing. The Dove Seal makes it easy for customers to recognize titles that are safe for family viewing.
In addition to the film festivals and the review board, the Foundation also has a Children's Hospital Dove Movie Channel. The goal of this channel is to provide Dove-approved movies to hospitalized children. Day-time television is loaded with soap-operas and talk shows which are not geared toward the younger audiences. This Hospital Movie Channel is free to hospitals and provides a welcomed break for kids who have nothing to do all day long between treatments, therapies and surgeries.
Steve Allen, comedian, author, composer and former "Tonight Show" host says it best, "There is no doubt that our entire culture is experiencing a moral breakdown. People can get more family-friendly movies on film and television by supporting the Dove Foundation."
Don’t forget to look for the blue and white Dove Seal of approval while browsing the video stores! Also, if you’re interested in reviewing the Dove evaluations for a particular movie, visit http://www.dove.org.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
The Family that Plays (Games) Together
Depending on how old your children are, you’re either going to get a response of "Yippee" or one of "That is so stupid, I don’t want to play" when you announce the inception of game night in your house. Make it non-optional, but make it fun! It will be worthwhile and will create a bond you would have never imagined.
Plan aside one night a week where everyone will be home. If you don’t have one night where everyone will be there, you have a bigger issue and you need to juggle some things around so you have at the very least one night where the entire family is home.
Providing Mom or Dad’s back and knees can handle it, set up a blanket on the floor. This needs to be fun, not something the kids dread. Set up themes to play a game. Perhaps choose a Hawaiian theme. Have pineapples and things like that, everyone wears leis. Hey, even Sponge Bob lives in a pineapple under the sea!
Ok, so back to the theme. Each person needs to bring to the blanket an idea about the theme. For example, each person could talk about what they know or ask any questions they may have about Hawaii. (Or Sponge Bob trivia!)
The game itself doesn’t necessarily have to relate to the theme; just the atmosphere and conversation. You could be playing Yatzee, Life, Clue, Sorry, Chutes and Ladders, Don’t Spill the Beans, Uno, Texas Hold ‘Em, it doesn’t matter which game you’re playing. You could incorporate your theme into various intervals throughout the game. Every time someone lands on a yellow square everyone must take a bite of pineapple. Spin a ten and all must eat a macadamia nut! If you select the Go to Jail card, it’s your turn to do the Hula!
At the end of each game night, talk about next week’s theme. Family members can take turns choosing the theme and the accompanying snacks and décor. If it’s too much for one person to coordinate or if children are younger, these tasks can be delegated. Your three year old can decide she wants a clown theme complete with balloons and everyone will wear clown make-up. Your 7th grader made opt for an art theme and paint or draw the decorations.
This doesn’t have to be an expensive night at all. You can pick up new games at thrift stores and garage sales for $1.00. Most decorations you may already have around the house or can be picked up at the same places you’re getting second hand games or even the dollar store. Make it fun. Your children won’t remember and thank you for all the hours you put in a work, but they will always cherish the family time together. The family that plays together stays together.
Plan aside one night a week where everyone will be home. If you don’t have one night where everyone will be there, you have a bigger issue and you need to juggle some things around so you have at the very least one night where the entire family is home.
Providing Mom or Dad’s back and knees can handle it, set up a blanket on the floor. This needs to be fun, not something the kids dread. Set up themes to play a game. Perhaps choose a Hawaiian theme. Have pineapples and things like that, everyone wears leis. Hey, even Sponge Bob lives in a pineapple under the sea!
Ok, so back to the theme. Each person needs to bring to the blanket an idea about the theme. For example, each person could talk about what they know or ask any questions they may have about Hawaii. (Or Sponge Bob trivia!)
The game itself doesn’t necessarily have to relate to the theme; just the atmosphere and conversation. You could be playing Yatzee, Life, Clue, Sorry, Chutes and Ladders, Don’t Spill the Beans, Uno, Texas Hold ‘Em, it doesn’t matter which game you’re playing. You could incorporate your theme into various intervals throughout the game. Every time someone lands on a yellow square everyone must take a bite of pineapple. Spin a ten and all must eat a macadamia nut! If you select the Go to Jail card, it’s your turn to do the Hula!
At the end of each game night, talk about next week’s theme. Family members can take turns choosing the theme and the accompanying snacks and décor. If it’s too much for one person to coordinate or if children are younger, these tasks can be delegated. Your three year old can decide she wants a clown theme complete with balloons and everyone will wear clown make-up. Your 7th grader made opt for an art theme and paint or draw the decorations.
This doesn’t have to be an expensive night at all. You can pick up new games at thrift stores and garage sales for $1.00. Most decorations you may already have around the house or can be picked up at the same places you’re getting second hand games or even the dollar store. Make it fun. Your children won’t remember and thank you for all the hours you put in a work, but they will always cherish the family time together. The family that plays together stays together.
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