Saving Childhood

Michael and Diane Medved, Ph.D. wrote a book, Saving Childhood, an exploration of the multiple factors that can destroy childhood, robbing us of the most precious and amazing times of our lives. The point of the book is to examine the following:

1. Contributing factors to this assault on childhood that come from the media, in the schools, by peers and by parents.
2. Saving Childhood also to offers a defensive path that is intended to maintain the sense of security, wonder and optimism that are the trademarks of childhood.
3. Not only an effective work of social discourse, Saving Childhood offers choices to clinicians, parents, teachers, and others in how to address the problems of childhood that our kids face. Ultimately, it is hoped that the course of destruction can be stemmed and reversed for the children of our nation.

Michael Medved is known for his work on television as a movie reviewer on PBS, for his guest appearances on shows such as Rush Limbaugh and has written seven books. His wife, Diane Medved is a clinical psychologist in Seattle, Washington who has a track record of writing significant child and family values books. Their obvious intent is to utilize not only their base of knowledge but their position in the public eye to bring attention to this very intense and important range of issues facing our children.

The main theme of the book is what is implied in the title. Saving Childhood is about just that. In response to what is perceived as one of the greatest threats to our social structure, one that is based on a healthy childhood developing healthy productive adults. The threat is very real, to the Medveds. Multiple sources are identified as being the principal criminals in the theft of childhood: The media - which promotes all forms of non-childlike behavior to children including drug and alcohol use, violence, sexual behaviors, body image problems, and massive consumerism. Perhaps the strongest negative influence on children identified in the book is that of the media. Two full chapters are devoted to the influence that the media (i.e. commercial business) exerts over children and the shameless extent to which it goes to extract money from the children and their families. It is the very pervasiveness of the media which makes it so capable of affecting our children. In the words of the authors, "the media's assault on innocence is ubiquitous and comes on several fronts ".