Did you know that your child is being targeted? That he or she is at great risk? And if you are in a middle-class, suburban neighborhood, your child may be particularly at risk. And unlike other threats like drugs or alcohol, this threat is hidden and many parents are unaware of it.

The threat to the emotional and spiritual well-being of every child is this: being the target of massive advertising campaigns geared towards children and the resultant materialism that it brings.

In her eye-opening book, Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture, author Juliet B. Schor gives some startling statistics, illustrations, and anecdotes about how children are being targeted by companies. Companies used to target moms to buy kids' products, but now the advertisers go straight to the children. And just as with adults, advertisers are going beyond extolling the product that they are trying to sell and instead appeal to emotional needs. Buy this toy and you won't be lonely anymore. Buy these clothes and other kids will like you. Young girls' clothes are sexualized even before middle school, contributing to pre-marital sex, eating disorders and even cosmetic surgery. "Cosmetic surgery has begun to reach down into childhood," and the "year between elementary and middle school is becoming a popular time for aesthetic enhancements of eyes, lips, chins, and ears." (p. 27)

At the front and center of these advertising campaigns is television, which kids watch today far more than in years past. But it goes beyond TV. "Companies enlist children to market to each other at school, in their rooms, on playgrounds, even inside their homes. Marketing to children is occurring almost everywhere--at market festivals, concerts, and public schools." (P.22) The typical first grader can recognize 200 brands.

"Psychologists have found that espousing these kinds of materialist values undermines well-being, leading people to be more depressed, anxious, less vital, and in worse physical health. Among youth, those who are more materialistic are more likely to engage in risky behaviors. In the light of these findings, the survey data are worrisome."

• 1/3 of childrem age 9-14 would rather spend time buying things than anything else
• More than 1/3 "really like kids that have special games or clothes"
• More than half agree that when you grow up, the more money that you have the happier that you will be
• 62 percent say that when they grow up, the only kind of job that they want is one that gets them a lot of money 

So, how should Christians respond?

1. Cut out the amount of television that our kids watch. Every family must decide this amount on their own. However, for us, and average of 1-2 hours per day is plenty.
2. Record TV and cut out the commercials. If your kids don't watch commercials, they won't see the ads which are designed to make them discontented and want to buy something!
3. Free up the schedule so that we have time and energy to spend with our kids. Studies show that parents that are too busy allow their kids to watch more TV and to buy more things out of guilt.
4. Find a way to share the good news that kids--and parents--don't have to buy a million things to be happy. In fact, God can free us from the bondage of materialism, the constant need to buy, upgrade, etc. 

Finding areas of brokenness of society and bringing healing and hope with the gospel is a fundamental task of the missional church. Let's begin to heal the brokenness of materialism in our families and then share this healing with the world.

Where have you seen advertising and materialism affect your children or other children? How can we respond to this in our families and as a church?