Our kids are living in a different world than we are, that’s for sure, and TV has always been a big influence on modern culture. Now, of course, kids are watching programs online, too. What strikes us as one of the biggest changes from what we as kids saw on TV to today, is how people look. Sometime in the mid-1990s, celebrities on TV started looking more “perfect”. Before that, even with professional hair and makeup (and some plastic surgery), TV personalities looked better than most, yet they still looked like people.
Now, with the advent of teeth whitening, veneers, hair extensions, tanning, Botox, more plastic surgery, professional trainers and other services, many celebrities almost look like a different species than the rest of us. Think about it – one of the only times you’ll see a senior citizen on TV who hasn’t had “touchups” is on the news when a non-celebrity is interviewed! It presents a skewed idea of what people look like as they age.
How will all of this affect what our children expect to look like as they age? And how does it affect what they expect from us? Are they waiting for all middle-aged moms to look like the ladies on Desperate Housewives? Not that we didn’t have images on TV to try and aspire to, it’s just that now the standards seems so much more pervasive, and less attainable, for kids and adults alike.
How important to you is it to always try and look your best? How influenced are you by what you see of celebrities? How do you navigate appearance expectations with your kids and help them feel confident in their own appearance, whether or not they look like a celebrity? Which celebrities do you feel are good role models for kids, pertaining to this subject?
