A Pro-Father Commercial?/Week 2c

One of my favorite childhood memories?
The day my dad brought home a big, brown paper sack that was moving and making noise. My brothers and I didn't know what to think, until I guessed it was a dog. But for some reason the words came out, "It's a duck!" I was probably about 5 at the time.

My dad brought home a puppy, totally unexpected. And he did it in a memorable way. I remember the feeling of that night better than I remember the dog itself.

Using fun to make family memories--those are the fifth and sixth strong family attributes I see in the at&t television commercial we've been discussing for the past two weeks. The TV spot pictures a dad who takes pictures of his daughter's stuffed monkey with his cell phone camera and sends them to his wife to share with his little girl.

She's delighted, of course, not just because seeing her monkey on a cell phone is fun, but because of the attention it represents. Her dad is saying, "Your so special that I'm taking time to include you in on my trip and having fun doing it." Here's a picture of a smart dad who creates fond memories that build a special relationship with his daughter.

It takes time and imagination and, at times, requires going out of your way. But making fun memories turns on a special light in the house. It adds to the security children feel in the home because of the well-being present. It makes life worth living.

The dad in the at&t commercial gets an immediate payback. When he returns home with his daughter's monkey, the girl runs past the stuffed animal in his hand and jumps in his arms for a warm hug.

A touching commercial with a strong pro-father, pro-family message delivered in the midst of the pitch. I'm sold!

A Pro-Father Commercial?/Week 2b

There's a fourth positive family attribute imbedded in the at&t commercial that we see little of in today's culture: A secure family unit.

There is so much in today's world that attacks families . Consider this short list:

• Divorce
• Child and spousal abuse
• Erosion of parental authority
• Exposure to violence in the media
• Lewd and lascivious influences in the culture
• Bullying

When we were rearing our children, some 20 years ago, the culture was still attempting to work with parents to protect kids. There was an anti-violence effort that stripped cartoons of violent acts. Today, cartoons are more violent than ever.

When our children were small, cable was just being introduced and network television still provided a wide variety of family viewing entertainment. And primetime actually meant family-friendly viewing. Not so today.

The Internet was non-existent back then. Now, parents have to be on guard not only against lewd content, but against predators that use the World Wide Web to search out victims.

The best protection against all these dangers is a secure family unit. That involves each of the three elements I've already discussed--a healthy relationship between a married man and woman, a division of roles that results in a secure home environment, and parents that value their children above self-interests.

Add to that an awareness of the dangerous world we live in and an intentionality about protecting kids from these threats. My wife and I sometimes felt we were being over-protective, checking up on our children's friends, calling parents who were hosting sleepovers, setting and enforcing curfews, and the like.

Talking with our grown children today, however, our caution helped teach them to be aware of the dangers around them. Our strict enforcement in a couple of situations allowed them to beg off a bad situation without having to carry the onus of "chickening out." They were disappointed at times, but relieved at other times when we were strict. And they always knew that they could call and ask for an early ride and that we would come immediately without question.

When two parents are actively involved in their children's lives, it creates an atmosphere of security that makes it possible for kids to be successful. How can children learn in school when they are afraid at home, or worried about their next meal, or in need of a new coat? Parents who provide a secure environment give their kids a leg up in a very rough world.

Are you listening, Dad?

A Pro-Father Commercial?/Week 2a

The third positive family attribute I see in the at&t television commercial is the value of children.

In the advertiser's toolbox, the at&t spot is considered a simple demonstration ad. The ad's primary purpose is to show that you can use camera phones to keep connected even when miles apart. That's not hard to do. What makes this at&t commercial especially effective is the way it weaves a heart tug into its demonstration.

The heart tug in this case is that soft spot we all (who are parents or grandparents) have for our children. There is a very strong value of children message in this commercial, and that resonates with many in America.

Here are the elements that for me point to the value of children in this commercial:

• The mother is a stay-at-home mom, an indication that as a couple this husband and wife consider child-rearing a priority.
• The relationship shown through hugs and interaction with the child illustrate parents that cherish and uplift their daughter.
• The willingness of the father to take time out of his travel work day to make his daughter's day brighter by sending her photos of her prized stuffed monkey.
• The parents work hard at undergirding their daughter's self-esteem. She's obviously an important person in their lives and in the life of the family unit.

In our self-absorbed society, the value of children isn't always apparent. In the highly visible entertainment sector, for instance, we see mothers who are more interested in partying late into the evening than caring for their children, we see children being adopted as a means of making a political statement, and we especially see couples who bounce from relationship to relationship regardless of the consequences to the children produced out of those unions.

So, it is refreshing to see a commercial that so winsomely depicts a traditional family unit, with parents working together to rear a happy and healthy child.