Can Cops Be An Educational Show
“When you were eight
And you had bad traits
You go to school and you learn the golden rule
So why are you acting like a bloody fool
If you get hot you must get cool”
- Cops Theme Song
Hubby likes to watch Cops. I can’t stand it. It’s a few steps above Jerry Springer to me. Trashy crap.
Hubby was watching it tonight and our 11 year old was watching too, as he sometimes does. He laughs along with hubby at the moronic things criminals do. I was, as I usually do, thinking it probably wasn’t a good idea to let him watch a show with so much adult content and….trash.
Then I started wondering if maybe it’s a freakin’ brilliant idea to let him watch this show. He not only gets to witness what drug addicts, domestic abusers, stupid teenagers, drunks and other criminals look like, how they live and how they behave, but also the consequences of those actions. He also gets to hear what the police officers have to say about them, what they’re being charged with and possibly what they think will end up resulting from the arrest.
Maybe my son’s little sponge of a brain will take this all in and result in him coming to the conclusion that he doesn’t want to live like that or ever have to deal with those consequences.
What do you think?
Thanks for stopping by!
I agree – it just seems like Jerry Springer to me. I guess it’s for that reason I used to “sneak” and watch it. It was almost thrilling to see those people and how they lived. It probably won’t harm him, right!? I’m with you – at the very least he’ll realize he doesn’t want to be one of the culprits caught on the show!
funny how different perspectives kick in… i think on one hand you are right, but on the other hand, these people get to be on tv and it might normalize the whole experience and lifestyle…
i actually do point out to my son (who i think is the same age as your oldest) all the different jobs he could end up with if he does not work hard in school (which he doesn’t — it makes me crazy). at the same time, i do try to reinforce that SOMEONE has to do those jobs, i just hope it is not him
if we didn’t have all those criminals, lots of other people would not have jobs either. how’s that for a twisted outlook?
junkyard wars or myth busters is maybe a better bet than cops as far as male trash tv
maybe he will get inspired….
He’s such a “guy” he does watch those shows too and luckily hubby doesn’t watch Cops that often. That’s a good point about TV normalizing the whole lifestyle. I hope that he notices how different his life is from theirs, why they are in trouble, and not want that lifestyle. We too discuss why certain jobs are better than others and how they’re ok as part-time jobs when going to school but not something you’d want as a career.
Hey, now. We get a kick out of Cops here. We don’t see too many idiots like that here in the mellow ‘burbs. I love to see the jerks get busted when they deserve it, and we can’t believe how ridiculous they are. My kids have been educated to never want to be like those crooks on Cops.