Erectile Dysfunction Ads during the NBC NEWS...CAN THEY STOP DOING THIS!

[Anonymous]

It is beyond awkward to be watching this with my 7 & 10 year old sons to have them ask me what CIALIS is for. It's just inappropriate and bizarre. I hate this. I want them to watch the national news as we eat dinner--why do we have to be subjected to this ad? Who do I complain to? I mean officially...anyone ever done this? Because i'm going to start an email campaign on this. Seriously. I'm no prude--but I don't want to explain erections to my kids at 7:00PM. Please.

[Anonymous]

TV during dinner???

[Anonymous]

I would just tell them that it is medicine for adults.

Also, I would rethink watching television while eating dinner but you didn't ask about that...

[Anonymous]

Oh, I also wanted to add that I am guessing that the target audience for this medicine is the demographic the news is trying to appeal to...I doubt they chose their advertising for 7 and 10 year old viewers.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you could watch the news on hulu instead? This way the commercials will be different and targeted differently. Unfortunately I think that the mainstream evening news' main target audience is older and thus the targeted ads. I would guess you could complain to the FCC? http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

[Anonymous]

Since we are talking, stupid ads -

How about the Sleep Train ad with the naked couples in bed. I had to do the, "some people don't wear shirts to bed" talk with my five year old. Personally, I just think it's on WAY too often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TV during dinner???

My 10 year old interested in the science stories and following the events in Japan. I don't let them watch local news--to sensaional and graphic. I grew up watching Cronkite while my family ate dinner--we discussed world events--it sparked conversation.

[Anonymous]

Now you know how dads feel when feminine hygiene commercials come on. I'm much more comfortable telling my boys what Cialis is. That conversation would be funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now you know how dads feel when feminine hygiene commercials come on. I'm much more comfortable telling my boys what Cialis is. That conversation would be funny.

Would be? See. You aren't there yet. I thought I would be soooo casual about this stuff. You just wait. It's just all wrong because why do you want to plant the thought in your boys mind that he might not be able to perform sexually. How will you explain why this is a problem. Why would you even want to have explain how troubling that is for a man. What if your son asks if you've ever not been able to perform? Will you tell yes, but only with mommy? Yeah? Still sounds so funny? Gonna explain to him about Mr. Softie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now you know how dads feel when feminine hygiene commercials come on. I'm much more comfortable telling my boys what Cialis is. That conversation would be funny.

Would be? See. You aren't there yet. I thought I would be soooo casual about this stuff. You just wait. It's just all wrong because why do you want to plant the thought in your boys mind that he might not be able to perform sexually. How will you explain why this is a problem. Why would you even want to have explain how troubling that is for a man. What if your son asks if you've ever not been able to perform? Will you tell yes, but only with mommy? Yeah? Still sounds so funny? Gonna explain to him about Mr. Softie?

It's medicine for adults. Don't make things all complicated.

[Anonymous]

You know what's even worse? Finding boxes of Cialis samples at your parent's house.

I don't like those type of commercials before 9pm. I think they are inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

Ok, when I saw Mr. Softie in bold I thought the conversation had moved to soft serve ice cream... Apparently, I am not there yet, either PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TV during dinner???

My 10 year old interested in the science stories and following the events in Japan. I don't let them watch local news--to sensaional and graphic. I grew up watching Cronkite while my family ate dinner--we discussed world events--it sparked conversation.

OP, I don't mean this in a snarky way, but if your kids are hearing about the tragedy in Japan and all of the other things going on in the world, what's wrong with a little talk of ED (in an age appropriate way, IF they even ask about it)?

Of course, with my son's hands constantly in his pants, "penis" talk is nothing new in our house, so maybe I am an outlier.

[Anonymous]

"Sometimes grown men have a problem with their penis." That's all you have to say. A penis is just a body part. If you make it an issue, then your kids will have issues.

[Anonymous]

OP, I have a 9 year old boy, and he has started bringing up penis related questions.

It was very awkward but I did just treat the questions as matter of factly as possible.

The commericals for ED can be annoying, but there's no reason they should be embarassing. Imagine if it was a commercial for acne medicine. "Mom, what's acne?" "It's this condition some people get on their skin...." Not embarassing. You are just talking about normal body parts.

I know it may be awkward but the more matter of fact you can be about these things, the better for your boys. I always keep in mind that one of my goals for my kids is for them NEVER to hear anything on the school bus that they haven't already heard (correctly) from me or their dad.

To the poster asking, what will you do if your child asks you if you have never been able to "perform" -- I'd say that's a personal question. but yes, it certainly happens. It can happen for instance if a man is tired, or has had too much alcohol to drink.