Necessity of Implementing Advertising Literacy Programs in Preschool Curricula in Debt-Ridden Greecechool Curricula in Debt-Ridden Greece

Abstract

This research is framed by the principles of liberating education, according to which education is political and members of the community have the opportunity to change themselves through critical consciousness. In this context, we explore childhood consumerism in debt-ridden Greece based on nationwide quantitative research conducted through questionnaires. The sample was 320 parents of kindergarten students attending private and public kindergartens of Greece, stratified by income. According to the results, advertisements affect not only children but also the parents and the family as a whole. The results demonstrate the need and desire of parents that preschoolers develop resistance to marketing techniques. We propose teaching resistance to children and their families by including advertising literacy, a branch of media education, in pre-school education curricula. This implementation will help develop students’ critical thinking skills, empower adults, transform society, and reinforce democracy for a fairer childhood.