Perhaps it's my surroundings that make me take a double take. There is no Internet here. No cell phone coverage and the TV, despite the satellite dish on the roof, only gets turned on for the 9 o'clock news. Rather than their usual pursuits of reaching the next level in some Lord of the Rings video game or Wii Fit, my kids are climbing trees. Literally.

I read it again. Obviously it's a typo. How could a child spend an average of 11 hours a day on some sort of media? I'm tempted to write to Maclean's and point out their mistake. But I have no immediate access to e-mail. (Pen and paper? I don't think so.)

When I get home- where my laptop is perpetually on and wirelessly connected to the highspeed Internet, and I don't have to just wonder whether or not Maclean's has misspoken- I go to the source. I Google the report mentioned in the article. It wasn't a typo. According to Corus Entertainment- owners of YTV- kids spend an average of almost 11 hours a day lapping up media.

Seven to 12 year olds are spending more than 50 hours a week taking in TV, movies, video games and Internet. The rest of the time is made up with radio, music and cell phones. This isn't just a summertime phenomena. It's an 'average' week. If it were a job, there'd be protests.

Why does Corus do this research?

To see how best to market to our little darlings. So that we can hear lines like, "Why don't we ever have Dunkaroos? Everyone else gets them." Or, "Let's go to McDonalds." Or "Why can't we go to Disney World?"

In Corus' own words, "Television is a powerful influential tool because it is the No. 1 source of information for kids to learn about cool products and brands."

We're building consumers. (It's good for the economy right?) I admit to being lax about how much time my kids spend in front of a media source on a summer's day. Particularly a rainy summer's day. In fact I've been known to suggest it. "Mo-o-o-m what should I doooooo?"

"Why don't you go watch a little TV?"

Yup, I've said that. TV is so â?¦.clean. So free of whining. And it doesn't demand that I participate in any way- unless I actually want to have a clue what it is they're watching.

It's me who packs my laptop for the car rides north. Me who makes sure that there are adequate stocks of DVDs in the car. Anything is better than a seven-hour game of 20 questions.

But you have to wonder just how a young brain is influenced by that much media. That many sources of advertising. Kids are multi-tasking. They can take in ads and influence- good and bad- from TV while reading magazines or having dinner (saves trying to have a conversation). They can surf and watch TV at the same time.

They can hear the constant messaging that they should get up and grab a bag of Doritos, Oreos, Skittles, Twix, Cokeâ?¦..( I wonder why there's an obesity issue?)

One study found that 53 per cent of kids had no rules around the content or the time spent on TV, video and Internet games. And those that do, are pretty lax about enforcing them. Makes you wonder why they bother rating games and movies in the first place. Our TV will be on more than usual this week. The Olympics are on. Sponsored in part by McDonalds and Coke. Athletics and junk food. Nice association.