"In fact, my son learned his first swear word from E.T. at age five. The way I look at it, E.T. stole a bit of my son's childhood"

John Ratzenberger's quote talks to the power of media and how it can form a child's development. He is revealing his disappointment that his child learned his very first swear word from the movie E.T. at the young age of 5. Ratzenberger thinks that E.T. has taken away a part of his boy's childhood innocence by presenting him to a word he should not have actually heard at such a young age. He is most likely worried that his kid's exposure to this language could cause more issues down the line. Ratzenberger's quote acts as a suggestion to moms and dads to be conscious of the media their children are exposed to and to be knowledgeable about the potential repercussions. It is essential to monitor what children view and to be aware of the language they are exposed to, as it can have a lasting effect on their advancement.