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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Top Ten Things Not to Let Your Children Watch

The other week my son Ben was watching football with his dad on a Sunday afternoon. During the first commercial break I was horrified at what I saw when I actually paid attention to the commercials that were airing for my 5 year old to see! From movie previews to news reports I was surprised at the extent of the violence that was shown. We ended up changing the channel or turning the tv off during each break. It was a pain, but well worth it.

We are approaching the holidays, which means kids will have some time off from school. In my experience, that usually means more tv time! So here's something I came across from All Pro Dad that could be very helpful to you. Read over this list and commit to limiting what your child watches on tv every day.

Top Ten Things Not to Let Your Children Watch 
  1. Programming with Bad Language and Violence
    Children repeat things that they hear.  Shelter their ears.  They also mimic behavior they see.  Studies have shown that after watching violent programming, children behave more aggressively directly following.  TV-14 is there for a reason, be careful.
  2. Nudity and Sexual Content
    Protect their innocent little eyes from nudity and sexual content.  They are too young for it and do not have the maturity to handle it.  Also, you do not want to awaken sexual desires prematurely, it will open a whole load of issues to deal with as a parent.
  3. Graphic Scenes on Crime Dramas
    Crime dramas are very popular right now and many children enjoy them.  Some of the content is even educational.  However, shield their eyes from scenes that show the victim or other gruesome scenes with the victim if you still think they should watch the program.
  4. Television Versions of Higher Rated Films
    Just because a PG-13 or R rated film was edited for a television audience, it does not mean that is appropriate for a younger audience.  If the film was originally rated PG-13 or R, then the content is likely not appropriate for younger audiences.  Watch the opening of the movie to see what areas the higher rating was for such as violence or language.  And nowadays, you even have to be careful with PG ratings.
  5. Higher Rated Films Which You Yourself Have Not Seen
    Do not watch a film that you have never seen, with questionable material, with your child that is rated above their age.  Allowing the kids to watch just because it is more convenient for you is of poor taste.  
  6. Adult Cartoons
    Animated does not mean child friendly.  There are adult cartoons that are extremely inappropriate for child audiences.  These cartoons often contain bad language and sexual imagery.
  7. Glorifying Alcohol/Drug Use
    Alcohol and drugs can be presented to look very cool and fun without any attention given to their dangers.  Avoid positive representations of alcohol and drugs since children are easily influenced.  Also, explain to your children the risks and health dangers associated with the two.
  8. Too Many Commercials
    Television is saturated with commercials trying to sell you something.  During children’s programming, most of the commercials are targeted for children and feature toys.  Their purpose is to get the kids to beg their parents to buy the toy for them.  In turn, these commercials spur greediness and the desire for instant gratification.
  9. Inappropriate Music Videos
    The most popular songs of today offer at least a lyric or two that is inappropriate for younger audiences.  The music videos display even more, or perhaps you should say less because of the small amount of clothing usually any them.  Some music videos are fine, but again, just be aware of what your kids are watching.
  10. Too much News
    It is important that your children be aware of what is going on in the world.  Let them watch the news with you and discuss it with them.  However, monitor the news and its images; your children do not need to know everything and all of the details.  The news often contains violence and graphic images that can really upset them.

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