Parents Control What Their Children Watch On Television

Parents Control What Their Children Watch On Television. Television violence is an issue that's troubled parents and educators for almost as long as the medium has existed. The basic questions of how much violence is harmful to a child's impressionable mind, and how much exposure to violence actually begets violence by children in real life, has been argued for decades.

Massive efforts to either give television programs ratings or curtail the amount of violence and other "adult" subject matter have made great inroads in making both broadcast and cable television safer for children.

"Parents should use warnings and ratings at their discretion"

Television ratings are meant to serve as guidelines to what parents should allow their children to watch. They should not be taken as objective evaluations of a given program's material or social redeeming importance. Parents should also remain aware that some violence is necessary to depict a greater educational lesson. For example, a movie about World War II is almost certain to contain some violence that is nevertheless necessary for purposes of historical accuracy. Just the same, there are instances where too much viewing of television violence has allowed that violence to cross over into the real world.

"How much is too much?"

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry warns that too much violence witnessed within the make believe of television can create problems for children in distinguishing what is acceptable social behavior and what is not. Symptoms of this desensitization include an emotional numbness to acts of violence around them and a decreased sense of self-restraint. Children may also come to identify with the victims or victimizers witnessed on violent television programs and act accordingly. In some cases children may even act out the violence they watch. Studies show that children who watch too much violent television are more prone to lash out or become involved in physical confrontations at school.

"Policing your children's viewing habits"

The two most effective mans of reducing children's exposure to violent television are simple: limit the amount of television they watch, and monitor what they're watching. Parents can also explain to children how television violence is frequently unrealistic in its situations and results. Children should understand that violence is often used a means of creating suspense or indicating where audience sympathies should focus. Parents also have the prerogative to turn a program off if they feel the violence has become too graphic, too sensational, or too gratuitous in its occurrence or presentation.
by: Michael Kabel