Saturday mornings. Cold cereal and Scooby Doo. How many parents started
out our childhood weekends with this simple ritual? The trick was to
wake up early enough to see all of the Saturday morning cartoons because
after about 10 am, the children’s programming was over until Sunday
night’s Wonderful World of Disney show came on.
My kids also like to get up on Saturday morning and watch cartoons. And
on Sunday. And Monday… and Tuesday… You know the rest. While I had only
a couple of channels to choose from, my kids have access to 24 hour
children’s programming on several channels, compliments of cable
television. If you have a satellite dish, your children have access to
even more programming.
More is better, right? Well, not always. With this abundance of
television stations, we need to remember that not all television
programming is appropriate for all audiences.
There are many parents and grandparents who had the viewpoint that if it
was a cartoon show the kids were watching, it was ok. Cartoon violence?
Well, who hasn’t seen that coyote catch an anvil with his head for the
umpteenth time?
The fact of the matter is, when many parents were growing up, with our
limited television choices, a little cartoon violence didn’t seem to
make too much of a difference. Now our kids can choose to watch cartoon
violence 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And it isn’t just anvils
dropping out of the clear blue sky anymore. What kind of violence exists
in the cartoons our kids are watching? No, Scooby Doo doesn’t go into a
rabid rage and maul Shaggy when there are no more Scooby Snacks. But
kid’s shows have battles, fights, explosions and characters making
threats to injure or kill each other. And our kids are choosing to watch
this programming over and over again.
So how can we help our kids to make better choices? Most families are
unwilling to go cold turkey and give up all television programming,
although I give KUDOS to those that are brave enough to do it. You’ve
heard it before – limit what your kids are watching. But I’d like to add
one more piece of advice: teach your children how to choose programs
that are acceptable to you and your family’s values. This seems to be
the piece that is missing from most articles I read today on the issue
of television viewing and children.
How do we do this? As you know, most television shows now carry a rating
to give you an idea of the type of content (TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-G, TV-PG,
TV-14 and TV-MA). Content descriptors have also been added to this
system to give you additional information. These descriptors indicate
the presence of suggestive dialogue (D), sexual behavior (S), foul
language (L), or violence (V). These ratings can be used as a starting
point for determining if a television show is appropriate for your child
or family.
Be careful not to pick television shows based solely on the TV ratings
system. A recent study has shown inconsistency in ratings that
television networks place on their shows. Some do not use the additional
content descriptors (D, S, L and V) in their ratings at all. What this
means is that you may be watching a show rated TV-G and then you hear
some foul language. If the rating had indicated this with the “L”
description, at least you would have been prepared for it.
So what’s the best way to ensure that your kids are watching shows that
meet your standards? Well, parents, we are going to have to take some
time and actually pay attention to what is on the stations your kids are
watching! Yes, that means actually sitting down and enduring an episode
or two of an animated sponge or the latest teeny bopper life story.
You can also talk to other friends and family about what their kids
watch and why. Ask the parents if they have watched the shows their
children watch. You will be surprised at how many parents really don’t
pay that much attention to the content of their children’s viewing
choices. They have the attitude that if it is on XYZ Children’s Network,
then it must be fine. Even within the children’s networks, shows are
geared towards a specific audience. Do you really want your 6 year old
to watch a show that is a teen version of a soap opera?
Then – don’t skip this one - talk with your kids about the shows they
are watching. Discuss the content and if it is a show you are not going
to permit them to watch, explain your reasons. You do not have to defend
your choice, you are the parent after all, but just let them know why it
is inappropriate.
Limit the amount of television your children watch each day. The
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents limit a child's
use of TV, movies, and video and computer games to no more than 1 or 2
hours per day. This will also encourage them to make different choices
about their television activities. Do they really want to watch this
rerun for the 15th time or would they rather wait and watch something
new?
Take the time to teach your children how to make better choices with
their electronic entertainment. It’s a skill that they will carry with
them past the next Saturday morning.
Lisa Workman is the author of Tokens for TV: A Sensible Approach to
Balancing Television, Video Game and Computer Activities. For more
information email lisa@tvtokens.com
or visit her website at
www.tvtokens.com.
Lisa Workman has provided editing and business services for over 26
years. She has experience in the fields of education, computer software
training, health care, marketing, and public relations. In addition to
her editing and virtual assistant services, she currently teaches
computer skills at a local elementary school.
Dressing Girls For School
I have spoken to so many parents who tell me it is a monumental task to get
their younger daughters ready for school in the morning. Unless your daughter
has only one set of clothes to wear, she probably wants to change her outfit
three times before choosing the one she will "agree" to wear to school each day.
Here's how we solved the problem in our family...
3 Easy Ways To Make An Awesome Playroom
Are you irritated every time you walk past your kids playroom? Paper here, toys
there, the floor is strewn with stuff that you can't even guess what it is! Most
of us feel a whole lot better when things are organized. Is it natural to be
neat and tidy or is it a skill that must be learned? We'll let you worry about
that question but we'll give you a few simple ideas on how to make that playroom
fun again.
What should you expect at 6 weeks, 6 months or 1 year? We provide useful
milestones and developmental stages so that you can keep an eye on your
baby's development in the first year. Baby Stages
Ideas For Sharing Stories
With Children
This two-part article discusses the ways in which stories and
storytelling play an important role in children's lives. Techniques are
offered for using stories to help develop children's verbal skills and
imaginations. This is part one.
Who Owns The Problem; Parent or Child?
It is tempting for parents to assume ownership and responsibility for everything that goes on in the life of their child. However, when the parent jumps in too soon to solve the problem or give the answer, the child never learns to trust his own judgment and become a critical thinker.
Parenting - Making A Schedule This article on the benefits of scheduling your day as a parent
really struck home with me. It took me a while to work this out for
myself when I had young children at home, and I wish I had done so - and
benefited from the much calmer household that was the result - sooner!
