Protect Your Child from Violence on Television

Do you want to know if a certain television show or movie is appropriate for your children? We can find out online before we set the television channel or butter the popcorn.

Numerous studies have shown the negative effects that violence on television has had on our youth. There is a cause and effect relationship with television violence and a violent society.

The American Medical Society illustrates this with the similarities to other unhealthy habits. For example, if you smoke, the effects of cigarette smoke aren't immediately evident. It's not until years later that many smokers develop lung cancer and other health problems associated with smoking. Violence in television has the same grave effects on our children, and on our society as a whole.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the average child watches over 19 hours of television a week, and 81% of that time, it is unsupervised. By the time the average U.S. child starts elementary school he or she will have seen 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence on TV.

Children mimic the activities they see online. Children are confused when they are overexposed to violence on television. Research has found that girls who watched an above average amount of violence tended to throw things at their husbands later on in life. In addition, boys that grew up watching aggression and violence on television were more likely to be violent with their wives and children.

After the Columbine Shootings, many parents blamed these violent acts on the violence on television and in the news media. We may feel helpless, but there are ways we can prevent our children from mimicking the violence on television.

Here are a few ways to combat the violence our children view on television so the whole family can enjoy popcorn-friendly pictures.

Preview a Television Show

Watch an episode of the program your child watches so you can see the content they are watching and talk about it with them. Explain alternative ways to combat problems without violence.

Teach Your Child the Difference between Fiction and Reality

Teach your child that movies and television shows are fiction. Show them that scenes with violent acts are exaggerated for entertainment purposes. Talk about the show that the child watches, and ask them to create a positive way to deal with that story conflict--without the use of violence. Applaud them for finding pleasant solutions.

Show by Example

Make sure that the violence shown on television and movies do not occur within the home. Show them that the violence shown on television doesn't happen within the family circle. If the child is aware of violent acts in any family circle, ask them how they would find a positive way to resolve conflict without violence.

Banning Television

We can limit the amount of television a child watches, but we cannot close our child's eyes forever. Banning the child from television altogether may not be the best choice. Teach good judgment. This is the best way a child will be able to interpret what is fiction or inappropriate.

Refresh and Take a Break from Television

Reread these tips from time to time. Remind yourself that television violence has an effect on the mental health of everyone. Parents need a break too.

Get Television and Movie Reviews Online

Check out websites that monitor television shows and movies. These websites have up to date information to help you decide if these shows will be a great choice for your family. Try www.thetvboss.org, www.pluggedinonline.com, or www.usccb.org/movies. These are excellent online sources for parents who want to monitor television and movie viewing for their children.