Most parents wouldn €™t think twice about forbidding their 10-year-old to attend an R-rated movie, full of explicit sex and violence. Yet with one punch of the TV remote control, your child can watch explicit sex, violence and worse, and sometimes that €™s just the commercials. Entertainment is readily available to kids. Whether logging on to the Internet, turning on the television or reading a comic magazine, many images are branded into a child €™s mind both negative and positive. Must parents hover over their youngster in an attempt to preserve the child €™s innocence? Is there a happy medium between €œover-controlling €� and €œanything goes €�?

Background Information

Video Game Ratings Explained
Ratings are helpful tools for parents who want to make informed buying decisions.

How Violent Media Affects the Brain
New research cements a link between violent video games and increased levels of violence in teens

The Power of the Media
It's hard to deny that music and visual images have tremendous sticking power. But do those lingering sensations really make a difference?

When Life Imitates Art
We need to be very careful about what we allow ourselves to watch and listen to. Examples of others who didn't make wise choices are numerous, and some of them are frightening.

Children and Television
If parents don't know what their children watch on TV, it may come back to haunt them.

Questions and Answers

I'm troubled by some of the CDs showing up in our home. How do we set a music standard for our 13-year-old daughter?
Answer

What are the long-term consequences when children watch violent and sexual content on television?
Answer

What is your opinion of video games?
Answer

Stories

It Matters What They Watch
Steven slaughtered Xbox villains, watched R-rated movies and surfed endless channels on television. Trouble is, lax boundaries steered him down a destructive path.

If you've been through an experience related to this topic, we invite you to share your story with others.
Share Your Story

Other Things to Consider

Do What I Do
Children learn by watching us live our lives. It is all the more reason to live honorably.

Transitions: Having a Baby, Preparing for Adolescence

Life Pressures: Working Moms, Stay-At-Home Moms, Time for Family

Relationships: Parents and Adult Children, Blended Families

Life Applications

Exercising Parental Control
Tips for guiding your child through the video game maze.

Spotting Game Addiction
How can you tell when you're child's become addicted to video games?

Exerting Influence Over Your Family's Media Choices
Active parents are often the best defense against wrong media choices.

The Television Time Warp
If you've got more to do than you have hours in the day, it might be time to turn off the television.

Suggestions for Taming the Tube
Parents hold the key to moderating their children's entertainment.

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