“Our 1.3 million members…can all agree that there needs to be some level of responsibility on the entertainment industry to help ensure that their children are not constantly assaulted by sex, violence and profanity on television and in other media.”
So starts a press release on the Parents Television Council site. Today was my first visit to the PTC site. From the press release, I navigated to the Family Guide to TV. The Council rates television shows on a sliding green-yellow-red scale: green shows are appropriate for children of all ages, yellow shows have age limits for children, and red shows are appropriate for adults only. I actually like this rating system. I think it’s probably very helpful for parents who have questions about a TV show.
What irks me, however, is that the PTC is putting pressure on television shows to monitor what they put on television, and if it doesn’t live up to the PTC’s expectations, they call on advertisers to pull support. Yes, it’s true that there is (and should be) some regulation of what goes on television, but where does the parents’ responsibility fit into all of this? It’s the parents who are at home with the kids. It’s the parents who should be the primary monitors of television and computer use.
There are several ways that parents can combat the television. The first is to not introduce the television at all. I have worked as a nanny for several families who would rather their children not watch television. And there are a number of positives to this, in addition to avoiding mature shows:
–Increased playtime with the child. Parents and caretakers have more face-face-face time. The TV doesn’t get used as a surrogate sitter. Children also avoid boredom, which creeps up when they’ve had too much time in front of the TV.
–Children get the chance to explore their interests and talents. They draw, dance, act. In essence, they use and expand their imaginations.
–They find other forms of entertainment—reading, crossword puzzles, museums, play areas.
Another option is to limit a child’s TV time, either through a time limit or show discrimination. When I was growing up, my brother and I were allowed to watch a TV for a pre-determined amount of time (I can’t remember how much we got), and my mother always knew what we were watching.
And of course, there is always the option to discuss with children what they see on the television. It’s not necessarily witnessing the sex, violence or drug use that can directly affect the child; it’s the fact that they don’t know how to separate what they see on television from real life.
According to this anti-drug website, kids whose parents clearly communicate and enforce rules about drugs are less likely to try them. Other studies have shown that kids whose parents have discussed sex with them are more likely to abstain longer from sex, use protection when they do engage in sex and less likely to have a teenage pregnancy.
While I know that some parents will argue that numerous studies out there that prove that what kids what on television and in the movies affect their behavior. While I don’t doubt that there may be some truth there, it all boils down to the fact that parents need to take more responsibility for what their children watch; they need to deal with and respond to the questions their children ask; and they need to get their kids involved in other positive activities that take attention away from the television.
There are always going to be shows out there that are deemed “too mature.” It’s not the station or the advertiser’s responsibility to make sure your child doesn’t see the sex, violence or drugs. That’s why there’s an off button on your remote.
