by Erin Weatherhogg

Created on: September 18, 2009   Last Updated: September 22, 2009

Two of my television-related guilty pleasures (along with Gossip Girl and The Girls Next Door) are South Park and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I often joke that I'm "way too old" at almost thirty to like this sort of show; I should've outgrown the offensive, often sex- or violence-inspired, humor by now. On the other hand, my eleven-year-old daughter and certainly my one-year-old son are way to young to enjoy, or even really understand, these same shows.

That is why they both air on cable networks after ten PM. That is the reason behind the development of today's television rating system. Even more importantly, that is why I set strict parental blocks within my cable box with which to monitor and control the types of programming my children are exposed to. Sheltering our children from inappropriate television material is not a responsibility that should be placed solely on the shoulders of entertainers or the media. Rather, it is a responsibility that should be shared between the two, provided that the larger part of it is placed with the parents.

When our children are born, we do not open the door of the labor and delivery room and usher them out with instructions to go along their merry way while we go off in the opposite direction. Why? Because children have curious and under-developed minds that need nurturing and guidance - from their parents. It is our job to teach our children right from wrong, how to take care of themselves both physically and emotionally, as well as to protect them from things their minds are not ready for yet, such as entertainment content that is too raunchy or mature for them. This is what we signed up for when we decided to start a family. We cannot then expect total strangers, such as the virtually nameless, often faceless entities behind the shows that we watch, to take over for us once that little red button is pushed. Moreover, it would be completely un-American (indeed, against the policies of any free country or region) to ban certain programs from television simply because they are inappropriate for children. Besides, our kids have to go to bed some time, don't they?

On the other hand, it takes a village to raise a child, and the town crier and the local bards are just as much a part of the village as anyone else. There are some basic guidelines to which I believe any responsible media outlet should adhere.

Imagine this: As you're doing the dishes at four in the afternoon, you suddenly realize that the voice coming from the TV

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>