by Tammy Sandeen

Created on: October 04, 2009

Can television be a bad thing? Of course. But anything can be over done, spoiled by a rotten apple or two, and turned into something that should be kept at a distance. If the parent does what good parents do, they will know when to turn the station.

There is some great programming out there for growing minds. The Discovery channels offer tons of topics that teach while the family enjoys the program. From cartoons that teach about the digestive system to history lessons that are used in schools.

There are stations just for preschool children that use music, colors, and fun people to teach manners, life lessons, and school skills. They add sign language, disability tolerance, and even different country's ways. These things are not always taught in classrooms.

So why are so many parents and doctors afraid the television will corrupt the young? Because it can and does. If children are left to flip through what ever is on and allowed to watch what they please then yes, they can be lead into dangerous situations. They cannot stumble onto adult situations if there is an adult around to see what the children are watching.

If you do not like what you child is reading then give them a different book. If the music is not a match for your values then change the station. If you do not want your child to see certain shows, turn off the television.

Another parental concern is too much of even good television. If your child is sitting still all day, do something to get them moving. Go to a park, a beach, or for a walk. As the parent is in your power to remove the child's bottom from the couch, and it is not even that hard. Find out what will get them moving and do it. Make it more fun to move then to sit still.

There is not anything wrong with parents limiting or eliminating television anymore then doing the same for sugary foods, meat, or the teen hoodlum from down the way. However, it must be done knowing they will find these things at some point and they will need to have been given the tools to handle them.

It is important to teach them the why behind your choices. Give them guidance into what is acceptable if they choose to watch TV. Your moral values are not going to magically carry down to them. Give them the tools and then they may learn the path, but expect some experimenting in to some of the forbidden world of Saturday morning cartoons and sugar cereal.

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