by Rena Sherwood

Created on: February 19, 2008

Modern parents don't have a choice as to whether to raise their kids with the television on or off. Since television is everywhere (even in some of the most incredibly remote places in the world), your kid won't be able to avoid television. If they aren't allowed to watch it at home, then they will see it at a friend's, at school, on the Internet, from walking by shop windows or even in a lot of waiting rooms.

Keeping your child away from television entirely only leads to resentment on the part of the child. You're going to have enough friction already between you and your kids do you really need to make life any harder for yourself? Let them watch television and save yourself the hassle.

Everything in moderation, however. You will know your child best. There are some incredibly mature and mellow kids that can watch incredibly violent program and it doesn't affect them negatively at all. Then, there are some teenagers who cry buckets whenever a prey animal is killed by a predator on Animal Planet. Pay paying attention to your child, you will know when he or she is ready for what level of programming.

One way you can do this is by watching television with your child. You can then talk about the show you just watched. Ask them point blank what they thought about what particular detail in the show to see if either they paid attention, couldn't care less or were disturbed by what they saw. You might be surprised at the answer, such as "Man, that was a boring show!"

There is nothing inherently evil about television or television programming. There is no great conspiracy to brainwash the next generation into either becoming homicidal maniacs or passive zombies. Yes, there are advertisements galore on television, but kids soon learn to tune them out. What might really alarm you, they never even noticed.

Television is a tool, like fire. It can be used for good or for bad. Don't fear the tool just because you read of some scary item in the news linking a television show with real world violence. Do you go on a homicidal rampage after seeing a murder on TV? No? Well, then, the chances are really good that your kid won't kill anybody, either, just because he saw someone do it on TV.

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