http://www.supershowrooms.com/my-childrens-children/
How many of us really follow the ratings? How many of us let children see movies or television shows rated for older children or even adults? How about the news? Even more, should we even rate conversations? Finally, what does all this have to do with “letting children be children?”
It is amazing that in most surveys parents will limit movies or television when the content has violence. What most parents don’t realize is that there are more sexual connotations, adult humor and political implications today than ever before. The news is not only narrated now as in the past, but is also filled with visual images.
Most children have problems conceptualizing and understanding the information that is presented to them. The topic of violence is easy to understand. We have research that supports the negative effect of violence through television, movies, game boy, x-box and the internet. It simply desensitizes children to violence by promoting it or accepting it as a means of resolving conflict. We rarely see compromises, mediations or negotiations. Children need to learn to defend themselves, stand up for their rights and their beliefs. As parents we need to teach children the difference between being aggressive and being assertive. Assertive children are less prone to be victims, are more popular and have higher self-esteem.
The content of television, movies and adult conversations extends to terrorism, politics and sex. When young children were exposed to the attacks of 9-11 over and over in the news, for them it was a recurring event, not a one-time incident. They fear that the Gulf War and the war in Iraq may happen in the United States. The concept of geographic distance is difficult for them to grasp. The terrorist threats shake their sense of security. Should we shelter our children from this news? Impossible. But, parents should sit with the children and discuss the implications, their fears and thoughts, help them make sense of this in a developmentally appropriate level.
Finally, let us talk about sex. Prime-time TV is filled with sex acts, references, innuendos and jokes. As Linda Coco wrote in her article Remote Control: “Television treats sex as a commodity; it is used to sell products; sex is casual, occurring commonly on the first date; sex is portrayed as synonymous with intimacy; and exciting sex happens only between unmarried people.” Are these the values we want to impart in our children? Moreover, love and commitment have been placed in the back.
Parents today need to be vigilant. The web and access to media and news exposes the world. We need to start screening what children are being exposed to. We need to talk to them according to their age, developmental level and comprehension capacity. Children need to be children. There is a time and place for everything. They will grow up and achieve independence. It is the process and route they will take to get that we need to guide and facilitate.
About the Author:
Mind Spectrum Institute located in North Miami Beach, Florida specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and ADD/ADHD in children and adults. It is a multidisciplinary treatment center that uses therapeutic interventions, included but not limited to psychotherapy, family and couples therapy, individual and play therapy, neurofeedback, biofeedback, psychiatric evaluation, and psychological and educational testing for accurate diagnosis. For more information about Mind Spectrum Institute, please call 305-936-8960 or visit Mind Spectrum Institute
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Rated G, Rated Pg, Pg-13 or R? Let Children be Children
Celine Dion My Heart Will Go On with lyrics Live World Children s Day 2002
