Counter the Effects of Media Violence on Children

Despite the fact that their own ratings systems found				complains of his lack of a brain, the Cowardly Lion
the				discusses his lack of bravery, or the Tin Man wishes
material appropriate only for adults, the motion picture,				he had
music, and video game industries practice "pervasive				a heart, your child learns what intelligence, bravery,
and				and
aggressive marketing" of violent movies, music, and				love are, and why they're so important. Dorothy
electronic games to children. - Federal Trade				tirelessly
Commission				tries to find her way home, and in doing so surrounds
finding regarding child entertainmentThe values				herself with new friends who work together to
depicted on TV and movie screens are a far cry				overcome
from the				their weaknesses and harness their strengths. Even
values you want your children exposed to in their				though
formative				your child is engrossed in the story, the concepts of
years. For example, the average American child will				family, courage, cooperation, home, and love are
have				made
watched 100,000 acts of televised violence, including				clear.When you look at the values presented in
8,000				the media, it becomes clear that positive character
depictions of murder, by the time he or she finishes				traits
the				are poorly defined for children. What one child learns
sixth grade. In a typical American home, the TV set is				about bravery and loyalty from watching two bank
on				robbers in
for over seven hours each day, and the average child				a kid movie is much different than what another child
spends				learns
more time watching that TV than they do in school, or				about bravery and loyalty through reading about or
doing				watching
any other activity besides sleeping. And, while your				Winnie the Pooh helping a friend out of a jam.As
children are glued to the tube watching so-called child				parents, combating the negative influence of media by
entertainment, they will see between 1,000 and 2,000
television ads promoting alcohol every year.It's				filtering the content to which our children are exposed
difficult to control parental outrage in the midst of that				-
kind of media influence. How do you teach your child				such as looking at a movie rental review - may not be
the
concepts and character traits that translate into better				enough. Even if our children are an exception to the
				national average - over six hours of daily exposure to
learning habits at school, better behavior at home, and				the
better citizenship in the world? How do you define				media - it's safe to assume that their peers have
loyalty				internalized negative media messages and will
to a five-year-old? How to you teach a four-year-old				influence our
about				children. To counteract negative media and peer
bravery and respect? And how do you explain				influences,
love?These aren't simple words that can be taught to				we must take charge of our children's character
your child				education.
by rote. They're complex concepts that your child				That's not easy, given that our active lives and hectic
needs to				schedules leave little time for reviewing and selecting
know, understand, and adopt at an early age if they're				appropriate reading and viewing material for our
to				children.Still, you should do what you can to guide
succeed in life.The key to teaching children				your family toward materials that reinforce values that
sophisticated character traits - such as courage,				you
loyalty,				hold dear. Evaluate the content of each children's
justice, respect, hope, honesty and love - is				book,
character-based education. The heart of				television show, and movie rental review for positive
character-based				and
education is guiding your children toward TV shows,				negative examples of the following ten traits:
kid				self-discipline, compassion, responsibility, friendship,
movie, and books that reflect positive values. While				work, courage, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, and
you				faith.
may not be able to give your child the words that				Also, look for negative behavioral influences, such as
explain				violence, profanity, nudity, sexual content, scary
diversity, you can exert and control parental influence				elements,
by				and the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Then,
giving him or her any Winnie the Pooh book, which				make your
demonstrates that theme in ways a child can easily				selections according to the messages that each book,
understand. Pooh Bear also interprets the concept of
family				television show, or movie sends your children.Brent
and the value of friendship.Thomas the Tank				Sitton is the founder of
Engine teaches lessons about cooperation, sharing,				DiscoveryJourney
and the				has a variety of tools available to parents to help
value of hard work. Your child may not realize that				counter the effects
they're				of media violence. Discovery Journey
being taught a lesson while reading about or watching				has compiled a Kid Movies
Thomas and his friends, but by the end of the book or				list containing violence-free children's movies.
TV				Each
show, they will have learned a complex concept - and				movie rental review includes a listing of positive
been				character traits
entertained in the process.For older readers, The				and a listing of negative behaviors, along with a
Wizard of Oz follows a similar theme. When the				Character Score that
Scarecrow				helps parents select appropriate child entertainment.

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Counter the Effects of Media Violence on Children