Media Overdose
Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends that physicians ask patients about the amount of media they “consume” on a daily basis? It’s an established fact now, based on endless studies, that our children are effected by what they watch, the multimedia games they play and the sheer amount of time they spend in front of TV and PC screens. There are even recognizable syndromes that doctors begin to see among children who are “over-exposed”.
Parents can’t be expected to supervise and control what their children see or hear via the media 24/7. But setting up some rules, communicating openly about what is and is not acceptable and using available tools to monitor and guide children can help create a safe environment. I recommend a book by Brent and Phelecia Hatch called Raising a G-Rated Family in an X-Rated World. The book is not so much about blocking kids from accessing what is out there but is about raising kids with discipline, respect and core values to help them control what comes into their lives and make the right choices. Integrating such a perspective into your family life will give you more peace of mind than feeling that you always have to run along side them to filter out what they should not see. It’s about empowering them to handle it themselves — and everyone will feel better in such an environment.