| How Television and Movies Present Violence That Impacts our Children - A Mom's Message
When it comes to entertaining ourselves and our children we are bombarded with choices. The good news is that for the most part, when it comes to television and movies we can turn the choices on or off. As parents we want to protect our children and families. We are responsible for setting the standards. If we don't want our children to repeat "bad words" or use "bad behavior." it will be easier if we aren't the ones using the bad words or displaying the bad behaviors for them to copy.
When my son was small, about 5 years old, the Teenage Mutant Turtles were introduced to television. I noticed that if he watched them, he started to copy kicks and moves he saw on the program. In school I noticed more of the behaviors with other children. This is when started to pay attention to the fact that children like to copy what they see. I started to worry about what was on television.
I called cable stations first and asked questions about how to produce and air positive non-violent programming and most of the programming directors were very encouraging. The majority of television stations explained that televsion stations are licensed and that to keep their licenses the requirements about providing educational programming were not yet in my favor, but stations still want good programming. So many stations told me that if I created and produced the programming they would air it. KID's TV was launched. First on cable television, then through independent stations.
My concern and horror now is that we are seeing the result of twenty years of extreme violence on television, in the movies, and in video games. We are seeing the results of this violence in our schools and we are seeing the tragedies when we turn on the news. Our children, now many of whom are adults, have been desensitized to extreme violence. Video games feature characters that bounce back to life after being shot down, or wiped out in some other violent manner. I wonder how many children believe that if you shoot someone, they will bounce back., they won't die and be gone forever ?
It's time to bring back Romper Room and Mr Green Jeans and Captain Kangaroo. Let's take strong actions now so that our children don't continue believing that everything is violent and that violence is normal. Domestic violence is at a scary level.
Let's work on a campaign to stop crime against kids for let's provide more wholesome entertainment for our children and families.
Lori Wilk, MBA is a motivational speaker, author, program and event producer. She hosts "Successipes" at http://www.success-talk.com about success in business and living. If you enjoyed this article click on http://www.loriwilkarticles.com or http://www.stopcrimeagainstkids.com. Lori is the creator of KIDS TV, the NEA endorsed program which aired to 18 million homes daily in 100 US markets. c.2007 Lori Wilk. All rights reserved. You may reprint this article if you do not alter it and you give the author name recognition.
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