Kids and the Media

Kids & Movies—

Watching movies, videos, and DVDs can be a fun activity in which kids and teenagers can use their imagination and fantasy. Moms & dads should, however, consider the following issues when planning to watch movies at a theater or at home:

• Younger kids may have trouble telling the difference between make-believe and reality. They can be upset when a parent figure dies in a movie or frightening things happen to kids.
• Viewing movies with sex, violence, drug abuse, adult themes, and offensive language can have a negative effect on kids and teenagers. Many movies are not appropriate for kids or teenagers.
• Some kids cannot tolerate the darkness of a movie theater, even with their moms & dads present.
• Older kids and teenagers may copy risky and possibly dangerous things they see in movies.
• Movies should not replace youngster-care or be left on as background noise.
• If moms & dads are unsure whether a movie is appropriate, they should view the movie in private before watching it as a family.
• Having a TV, VCR, or DVD player in kids and teenagers’ bedrooms encourages movie watching without adult supervision.
• Although going to a movie theater can be exciting, movies can create anxiety for kids with loud noises and frightening and upsetting scenes.

Tips and Recommendations for Moms & dads:

• All ages of kids should have their movie watching supervised by their moms & dads or adult caretakers.
• Check a movie’s Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating and read reviews before it is viewed. Movie reviews can be found online, and on AACAP’s website.
• Deciding when a teenager can go to a movie without parental supervision depends on the teenagers’ maturity and the friends going with your teenager.
• Discuss upsetting or frightening events seen in a movie.
• Moms & dads can and should be active participants in their kids and teenagers’ movie watching experiences.
• Turn the movie off or leave the theater if your youngster becomes upset or frightened.
• Use the same care and attention to a movie’s content when choosing a movie to watch at home for a youngster or teenager as you would a movie in the theater.

Watching movies together can be a rewarding experience. It can be an opportunity for your youngster to have fun with family and friends. If your youngster or teenager, however, develops strong and persistent emotional reactions or behavior from seeing a movie, then consider having your youngster evaluated by a qualified mental health professional.

Kids and TV Violence—

American kids watch an average of three to fours hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of today's television programming is violent. Hundreds of studies of the effects of TV violence on kids and teenagers have found that kids may:

• imitate the violence they observe on television
• identify with certain characters, victims and/or victimizers
• gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems
• become "immune" or numb to the horror of violence

Extensive viewing of television violence by kids causes greater aggressiveness. Sometimes, watching a single violent program can increase aggressiveness. Kids who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see. Kids with emotional, behavioral, learning or impulse control problems may be more easily influenced by TV violence. The impact of TV violence may be immediately evident in the youngster's behavior or may surface years later. Young people can even be affected when the family atmosphere shows no tendency toward violence.

While TV violence is not the only cause of aggressive or violent behavior, it is clearly a significant factor. Moms & dads can protect kids from excessive TV violence in the following ways:

• disapprove of the violent episodes in front of the kids, stressing the belief that such behavior is not the best way to resolve a problem
• pay attention to the programs their kids are watching and watch some with them
• point out that although the actor has not actually been hurt or killed, such violence in real life results in pain or death
• refuse to let the kids see shows known to be violent, and change the channel or turn off the TV set when offensive material comes on, with an explanation of what is wrong with the program
• set limits on the amount of time they spend with the television; consider removing the TV set from the youngster's bedroom
• to offset peer pressure among friends and classmates, contact other moms & dads and agree to enforce similar rules about the length of time and type of program the kids may watch

Moms & dads can also use these measures to prevent harmful effects from television in other areas such as racial or sexual stereotyping. The amount of time kids watch TV, regardless of content, should be moderated because it decreases time spent on more beneficial activities such as reading, playing with friends, and developing hobbies. If moms & dads have serious difficulties setting limits, or have ongoing concerns about their youngster's behavior, they should contact a youngster and teenager psychiatrist for consultation and assistance.

The Influence of Music and Music Videos—

Singing and music have always played an important role in learning and the communication of culture. Kids learn from what their role models do and say. For many years, some kid's television very effectively used the combination of words, music and fast-paced animation to achieve learning.

Most moms & dads are concerned about what their young kids see and hear, but as kids grow older, moms & dads pay less attention to the music and videos that capture and hold their kid's interest.

Sharing music between generations in a family can be a pleasurable experience. Music also is often a major part of a teenager's separate world. It is quite common for teenagers to get pleasure from keeping adults out, which causes adults some distress.

A concern to many interested in the development and growth of teenagers is the negative and destructive themes of some kinds of music (rock, heavy metal, hip-hop, etc.), including best-selling albums promoted by major recording companies. The following themes, which are featured prominently in some lyrics, can be particularly troublesome:

• Suicide as an "alternative" or "solution"
• Sex which focuses on control, sadism, masochism, incest, kids devaluing women, and violence toward women
• Graphic violence
• Drugs and alcohol abuse that is glamorized

Moms & dads can help their teenagers by paying attention to their teenager's purchasing, downloading, listening and viewing patterns, and by helping them identify music that may be destructive. An open discussion without criticism may be helpful.

Music is not usually a danger for a teenager whose life is balanced and healthy. But if a teenager is persistently preoccupied with music that has seriously destructive themes, and there are changes in behavior such as isolation, depression, alcohol or other drug abuse, evaluation by a qualified mental health professional should be considered.

Kids and Watching TV—

Television viewing is a major activity and influence on kids and teenagers. Kids in the United States watch an average of three to four hours of television a day. By the time of high school graduation, they will have spent more time watching television than they have in the classroom. While television can entertain, inform, and keep our kids company, it may also influence them in undesirable ways.

Time spent watching television takes away from important activities such as reading, school work, playing, exercise, family interaction, and social development. Kids also learn information from television that may be inappropriate or incorrect. They often cannot tell the difference between the fantasy presented on television versus reality. They are influenced by the thousands of commercials seen each year, many of which are for alcohol, junk food, fast foods, and toys.

Kids who watch a lot of television are likely to:

• Be overweight
• Exercise less
• Have lower grades in school
• Read fewer books

Violence, sexuality, race and gender stereotypes, drug and alcohol abuse are common themes of television programs. Young kids are impressionable and may assume that what they see on television is typical, safe, and acceptable. As a result, television also exposes kids to behaviors and attitudes that may be overwhelming and difficult to understand.

Active parenting can ensure that kids have a positive experience with television. Moms & dads can help by:

• Placing limits on the amount of television viewing (per day and per week)
• Selecting developmentally appropriate shows
• Turning off shows you don't feel are appropriate for your youngster
• Turning off the TV during family meals and study time
• Viewing programs with your kids

In addition, moms & dads can help by doing the following: don't allow kids to watch long blocks of TV, but help them select individual programs. Choose shows that meet the developmental needs of your youngster. Kid's shows on public TV are appropriate, but soap operas, adult sitcoms, and adult talk shows are not. Set certain periods when the television will be off. Study times are for learning, not for sitting in front of the TV doing homework. Meal times are a good time for family members to talk with each other, not for watching television.

Encourage discussions with your kids about what they are seeing as you watch shows with them. Point out positive behavior, such as cooperation, friendship, and concern for others. While watching, make connections to history, books, places of interest, and personal events. Talk about your personal and family values as they relate to the show. Ask kids to compare what they are watching with real events. Talk about the realistic consequences of violence. Discuss the role of advertising and its influence on buying. Encourage your youngster to be involved in hobbies, sports, and peers. With proper guidance, your youngster can learn to use television in a healthy and positive way.

MAKE TV VIEWING AN ACTIVE PROCESS FOR YOUNGSTER AND PARENT!

Kids and the News—

Kids often see or hear the news many times a day through television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. Seeing and hearing about local and world events, such as natural disasters, catastrophic events, and crime reports, may cause kids to experience stress, anxiety, and fears.

There have also been several changes in how news is reported that have given rise to the increased potential for kids to experience negative effects. These changes include the following:

• detailed and repetitive visual coverage of natural disasters and violent acts
• increased reporting of the details of the private lives of public figures and role models
• pressure to get news to the public as part of the competitive nature of the entertainment industry
• television channels and Internet services and sites which report the news 24 hours a day
• television channels broadcasting live events as they are unfolding, in "real time"

While there has been great public debate about providing television ratings to warn moms & dads about violence and sex in regular programming, news shows have only recently been added to these discussions. Research has shown that kids and teenagers are prone to imitate what they see and hear in the news, a kind of contagion effect described as "copy cat" events. Chronic and persistent exposure to such violence can lead to fear, desensitization (numbing), and in some kids an increase in aggressive and violent behaviors. Studies also show that media broadcasts to not always choose to show things that accurately reflect local or national trends.

For example, statistics report a decrease in the incidence of crime, yet, the reporting of crime in the news has increased 240%. Local news shows often lead with or break into programming to announce crime reports and devote as much as 30% of the broadcast time to detailed crime reporting.

The possible negative effects of news can be lessened by moms & dads, teachers, or other adults by watching the news with the youngster and talking about what has been seen or heard. The youngster's age, maturity, developmental level, life experiences, and vulnerabilities should guide how much and what kind of news the youngster watches.

Guidelines for minimizing the negative effects of watching the news include:

• ask the youngster what he/she has heard and what questions he/she may have
• look for signs that the news may have triggered fears or anxieties such as sleeplessness, fears, bed-wetting, crying, or talking about being afraid
• make sure you have adequate time and a quiet place to talk if you anticipate that the news is going to be troubling or upsetting to the youngster
• monitor the amount of time your youngster watches news shows
• provide reassurance regarding his/her own safety in simple words emphasizing that you are going to be there to keep him/her safe
• watch the news with your youngster

Moms & dads should remember that it is important to talk to the youngster or teenager about what he/she has seen or heard. This allows moms & dads to lessen the potential negative effects of the news and to discuss their own ideas and values. While kids cannot be completely protected from outside events, moms & dads can help them feel safe and help them to better understand the world around them.

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