<doc.id=1058.a3>
<title> Parental responsibility for children and there TV habits </title>
	Today a lot of children spend so much time in front of the TV that it becomes their primary window on the world. Children can learn a lot of good things by watching TV and TV can be a source of amusement and comfort. But it can also be something frightening that introduces the child to a world of hate and violence. According to statistics compiled by the National Association of Attorneys General, published in a report on Television violence: "A Review of the Effects on Children of Different Ages", by Wendy Josephson, the average American child will see 8 000 murders on TV by the time he or she is 12. And have viewed more than 200 000 acts of violence by the time they graduate from high school. In just one hour, children can see five to six violent acts on prime time TV, and 20 to 25 violent acts during each hour of Saturday morning children's programs.

	Today after a lot of studies on the topic its clear that there is a correlation between a lot of viewing on violent television and children's aggressive and violent behaviour. Violent crime among 15-years-old American males has increased by 264 percent between 1989 and 1993. And homicide is the second leading death for youths ages 15-24. (This also according to the study by the Vational Association of Attorneys General mentioned above). So before the young generation of today turn the world into the violent place they know from the TV responsibility need to be taken to decrease the amount of violent TV impressions that they meat every day.

	Parents need to carry a lot of that responsibility. They are the ones who ought to live closest to their children and therefore also the ones who should be able to follow their TV habits. And there are a number of measures parents can do to reduce the hours their children spend in front of the TV. 

	First of all its important to set up rules about how much it is allowed to watch TV early in the upbringing. And another good thing is to watch what programs the children is watching. Parents can also try to motivate the children to other activities like playing games, read, go on picnics or take part in sports. Much when it comes reducing children TV habits is about trying to avoid that the TV becomes the focal point in their home. For example it's a good habit not to watch TV during mealtimes and even if we live in the end of the 20th century you don't have to have a television in each room and the access to hundreds of satellite chanels.

	But even though it is a good thing to counteract that children watch to much violence on TV there is no way to control if and what children watch on TV when they are home alone or at friends. So perhaps even more important than setting up rules etc is to discuss violence on TV with the children. Make sure that the children don't confuse acts on television with how things work, ought to work, in reality. And perhaps also discuss different kind of violence, violence in historical movies in contrast to violence in science fiction movies, for example

	Those things mentioned above concerning how to decrease that children adapt bad, violent behaviour from what they watch on TV implies that parents are home a lot and spend a lot of time together with their children. Something that far too many parents don't have the possibility to do today. Many work from early morning until late evening, or live in separated relationships and alone have to provide for several children, which makes it impossible to give each child all the attention that it needs. Therefor parents need help to control the impact that TV gets on their children. For example there needs to be severe age limits at movies etc. Producers, advertisers and broadcasters also need to take their responsibility to obstruct that violence is too easily accessibly for children, even if it means that it reduces their potential audience and avenue. And with regard to the amount of hours children spend at a day nursery or in school a continuing discussion concerning violence and its effects is necessary there as well as at home.

	To conclude, parents by a lot of different measures need to take a lot off responsibility to obstruct the negative impact that TV violence has on children. But since they can't be with their children night and day they need support from outside as well. We can't let the TV be a child's only window on the world unless we want a reality that reflects the wickedness so often exploited on TV.
</doc>