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1. Talking with Kids About Online and TV Viewing Habits [return
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According
to the Kaiser Family Foundation, children ages 8 years and older
spend an average of three hours watching TV and one and a half
hours on the Internet each and every day. Soon, children will
be able to watch TV and access the Internet from the same platform
with the simple click of a mouse. While that isn't yet a reality
for most, now is a good time to start monitoring the shows your
children watch and the sites they choose to visit while online.
Pay special attention to the kinds of media they choose, and make
sure their choices are in line with your values.
In September,
Children Now, our partner in the Talking with Kids About Tough
Issues campaign, led a coalition of organizations in the push
for the FCC to pass new rules for digital TV that benefit children
and families. (The FCC is the federal agency that oversees TV,
radio, wire, satellite and cable.) The new rules include:
- ensuring
that children have access to educational programming;
- making
educational shows easier to identify (programs will soon carry
a standard symbol on the corner of the TV screen so parents
know they are educational);
- ensuring
children's educational shows air consistently in the same time
slot;
- tentatively
concluding that interactive ads, which enable cross-marketing
from TV to the Internet, should not be allowed.
Just think--thanks
to Children Now, finding educational media for your children in
the future will be that much easier!
For more information
on the FCC's new TV rules and guidelines, visit:
Children Now's Children & the Media Program
* http://www.childrenandmedia.org
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC)
* http://www.fcc.gov
Download your
FREE Talking with Kids parent booklet at:
* http://www.talkingwithkids.org/booklet.html
"Talking
with Kids About Tough Issues" cannot answer individual requests.
We encourage you to visit our links page for further information
on organizations that may be able to address your specific questions.
2.
Tip of the Month: Tips for Better Viewing Habits [return
to top]
- Actively supervise your child's exposure to all forms of media.
- Limit TV viewing to programs you feel are appropriate.
- Be selective about which movies your child sees and which
video and computer games he or she plays.
- Establish rules about the Internet by going online together
to choose sites that are appropriate and fun for your child.
- Consider using monitoring tools for TV and the Internet;
the v-chip, for example, is a technology that allows parents
to block TV programs they consider inappropriate.
- Take advantage of TV parental guidelines, the ratings system
that provides useful information about the content of TV programs.
- Watch TV or browse the Internet with your child, and talk
about the things you see together.
To learn more about
the TV parental guidelines, visit:
* http://www.tvguidelines.org
For more tips
on other Talking with Kids topics, visit:
* http://www.talkingwithkids.org/first.html
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