Guide Them Through Pop Culture
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Chris Boyatzis, an assistant professor of child development at Cal State Fullerton, may be a vociferous critic of children’s television, but he isn’t naive. He’s talked with hundreds of parents concerned about children’s television consumption. Here are some of his and their best tips.
* Don’t just watch, think. One parent allowed a child to watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles only if the child imagined another turtle into the story--a turtle named Gandhi who resolved the same plot without fighting.
* Ask children to count the number of violent actions in a single episode. They’ll probably lose count.
* Permit the favorite shows as long as the fighting isn’t imitated.
* Put kids on a TV diet. Let them watch a favorite show once or twice a week, but not daily.
* Finally, watch television with the kids so you can guide discussions and help children develop critical thinking about what they see, including commercials.
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