TV Violence and our children

• There is a great concern about the incidence of violent behavior among children and adolescents.
• Violent behavior in a child at any age always needs to be taken seriously.
• Exposure to violence in media is one of the most influential Factors Which Increase Risk of such Behavior
• Television can be a powerful influence in shaping our children behavior. Unfortunately, much of today's television programming is violent.

Watching violent media on TV can cause our children to:

1. Accept violence as a way of solving problems
2. Imitate the violence they observe on TV

What are the "warning signs" for violent behavior in children?

1. Intense anger
2. Extreme irritability
3. Extreme impulsiveness
4. Becoming easily frustrated

Parents can protect children from excessive TV violence in the following ways:

1. Try to watch the TV programs with your children in order to evaluate which of them fits them and which doesn't
2. Limit the amount of time your children spend in front of the TV
3. Disapprove of the violence in front of your children stressing that such behavior is not the best way to resolve a problem
4. Never put a TV set in your child's bedroom

Finally the amount of time children 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.Parents as well are discouraged to watch TV in the background of their children playtime