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Violence on Television: What Do Children Learn? What Can Parents Do

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Violence on Television: What Do Children Learn? What Can Parents Do
Too much time, too little responsibility

According to Aletha Huston, Ph.D., currently at the University of Kansas she believes that "children who watch the violent shows, even 'just funny' cartoons, were more likely to hit out at their playmates, argue, disobey class rules, leave tasks unfinished, and were less willing to wait for things than those who watched the nonviolent programs" (162). While reading this article, it clearly states that children shouldn't be watching violent shows at such a young age. "Just by limiting the number of hours children watch television will probably reduce the amount of aggression they see" (163). If parents did just that children would become less violent and more likely to be less aggressive as well. Parents need to be limiting what their children are watching. Kids today are having too much free time watching TV and the parents are having too little responsibility. The APA clearly states that children should not be watching TV due to the massive amount of violence shown on TV today. Research has shown that "children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others; may be more fearful of the world around them; and may be more likely to behave in aggressive or harmful ways towards others" (161). It articulates in the APA that children who apparently watch a lot of TV are less prone to violent acts and are less sensitive to viewing them. Also something researchers notice was chidden who were in elementary school and watched violent shows tend to have a higher level of aggressive behavior when they became teenagers. What scientists are recommending now is that parents should actually sit down with their child and at least watch one episode of the show that their children is watching so, they are aware of what their children are watching and they will be able to talk about it with them. As someone else who is viewing someone else’s parenting who believes that spending more time with your family might disagree

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