STOP TV VIOLENCE SPILLING INTO KIDS’ REAL LIVES

Research has found that teens who are exposed to TV and film violence, as well as household conflict, are at risk of being aggressive themselves, but Emma says parents can prevent that

My boys both got TVS M for their bedrooms when they turned 12. My husband felt they were old enough to play independently on their games consoles, but the shows they had access to immediatey expanded, and my youngest son’s fascination with horror films began.

CREATE A CALM HOME

Research shows that if your kids watch violence on screen, and they are also exposed to family conflict, they are more likely to be aggresive themselves. It makes sense that if everything they watch mirrors what’s happening at home, that behaviour seems normal. My son hasn’t started yelling and throwing remote controls at my head, though, because he lives in a calm home, and he understands that the violence he watches is neither real, nor reflective of the world around him. Kids imitate the characteristics of people they admire, so when they see violence used to solve a problem, they may think that’s a valid technique in real life. It’s your job to teach them that isn’t the case. I often watch films with my son, and we discuss the fact that when someone is violent on TV, there are no consequences, but in real life there would be.

SHOW THEM THE WAY

I also expose my kids to the kind of role models I’d like them to emulate, from comedians and athletes to chefs, and I teach them how to resolve conflict using words, not fists. If you swear, criticise, argue, and throw things when angry, it teaches your kids low self-control. Low self control can see them getting into fights at school, so it’s a total no-no. Help them understand why they enjoy watching certain things; my youngest likes the feeling of tension. There are other ways to experience that, from sport to crime shows and historical movies.

SET & EXPLAIN LIMITS

It’s important to restrict the time your kids spend watching TV. With younger children, simply set limits and keep it to just “rough-and-tumble” violence. With older ones, decide what’s OK, and what isn’t, set boundaries, but explain why and allow some independence.