Watch out for some Kid's Movies

FROM NBC: New research finds children's movies continue to show characters engaging in unsafe behaviors -- like not wearing a seatbelt, life jacket or bike helmet. The study looked at 67 "G" and "PG" rated movies marketed to children.

About half the scenes showed unsafe behavior -- often without consequences. Researchers say parents may want to draw kids' attention to those movie scenes - and use it as an opportunity to talk about staying safe. In October 2009, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement on media violence that recommends parents actively monitor what their children are watching.

I noticed on Caillou the other day that the seat belts are not correct. It did bug me because I can just picture one of my kids saying, "but this is how Caillou does it." I have seen several Sesame Street episodes with three point harness car seats. They don't even make those anymore. I guess some of the shows were made so long ago that the safety standards have changed. Oh and when it comes to violence, it's crazy. The old Tom and Jerry cartoons and many of the new ones are so violent. I don't like how some cartoon characters call names like stupid and idiot. Why even make cartoons like that? It is not necessary and it's frustrating for parents!

The Impact of Media Violence:

Over the past 30 years there has been extensive research on the relationship between televised violence and violent behavior among youth. Longitudinal, cross-sectional, and experimental studies have all confirmed this correlation. Televised violence and the presence of television in American households have increased steadily over the years. In 1950, only 10% of American homes had a television. Today 99% of homes have televisions.

In fact, more families have televisions than telephones. Over half of all children have a television set in their bedrooms. This gives a greater opportunity for children to view programs without parental supervision. Studies reveal that children watch approximately 28 hours of television a week, more time than they spend in school. The typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence, including more than 16,000 murders before age 18. Television programs display 812 violent acts per hour; children's programming, particularly cartoons, displays up to 20 violent acts hourly.

How does televised violence result in aggressive behavior? Some researchers have demonstrated that very young children will imitate aggressive acts on TV in their play with peers. Before age 4, children are unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy and may view violence as an ordinary occurrence. In general, violence on television and in movies often conveys a model of conflict resolution. It is efficient, frequent, and inconsequential. Heroes are violent, and, as such, are rewarded for their behavior. They become role models for youth.

It is "cool" to carry an automatic weapon and use it to knock off the "bad guys." The typical scenario of using violence for a righteous cause may translate in daily life into a justification for using violence to retaliate against perceived victimizers. Hence, vulnerable youth who have been victimized may be tempted to use violent means to solve problems. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, models of nonviolent conflict resolution in the media. Additionally, children who watch televised violence are desensitized to it. They may come to see violence as a fact of life and, over time, lose their ability to empathize with both the victim and the victimizer.

There are other, new forms of violence to which children and adolescents are exposed. In one recent study, it was demonstrated that 15% of music videos contain interpersonal violence. Still another new source of violent exposure is access to the Internet and video games. There is little data on the incidence of violence on the Internet; however, there is concern about sites that may advocate violence, provide information on the creation of explosive devices, or reveal how to acquire firearms. There is also little research on the impact of violent video games. We do know, however, that they are extensive and have a role-modeling capacity. The fact that the child gets to act out the violence, rather than to be a passive observer, as when viewing television or movies, is especially concerning to experts.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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