for fun alternatives to watching TV. Or search the following categories:"Scenes featuring kissing, fondling, and talk about sex have nearly doubled on television since 1998, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study released yesterday. Among the top 20 watched shows by teens -- which include ''Desperate Housewives," ''The O.C.," and ''One Tree Hill" -- 70 percent include sex talk and depictions of sexual behavior, researchers found."
Study says sexual scenes have nearly doubled by Suzanne C. Ryan
"Gupta, a practicing child psychologist and Co-Director of the International Center for Youth, said that children are “bombarded” with soft-core pornographic imagery, including “faux lesbianism” wherever they look. “It really creates things in the minds of young people about what things should be like, sexually,” said Gupta. “. . . In my private practice, it’s exceptionally clear they’re being influenced.”"
Kids Bombarded with Sex Images Having Sex Earlier says Montreal Child Psychologist by Hilary White
Comments: First, it is quite believable that these sexual images (and the violent ones too) are having an impact. TV puts people into a suggestible hypnotic state. The fact that sexual images have DOUBLED is very concerning. If these scenes responsibly portayed sex and all its potential consequences, it wouldn't be too concerning, but I suspect that is not the case. The study doesn't seem to differentiate.
Second, it is clear from this study that efforts to control television content have come to nothing. Government regulation hasn't helped, the Parent's Television Council hasn't helped. It's time to consider other solutions. It may seem extreme to some, but the best solution is to give up on TV entirely. Get rid of it. If you can't do that, take strict control of your TV.
If you allow these images into your home, you are endorsing them. Of course, maybe you want to endorse these images, in which case you don't need to do anything. However, if you don't want your child believing these images, then you need to control your TV.
Consider also one reader's comment from the first article above:
"What are kids learning from this? Why, what incredible hypocrites their parents and the media are, of course. I giggled like a maniac when I saw this story run on NewsCenter5 - the Local News Leader that plays Desperate Housewives trailers and teasers as news items."
Trash Your TV! for you and your family. It's worth it.