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They've
Delivered
By and large, they have delivered on their promises, especially
in the area of homosexual characters’ sexual activities.
In light of the trends, some parents are simply removing television
from their homes. While that seems the logical solution, it does
not protect their children from a culture saturated in television’s
amoral programming. And many parents are not prepared to take such
a drastic step. Still, there are strategies a conscientious family
can use to gain control over television. Make a game of it.
1. Define the playing field. Parents who truly want to conquer
TV’s influence over their children should reduce the total number
of operating TV sets in the home to one.
Then locate it in a place where parents can most easily monitor
the child’s TV habits. Some parents find that locating the television
in a room that’s not easily accessible discourages the whole family
from watching much TV.
2. Have a game plan. Determine the amount of time you as
a parent can spend watching TV each week. Then, sit down with the
family and consult programming schedules to determine ahead of time
what shows you’ll watch together during the coming week. Turn the
TV on for those shows only, and for nothing else.
3. Have a coach present before the game begins. Children,
including young teens, should not watch TV without a mature adult
present. It is imperative that parents know exactly what their children
are watching. Children, for the most part, have passively absorbed
many of the media’s values without adequate guidance to develop
critical skills for evaluating what they see and hear.
The
Three Stikes Rule
4. Develop the skills of the game. Watching TV with their
children, parents can raise issues and guide discussion about the
show’s content. During the program, make notes regarding questions
to discuss. For example:
Do characters use language we don’t approve of?
What did characters do that showed their honesty or dishonesty?
What were the consequences?
Did any character display selfishness?
What was the end result?
Were there any activities that conflict with our Christian faith?
What moral values were taught or implied?
Use questions that relate to your children’s lives and maturity
levels. Encourage children to develop a set of questions or a checklist
for the family to use in evaluating programs. One way to develop
critical viewing skills is to videotape programs you want to watch.
Then you can pause for discussion at appropriate points as you watch
the program.
5. Observe the three-strikes-and-you’re-out rule. When a
program offends your family’s Christian values (profanity, crude
language, illicit sex, etc.), turn it off immediately. Then discuss
why you did so. Use questions to encourage children to reach their
own conclusions.
Use a three-strikes rule to rate a series overall. For example,
if “Program A” has to be turned off this week because of bad language,
that’s strike one. If you watch again in two weeks and it has to
be turned off because of sexual content, that’s strike two. When
it gets the third strike, it’s permanently off the family’s viewing
list.
Take
A Stand
6. Substitute liberally. Provide fun options -- go for ice
cream, watch a family video, do a good deed for a neighbor, go to
the park, buy a new board game or jigsaw puzzle, or browse at the
bookstore. It is important to have some plans in place before tackling
the task. Get ideas from your children for activities to replace
the hours you’ll gain as TV becomes less and less a part of family
life.
7. Review the game and develop strategies. As you reflect
on your new relationship to the TV set, urge your children to identify
ways to take a stand on issues. Be a good role model for them in
this regard.
Write letters of concern to the networks and advertisers about the
influence of television. Write letters of thanks for good programs.
Write letters to the editor of your local paper dealing with television
and other moral issues. Encourage your children to do the same.
As you learn to prevent television from dominating your family life,
you will find yourselves growing closer as a family. Furthermore,
your values will become a more integral part of daily living, and
your children will be learning to make sound moral judgments in
all areas of life. It demands time and discipline, but it’s worth
the commitment to plant your family on a firm Christian foundation.
(This article courtesy of Agape
Press.)
by Randall
Murphree
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Articles by Randall Murphree
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