Flip through the channels on your television at nearly any time of day and you're likely to see a gunfight, a bloody beating or other violent acts on multiple channels. The widespread depiction of violence in the media, particularly on television, makes it hard for children to miss. According to Common Sense Media, kids have seen more than 8,000 televised murders by the time they reach middle school. For young children whose minds are still developing an understanding of the world and a concept of right and wrong, exposure to media violence can be confusing, scary and may cause behavioral problems.
Fear
Exposure to violent acts, particularly in young children, can cause a great deal of fear. According to Nemours KidsHealth, telling young children that what they're seeing isn't real won't help because they can't yet distinguish between fantasy and reality. Seeing these images of violence can cause nightmares and persistent worries of being harmed.
Aggressive Behavior
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, extensive research indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior and desensitization to violence. When children see violence portrayed they often want to imitate it. Repeated exposure to violence can also desensitize a child to the seriousness of the acts, making aggressive behavior seem acceptable.
Confusion
According to Nemours KidsHealth, even though children may be taught at home that it's not okay to hit or kick, many characters on TV who are supposed to be the "good guys" use violence to beat the bad guys. These inconsistent messages can make what's right and what's wrong a confusing situation for a child.
Age-Appropriate Exposure
According to Common Sense Media, children under the age of seven are particularly vulnerable to the effects of media violence because they can't yet distinguish between fantasy and reality. Most kids are exposed to cartoon violence before the age of seven, which may be okay for some kids, but be aware that some may try to imitate what they see. After age seven, Common Sense Media recommends allowing kids to see only violence that is not gory and results in consequences, and trying to limit exposure to media violence even in the teenage years.
Tips
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends knowing what your child is watching and helping him select appropriate shows, using the parental controls and ratings on your television and other media devices, not putting a television in your child's room where you can't monitor what's being watched, avoiding watching violent shows yourself when your child is around and talking with your child about the reality of any violent acts he may see.
