What Can You Do?

KIDS: You may think that television characters do not negatively influence your decisions and actions, but whenever you turn on the TV you are sub-conciously taking in all of their actions and words. Further educating yourself about the negative influences that television characters have on your life can help you be a more critical TV watcher, and therefore make better decisions.

PARENTS: Do you really want your kids and/or teens to be influenced by such negative role models? Here are a few pointers:

– Limit the amount of TV that your kid watches. Studies show that limiting the amount of TV a kid watches increases the age at which a kid will start smoking, decreases a kids’ violent and aggressive behavior, and increases the age at which a kid starts having sex.

– Talk to your kid about the television characters that he/she is watching. Even better, talk to your kid about those television characters while your kid is watching them on TV. Make sure that your kid understands that 99.99% of people do not actually look like that or act like that.

Some examples of good role models:

Bob on Bob the Builder:
Bob has great team spirit and is a strong leader. Can we make an appropriate and educational television character, “Yes we can!”
Mercedes Jones on Glee: 
Not your average stereotyped television character, Mercedes is a girl with a mind of her own. She is not afraid to share what is on her mind, she overcomes bullies, and shows her amazing talent at the same time!
Maddy Fitzpatrick on the Suite Life of Zach and Cody:
Maddy is smart, always works hard, has a great sense of humor, and tries to help out her friends.
Ellen De Generes on The Ellen De Generes Show:
Ellen has overcome discrimination and made it through some difficult times to become one of the most popular, likeable, and funny talk show hosts. She also takes on issues that are important to kids, like fighting bullies, all while making us laugh.