| Sex and violence look good on TVThe content of | | | | self-esteem of those teens who do not measure up |
| most programming is dangerous for many children. It is | | | | to the unrealistic TV show teens. It is healthier for |
| often not healthy for adults either. Sex and violence | | | | teens to actively engage the world to boost their |
| seem to be the natural programming for the media of | | | | self-esteem.Monitor and reduce TV for children and |
| TV. Scenes of gore or lust splash on the screen in | | | | teenagersThese studies suggest that it is vital to |
| vivid color. The abstract concepts of love, joy, and | | | | monitor the television programs that your children and |
| friendship simply do not fit as well into a box. It is not | | | | teens watch. If kids have a TV in their bedroom, that is |
| surprising then that the trend in television content has | | | | very difficult. Get TV's out of kids' bedrooms!Kids and |
| been towards more sex and violence.Sexual content | | | | teenagers are naturally curious. Encourage their |
| doubled in seven yearsIn fact, sexual content has | | | | curiosity with alternate activities. Turn off the TV |
| doubled in the last seven years. "Scenes featuring | | | | completely and encourage them to read an interesting |
| kissing, fondling, and talk about sex have nearly | | | | book. Get them outdoors to play and explore nature. |
| doubled on television since 1998, according to a Kaiser | | | | They will be happier and healthier, if you do.About 'The |
| Family Foundation study . Among the top 20 watched | | | | Awful Truth About Television' Series:What happens |
| shows by teens -- which include ''Desperate | | | | when the average American spends 4 hours 32 |
| Housewives," ''The O.C.," and ''One Tree Hill" -- 70 | | | | minutes every day watching television? Trash Your |
| percent include sex talk and depictions of sexual | | | | TV's 'The Awful Truth About Television' Series |
| behavior, researchers found." Worse, just 14 percent | | | | explores the multifaceted problems with TV in eleven |
| of shows with sexual content acknowledged risks or | | | | hard-hitting articles. Read the full series and you will |
| included safe-sex messages.Sexual content has | | | | never look at your television set the same way |
| effects on teensAccording to several RAND studies, | | | | again.Sources: |
| these messages have an effect. First, teens who | | | | |
| watch a lot of television with sexual content are more | | | | Westphal is the founder of Trash Your TV! and the |
| likely to have sexual intercourse for the first time in the | | | | author of a revolutionary e-book system, The |
| following year. Surprisingly, according to one study, | | | | TV-FREE System. Get in control of your TV watching |
| programs in which characters talk about sex affect | | | | and create the life you want, whether it is to create |
| teens just as strongly as programs that graphically | | | | the body, the mind, the business, the family, or the |
| depict sexual activity.Content reinforces sexual | | | | community of your dreams. Receive free sample |
| stereotypesAnother unhealthy element of television | | | | pages of the TV-FREE Workbook, when you become |
| programming is that it often reinforces sexual and | | | | a member at Trash Your TV! |
| racial stereotypes. This can negatively impact the | | | | |