For Parents: FAQs
Parents and caregivers often ask us questions regarding recommended media practices for their home. Here you will find answers to those questions we are most frequently asked.
These responses are based on what we have learned in our research as well as from research conducted by others in the field. These responses will not necessarily work for all families in all situations. Rather, we hope that you will use this as one source of information to help you make determinations about what a healthy media diet looks like for the children in your life. This section of the website will be updated frequently, so please check back often. If you have a question that has not been addressed on the website, please submit a question to us.
- How can I make the most of what my child sees on television?
- What do all of these TV rating symbols mean?
- How are video games rated?
- My child enjoys watching TV, but I often hear that television is not suitable for kids. Should I be concerned?
- Are there certain types of media content which I should keep my child from viewing?
- Will using videos like Baby Einstein or Brainy Baby give my child an academic head start?
- Should I be concerned about the impact of advertising on my child?
- When reading to my child, are there any tips that you recommend?
- Outside of reading to my child, are there other things I can do to support my child's literacy skills?
How can I make the most of what my child sees on television?
There are many ways to make sure that your child understands and learns from what he or she sees on television. Two simple ways include watching programs with your children and being selective about the programs you choose for them to watch. If you’re watching with your child not only can you monitor what your child sees and answer questions when they arise, but you can also find ways to incorporate program content into their everyday activities. Programs with a message about proper manners can be brought up when the child may have forgotten his. Programs that talk about sharing or playing by the rules or overcoming challenges can help ready your child for preschool or kindergarten. Similarly programs that teach letters or number may prompt you to find those same letters and numbers around your house or in the neighborhood and shows about insects or animals may lead you to the zoo, the pond, or the library. The possibilities are endless! Think of media as a box full of tools – the results of using them depend upon the way in which they are used. You always see the best results when you’ve used the appropriate tools, so be picky about the media content with which your child interacts. Talk about the things she sees on the screen and use them to inspire more learning and you and your child will get the most out of your media experiences.
What do all of these TV rating symbols mean?
At the top of every program (and sometimes after every commercial break) a dizzying number of logos and symbols appear on the screen – the station identification, the logo of the next program to come, and sometimes even a news story! For parents, the most important of these symbols (and perhaps the most confusing) is the rating icon that appears at the top of a show in the upper-left corn for approximately 15 seconds. One of six icons is likely to appear but two of these are specifically for children: TV-Y and TV-7 (those under 7 may be scared by the content). The other four logos are for general programming: TV-G (suitable viewing for all ages), TV-PG (parental guidance suggested because of some sexual or violent content), TV-14 (not suitable for children under 14), and TV-M (recommended for mature audiences only). A secondary coding system uses letters to indicate type of content: V for violence, S for sexual content, L for foul language and D for sexually suggestive dialogue. These rating codes also appear in printed and online television program guides. Today, most televisions are equipped with a V-chip which enables parents to block out programming based on the rating codes. Similar “baby-sitter” technology is available on many digital cable systems. Together, these rating codes and program blockers can help you avoid content you’d rather your children not watch but there has been some debate over the degree of objectionable material in each category. No coding system will reflect the views of all parents. So, use the codes to help determine your comfort level but remember, ultimately, you will be the best judge.
How are video games rated?
Video games, like television programs, come with a variety of purposes and content. Over the years, concern over violent and sexual content in videogames led to the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board. The information included here comes from the ESRB website (www.esrb.org/ratings). We encourage you to check out their website for more information on the games your children are playing.
Before games are sent to stores each goes to the ESRB where a group of raters review and determine a rating based on its content and likely audience. The ESRB ratings have two parts, the rating symbols which suggest age appropriateness and the content descriptors which indicate the parts of a game the led to the rating received. The rating symbols include EC (Early Childhood-suitable for ages 3 and older), E (Everyone – suitable for ages 6 and older, minimal cartoon/fantasy or mild violence/language), E10+ (Everyone 10 and older – more cartoon/fantasy or mild violent/language or mild suggestive themes), T (Teen – suitable for 13 and older, may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, gambling and possibly strong language), M (Mature – suitable for 17+, may include intense violence, blood, sexual content and strong language), AO (Adults Only – for players 18 and older, may include prolonged scenes of intense violence/sexual content and nudity). The content descriptors clearly lay out the type of content a player might except to encounter. These range in topics including: alcohol reference, drug reference, sexual themes, and use of tobacco. You are ultimately the best judge of appropriate videogames for your child. If you’d like a complete list of content descriptors or more information on how videogames are rated, please check out the ESRB website (www.esrb.org).
My child enjoys watching TV, but I often hear that television is not suitable for kids. Should I be concerned?
Some research does suggest a negative relationship between TV viewing and academic performance, but the research also shows that this is highly dependent on the content of the programming that children watch. Educational programs, defined as programs developed using a curriculum to convey educational messages, can positively impact academic achievement through childhood and adolescence. In fact, the more children view educational programming during the early years, the better their grades and the more books they read in high school (Anderson et al., 2001). Conversely, watching excessive non-educational (i.e., entertainment) programming has been linked to decreased academic performance in early childhood and beyond (Wright et al., 2001). Overall, watching television does not appear to be harmful in general. Still, parents may wish to develop some rules regarding their child’s television viewing, including when, what and how much is appropriate for their child to watch. In particular, you should ensure that the content your child views is age-appropriate and teaches academic and social lessons and values that you want your child to learn, while avoiding excessively violent, profane or sexual programming.
Are there certain types of media content which I should keep my child from viewing?
At the outset, we believe it goes without saying that caregivers should shield children from viewing excessively violent, profane and/or sexual content (particularly if the content is intended for adult audiences). Regarding other types of television content, however, moderation is key. Parents and caregivers should keep a close eye on the amount and type of violent content their child is exposed to, as there is a small but consistent relationship between exposure to violent content and aggressive behavior in children. We also caution against excessive exposure to commercial advertisements as too much exposure to marketing messages can have an adverse effect on children, such as reduced psychological well-being and increased desire to obtain material goods. Moreover, parents and caregivers should also monitor their child’s exposure to sexualized media content, as there is a well-noted link between exposure to sexualized content and relaxed attitudes concerning appropriate sexual behavior. If children have been exposed to any of these types of content, parents are advised to discuss what was viewed with their child to alleviate any potential harmful effects.
Will using videos like Baby Einstein or Brainy Baby give my child an academic head start?
The use of these kinds of videos with very young children is relatively new. To date, there have only been a few studies that have specifically looked at outcomes related to exposure. The consensus results from these studies reveal that an infant’s exposure to the videos does not yield any substantial gains in learning outcomes; in fact, there is some association between viewing the videos and delays in language skills. However, these studies largely use research designs which identify relationships but do not have the ability to determine the cause or direction of those relationships, so caution should be used in the interpretation of results. Overall, more research is needed to determine whether baby videos help young children to learn, but it seems parents should not count on these media alone to enhance infants’ and toddlers’ cognitive and other skills.
Should I be concerned about the impact of advertising on my child?
Research has shown that exposure to advertising can lead to children’s increased materialism and purchase requests, increased parent-child conflict, and decreased self-esteem (Buijzen & Valkenburg, 2003). Children are particularly susceptible to these outcomes because they do not yet possess the necessary cognitive skills to critically evaluate commercials. In fact, very young children are not able to distinguish between commercials and television programs (Kunkel & Roberts, 1991). The common use of premiums, contests, fast-paced animation, popularity appeals, and other advertising techniques makes it even more difficult for children to effectively assess actual product characteristics. Sugared and high-caloric foods are among the most frequently advertised products for children, increasing the likelihood that young viewers will request these items in particular Thus, many believe these heavily advertised foods contribute to the current obesity epidemic among children. Talking with children about the advertisements they see, and teaching them to view commercial television more critically, however, can decrease their susceptibility to harmful effects.
When reading to my child, are there any tips that you recommend?
As you've probably heard, reading with your child is a very important activity, one that research has found to be crucial for children to learn to read and to succeed with literacy later on. There are a few things to keep in mind and find a way that is enjoyable for you and your child:
- While reading storybooks at bedtime is enjoyable and important, remember that reading can happen throughout your home and throughout the day. Reading lists and menus in the kitchen, reading directions and maps in the den, reading newspapers and books in the family room are all important for young children to see and do themselves. Choosing a variety of (appropriate) reading materials will may also be key to finding what interests your child the most -- perhaps you'll find that your child likes reading informational books about insects or s/he enjoys hearing poetry. Young children enjoy (and can understand) lots of different types of texts, so be sure to include them around your house and when you go exploring outside of the house.
- There are certain ways to read aloud that help children's literacy development. First, be interactive - ask your child questions, let your child ask you questions and make comments about what you're reading, and read with expression. While you read, you can also boost early literacy skills by highlight words that your child might not know, talk about letters and the sounds that letters make, and talk about how we use a book and about the parts of a book (how to hold a book, that we read from left to right, what an author is, etc.). Move beyond just reading cover to cover, and instead engage your child with the reading material.
- Continue the learning beyond the read aloud by connecting what you've read to what children know and do. Play peek-a-boo with your child and read a book that includes lift-the-flaps peek-a-boo within it. Read a book about nature and take a nature walk around where you live.
- Look for opportunities to show your child why we read (to learn new information, for enjoyable, etc.), what we read (all of the different types of texts around), and how read as you go about your daily routines.
- Check out some resources about promoting early literacy in children, including:
Bennett-Armistead, V. S., Duke, N. K., & Moses, A. M. (2007). Beyond bedtime stories: A parents's guide to promoting reading, writing, and other literacy skills from birth to 5. New York: Scholastic
Burns, M. S., Griffin, P., & Snow, C. E. (1999). Starting out right: A guide to promoting children's reading success. Washington DC: National Academy Press.
Neuman, S. B., & Wright, T. S. (2006). A parent’s guide to reading with your child. New York: Scholastic.
Outside of reading to my child, are there other things I can do to support my child's literacy skills?
Lots of things! In the previous question, we mentioned that reading can happen anywhere and at any time with lots of different materials (in addition to books). The same can be said for writing and talking, which are also key to children’s literacy development. An important thing to remember is that children are developing in literacy well before they can conventionally read and write.
Writing development, for instance, actually begins when children make their first marks on a page (or other surface). Their drawing and their writing is intermixed for a while, but as children are encouraged and provided with writing materials, they will begin to write things that look more and more like letters. Just as we want to surround children with reading materials to see lots of print in different forms, we also want to surround them with writing materials so they can begin to create their own texts.
Children’s oral language, too, is essential for their literacy development, so talk often and about many different topics with your child. Singing songs, saying rhymes, playing games, encouraging your child to engage in pretend play, and reading aloud all support language development. When you have conversations with your child, use interesting and new words. Also be conscious of the way you typically talk with your child; as parents, we often use commands -- “Wash your hands” and “Eat your dinner” -- but children’s language develops best when we go beyond the immediate context (to talk about the past, the future, the make-believe, etc.) and use richer language.
Certainly, there are many other ways to foster your child’s literacy development, even from the earliest years. So be sure to check out the books mentioned earlier in this section.
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