Taken from Growing Concerns -- A childrearing question-and-answer column with Martha Erickson

Question: With summer approaching, I'm worried about how to manage my kids' TV viewing. There is alot of sex and violence on, and they'll have plenty of free time. What can I do?

Answer: You are wise to be thinking about this in advance, and your concerns about the impact of TV sex and violence are well-founded. Drawing on findings from over 3,000 studies, most experts agree that the violent content of TV programs is a significant factor contributing to violent, aggressive behavior in children. Furthermore, over time, media violence desensitizes children, decreasing the likelihood they will respond with care and compassion when someone is victimized. Although the impact of sexual content has been studied less, young people themselves describe how they feel pressured by the overwhelming sexual images that surround them in films, television and music.

But parents are important mediators of media influence. Our attitudes and behavior can make a huge difference for our children. Here are a few suggestions that may be helpful for you and your children.

· Plan what your children watch. Avoid letting TV become the "default" entertainment. This may mean making a family rule about how much TV viewing is acceptable each day, then planning with your kids which shows are the best use of that time. If you have a VCR, you also can tape shows to be watched at a convenient time, or rent movies that you and your children select together.

· However you do your planning, involve your children in the decision-making process. (When parents take a dictatorial approach, it just sets kids up to rebel.) Explain your reasons for the standards you hold, and listen to your kids' reasons for what they choose. Praise them as they become smart consumers of television.

· If possible, join with other neighborhood parents in setting common standards and rules for what the kids watch. Neighborhood parents might even want to take turns planning movie nights (or rainy afternoons) where the kids can get together for popcorn and a video.

· Join your children in front of the TV to watch what they choose, and discuss the content with them. Research shows that by talking with their kids, parents can buffer the negative effects and turn even a bad show into a learning opportunity.

· Finally, help your kids keep busy with other fun and wholesome activities. If you guide them toward good books, games, art projects, neighborhood play groups, sports and music activities, they are less likely to be drawn to the TV. And keep in mind that the best way to guide them is through example.

Editor's Note: Dr. Martha Farrell Erickson, director of the University of Minnesota's Children, Youth and Family Consortium, invites your questions on child rearing for possible inclusion in this column. E-mail to mferick@tc.umn.edu or write to Growing Concerns, University of Minnesota News Service, 6 Morrill Hall, 100 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455.