46 Part 1 Decisions About Parenting
children must attend, where houses can be
built, and what the penalties are for certain
offenses. Communities also regulate the
activities of their local businesses.
A family’s level of involvement with its
community can also make a difference. In
small communities, people may have more
say in local government. Large cities may
have more political groups and organizations
that people can join. In small towns, every
family may know one another. In larger
areas, people do not know everyone in their
community well, but may have a wider
variety of acquaintances.
No matter where families live, their
communities will influence them. Living
in each type of community has advantages
and disadvantages. When selecting the
community where they will live, parents
should weigh these factors carefully before
making a decision.
Media
The media has powerful influences, both
positive and negative, on today’s families.
Families are affected in different ways by the
media. Some families are better able than
others to use the media in beneficial ways
and limit its negative effects. Forms of the
media include the television, movies, radio,
magazines, and newspapers. Families use
media in the ways that follow.
Information and learning. Families can
learn vast amounts of information about
weather, world news, sports, science,
nature, and history. Parents can also use
TV programs to open family discussions
about important societal issues such as
AIDS, hunger, poverty, and violence.
Entertainment. Families may spend time
together watching TV, going to the movies,
or listening to music. Sharing these
activities can make families closer. It can
also be a lot of fun. Families need to spend
time enjoying one another’s company.
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When used responsibly, the media can
be very useful. Dangers exist, however,
when parents do not monitor their children’s
exposure to the media, 2-15. For example,
unsupervised children may watch shows or
listen to music that condones violence. Also,
TV programs or music with adult language
and themes are not suited for children.
Children are too young to understand what
they see and evaluate its content. These
programs and music can send damaging
messages to children.
Another danger is overexposure to the
media. The average child watches about four
hours of TV daily. Time spent viewing TV is
time taken away from other activities, such
as reading, hobbies, and exercise. Families
should balance their viewing time with
other activities that will help children grow.
Parents who set standards for their children’s
exposure to the media help their children
profit from the positives the media offers
while limiting negative effects.
2-15 Television can be a source of family
entertainment; however, it is important for parents
to monitor what their children watch.