Choosing Your Child’s Entertainment

Even before reaching middle school age, your child will spend tens of thousands of hours watching television, movies, and videos; listening to the radio, CDs, and cassettes; playing video and computer games; and surfing the Internet. But TV, movies, music, games, and the Internet are much more than entertainment. They are a source of information, and they help teach our children about the world in which we live. As children have more and more entertainment options to choose from, it becomes even more important for parents to become involved in making choices.

To help parents make informed choices, many entertainment companies are now using ratings systems. Movies have used ratings for years, but ratings are now being given to TV programs, video and computer games, and music. Ratings are designed to give parents more information about the content of the program, movie, music, or game. The ratings are usually based on the amount of violence, sex, nudity, strong language, or drug use your child will see or hear.