In case you don't get or read the Towne Acres Newsletter, here's my two cents worth:
COUNSELOR’S CORNER
By MRS. BUCK
FOR YEARS NOW, I HAVE LISTENED TO CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FIVE YEARS OLD TELL ME ABOUT WATCHING R-RATED MOVIES. I WILL ADMIT TO YOU THAT MY SON PROBABLY SAW AN R-RATED MOVIE BY AGE 12. SOME OF THE MOVIES CHILDREN ARE WATCHING ARE SCARY AND FULL OF VIOLENCE. PLEASE PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON TOP—MONITOR WHAT YOUR CHILDREN WATCH. OUR WORLD HAS ENOUGH VIOLENCE WITHOUT SUBJECTING OUR CHILDREN TO MORE. I REALIZE IT IS HARD TO CONTROL EVERYTHING THEY SEE ON TV. TRY TO AT LEAST PROCESS WITH YOUR CHILD WHAT THEY ARE WATCHING. I’M ATTACHING AN ARTICLE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF WATCHING TOO MUCH VIOLENCE. I ALSO KNOW THAT, ONCE AGAIN, I AM PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
Horror Movies May Cause Emotional Problems in Young Children
Violent Movies, Television and Video Games May Have Negative Consequences, Including Aggressive Behavior
NEW YORK (Oct 31, 2006)
Toddlers and young children who watch violent movies, including Halloween horror films, television shows or video games may be more likely to develop anxiety, sleep disorders, and aggressive and self-endangering behaviors. The Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center study, which was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), was presented on Oct. 28 at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in San Diego.
"Watching 'Friday the 13th' with your child is probably not a good idea. Children under the age of 5 may be too young to actually watch and understand violent movies; however, they are psychologically affected by the scenes they are exposed to," says Dr. Daniel S. Schechter, the study's principal investigator and director of the Infant-Family Service at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry (in pediatrics) at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
"We found that even an excess of regular television watching is problematic," adds Schechter. "I would not recommend more than one to two hours a day for school-aged children and no more than 30 minutes a day for children under 6."
"It is important not only to follow the ratings guidelines, but to see the movie yourself before you see it with your child and consider how they will likely experience it at their age. Even some movies marketed to children can be inappropriate. When in doubt, parents should consult with other parents or a professional," continues Schechter.
There have even been cases of violence in the home that followed children playing violent video games. "Very young children are unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy," says Dr. Schechter.
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