The TV media has changed a lot with regards to its characteristics and contents since it’s beginning. The speed of TV-content directed at children is increasing, the heroes are more complex, the amount of violence is increasing and age limits are going down.

Joys and challenges
Children are introduced to youth and adult culture much sooner than before, the realism in effects is improving, the TV screens are larger and sound is more powerful. Thereby the TV experience has greater impact for both young and old. At the same time children have gotten better at interpreting images.

Changing TV offers
For many families the transition to digital TV means being able to receive a lot more channels than before. The home gets a less filtered and more international TV offer. Children and young people can thereby get much easier access to channels and programs that aren’t suitable for them. Increased TV viewing due to a larger menu and more TV screens per household is often the consequence. This challenges us as parents to prioritise time to investigate and choose the best visual impressions and the best stories for our children. There are many movies and TV programs with high quality both when it comes to entertainment, education and information. Wise TV choices are maybe more important now than ever.

Good advice for parents:

Think through your channel choices

The digital TV service providers offer private consumers different channel packages. Be wise about what channels you choose for your home.

The decoder – a parent tool

Most TV decoders have the option to apply pin codes to channels you don’t wish your children to have free access to. The instructions you need to do this can be found in the user’s handbook for the decoder. Contact your TV service provider if you need help with activating pin code protection. Kids and Media actively encourage TV service providers to develop new decoders. These will give parents even greater abilities to define boundaries for children’s media use: Amount, content and when the TV can be used.

Decoders with storage functions

Most households choose decoders that can store movies and programs. So far the storage function does not have a blocking function, which means that children have free access to any TV content stored in the decoder. Think through what you store.

Placing the TV

Kids and Media recommend that TV screens be placed in common areas, if this is practically possible. This way it is easier for the parents to keep an eye on what the children are watching, how much they watch and how they experience what they see. Be clear about boundaries if children and teenagers get a TV, PC or games console in their own room. Both trust and responsibility are useful key words.

Create good TV habits

Take the initiative to watch good movies and programs with your children, and let children experience that TV watching can be a social event. Watch what is being shown and be clear about what boundaries you have in your home. It is natural that children of different ages have different boundaries for what and how much they can watch. For some it can be useful to introduce “TV free zones”. Don’t use a lot of time to negotiate with the youngest children. A simple “no” or “yes” is much better than “OK, if…” or “maybe”. Clear parents give more secure children. And remember that children learn a lot from their parents’ own TV habits.

Speak with your children

Speak with your children about good TV habits, teach them to recognise commercials, and give them thought through attitudes as to what to choose to watch. Invite your children to talk with you if they experience something uncomfortable or sad on TV. It’s also both important and interesting to talk with children about what they experience as fun and exciting.

Speak with other parents

Don’t be fooled by “everyone else is allowed…” It is useful to exchange experiences with other parents and to give each other advice.

Take responsibility!

Don’t let the characters on TV and in movies become the most important role models in your children’s life. Be visible, listen to your children’s needs and interests, and give them good attitudes.