The Flash
Instead of watching T.V., read a book you lazy bum!Tuesday, March 02, 2010 By Katie Leonatti
Whenever I’m faced with extreme moments of boredom or just feel like unwinding in the evening after a long day, I’ll flip on the television and watch the image on the screen slide into place in hopes of viewing a show worth watching. Most of the time I already know I’m not going to find anything worth watching before I even pick up the remote control, but it’s worth flipping through the channels at least a few times. Sometimes I might even get lucky and find Family Guy or another comedy series on that can always make me laugh on. Sure, the content may not always be family acceptable despite the fact that Family Guy is a cartoon, but it’s definitely entertaining. That’s just the thing though- Family Guy isn’t the only show that isn’t exactly a family show. The name could mislead someone to believe that, but the slapstick humor and antics from characters such as Brian, Peter, Stewie, Lois, Chris, and Meg aren’t always applauded by parents. What age is it acceptable to start being able to watch shows such as these without it being considered “too young?” Is it the responsibility of the parents to be more careful of what their children are watching? Just because a parent lets their child watch a show that may not be looked at as kid friendly doesn’t make them “bad” parents either. Parents could have great qualities and good intentions and still let their child watch these shows. It’s all just a matter of what age a child is allowed to start viewing shows that have questionable material in them. It’s a difficult transition sometimes for a child to jump from educational programs aimed for toddlers and young children to South Park, Family Guy, and the most recent The Office, despite being on air for five years now. The biggest problem is that shows like this give the nickname “boob tube” to T.V. a fitting nickname. These shows offer more laughs than anything. I guess the main point I’m trying to make is that you just don’t see quality family shows that are entertaining but appropriate for all ages at the same time. A few that come to mind that fall under this category are shows like Full House, Home Improvement, and Family Matters. The 1990’s seemed to be a decade filled with good intentions on television and quality entertainment. Since these aren’t shows like the three mentioned on air any longer, someone could always resort to re-runs for the viewing pleasure of families, or simply block what doesn’t seem age appropriate. Pay attention to any warnings that may appear before a show, or look for the age recommendation in the top corner of the screen before the start of each show. These guides will help filter any doubts parents may have about their children watching a certain series or movie. If you’re ever not sure about what to let a child watch, then ask yourself: if you were a parent, would you want your child to repeat anything that a character may say during a show to someone in their life? If the answer is no, then it’s time to pick up the remote control and find another channel, or just shut the T.V. off and resort to not watching anything at all. |