by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on September 3, 2010
Michael Rich, MD, MPH
Michael Rich, MD, MPH, is Children’s Hospital Boston’s media expert and director of Children’s Center on Media and Child Health. Take a look at his blog archive or follow him on Twitter @CMCH_Boston.
Last week he wrote to a reader who was worried about some of the graphic killing scenes that aired on wildlife shows her children loved. This week he discusses how the staged violence of TV wrestling can affect young viewers.
Q: I am a Pre-K Special Educator who works one-on-one with developmentally delayed children ages 3-5. Some boys have hit, kicked, scratched, punched, and head-butted me and their classmates. I brought in a child psychologist to observe and speak to the parents of one of the boys and he told the parents that this is “learned behavior.” The parents have allowed these boys total freedom, and fathers watch professional wrestling with them. Do you know of any literature on viewing wrestling and its effect on preschool boys?
–Wrestling to Make a Difference
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by administrator on August 27, 2010
Michael Rich, MD, MPH, is Children’s Hospital Boston’s media expert and director of Children’s Center on Media and Child Health. Take a look at his blog archive or follow him on Twitter @CMCH_Boston.
Michael Rich, MD, MPH
Last week Rich commented on how to use kids’ want for toy weapons as a chance to discuss violence and make suggestions for more peaceful play. This week he answers a reader’s question about the effect graphic death scenes in nature programming can have on very young children.
Q: What are your thoughts on animal programs that show graphic killing that is in the wild, like Big Cat Diaries? My 4 year old loves animal shows and is interested in seeing this one, yet I am not sure this is appropriate content for his age. Please advise.
-Nightmares in Nature, in Miami, FL
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by administrator on August 20, 2010
Michael Rich, MD, MPH, is Children’s Hospital Boston’s media expert and director of Children’s Center on Media and Child Health. Take a look at his blog archive or follow him on Twitter @CMCH_Boston.
Michael Rich, MD, MPH
Last week Rich commented on video game addiction and parenting style, this week he advises a mother on how to turn her child’s toy gun obsession into a lesson about why she doesn’t want him using violent toys and gain insight into the child’s perception of violence.
Q: Despite their very limited access to television (and no access to video games), my 4-year-old son has just started asking for a toy gun and sword. I think he’s picking up these ideas from boys at school who run around the playground and play “shooter.” Now my 2-year-old daughter is joining in and making a gun with her hand and saying, “Mommy, I kill you.” Any thoughts or suggestions on how to best handle this situation?
-Weapons for Wee Ones? in Miami, FL
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by administrator on August 13, 2010
Michael Rich, MD, MPH, is Children’s Hospital Boston’s media expert and director of Children’s Center on Media and Child Health. Take a look at his blog archive or follow him on Twitter @CMCH_Boston.
Last week Rich commented on video game systems with access to the web, which can make tracking a child’s online time more difficult. This week, Rich offers advice to a mom who is concerned her friend’s lax attitude about her son’s excessive video gaming may be causing the child harm.
Michael Rich, MD, MPH
Q: My friend allows TVs and computers in her young childrens’ bedrooms, and she does not limit or monitor her kids’ media use at all. I never comment on her choices, which are different than mine, but I recently heard that her 4-year-old gets up in the middle of the night (2 or 3 a.m.!), goes into the family room, and plays video games. My friend jokes about it and thinks it’s funny. I’m worried that he’s possibly addicted to video games and, of course, about his sleep deprivation. Do you have any suggestions about addressing something like this with her? Or is it just a parenting choice that I should mind my own business about? I hate to come across as the snooty, media-conscious mom, but I really am worried.
-Concerned Parent in Boston, MA
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by Tripp Underwood on August 6, 2010
Michael Rich, MD, MPH
Michael Rich, MD, MPH, is Children’s Hospital Boston’s media expert and director of Children’s Center on Media and Child Health. Take a look at his blog archive or follow him on Twitter @CMCH_Boston.
This week, Rich advises parents of kids who own internet-ready video game systems.
Q: My 12-year-old son wanted a PS3, partly as a birthday gift and partly out of money he’s saved. This was to replace his PS2 because some of the games he wanted were not available for PS2. His PS2 is in his room on a non-cable hooked up TV so that all of his approved, appropriately rated games can be played without all the gaming controllers, fake guitars, and the like taking up all of our adult space. But, he is not far enough from me that I don’t know how long (or what) he is playing. After buying the PS3, we learned that, in order to play PS3 games multi-player, the device has to have the wireless Internet function activated. That essentially puts a computer in his room where he is not under supervision. [click to continue…]
by Tripp Underwood on July 23, 2010
For this week’s edition of ‘Ask the Mediatrician,’ Thrive is linking to an article Dr. Michael Rich wrote for the Healthy Family Fun campaign, on how and why parents should limit their children’s use of screen media to less than two hours a day. Healthy Family Fun is a project of Children’s Hospital Boston and Kohl’s Department Stores, developed with the input of community members and professionals in Jamaica Plain and Roxbury, to promote fun, low-cost, family-oriented activities and healthier living.
While visiting the site, be sure to check out a new article about how parents can limit fast food consumption in their family, written by Jenny Kinne, MSRD, LDN, and Clinical Nutrition Specialist at Children’s One Step Ahead program.
For more tips on screen time limiting, please visit Children’s Center on Media and Child Health website.
by administrator on July 2, 2010
by Tripp Underwood on June 25, 2010
Michael Rich, MD, MPH
Michael Rich, MD, MPH is Children’s media expert. He is the director of Children’s Center on Media and Child Health. Take a look at his blog archive or follow him on Twitter @CMCH_Boston.
Last week he addressed research published in the new issue of Pediatrics showing when parents set up and enforce strict screen-time limits for their kids, the children respect the boundaries and are often healthier for it. This week he talks about music videos’ influence on kids, specifically Lady Gaga. With catchy choruses and an infectious sound her music is widely popular, even with younger children, but the thinly veiled sexuality in her lyrics and videos has some parents concerned.
Q: I recently saw the music video for the song “Telephone,” by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. It is full of sexualized violence. I can’t imagine what kids are learning from this. I know my son loves listening to Beyoncé, and I’m sure he has seen or will see this video. How can I talk to him about what he’s seeing in videos like this?
-Vexed by Videos
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