Let us not bury our heads in the sand and remain unaware of the negative influences that surround the impressionable minds of children.  The role models for this generation are TV and movie stars, sports heroes and rock stars who are often caught cheating on their spouses and engaging in shocking behavior under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Do you know which shows your children are watching?  Watch with them and find out.  Many shows depict graphic violence.  Watching people blow up on the small screen desensitizes children to acts of violence, and mentally they receive the message that violence is acceptable.  Listening to profanity-laden conversations on these shows convinces your child that the use of such language is quite acceptable.

What is your child listening to on the iPod?  What message is he receiving while playing video games?  Which internet sites is your child visiting?  As parents, you must become fully aware.  Play video games with your children to see what they are being exposed to.  Insist that they spend time outdoors as well, and engage them in activities which will put them in touch with nature.

Work hard with your children.  Do not take the easy way out by telling them to watch TV or play their video games.  Be fully involved in the shaping of little minds.  It takes a moment to pick up a bad habit and a lifetime to get rid of it.  Tell them the difference between right and wrong.  Do not allow others to teach your children the morality code; do this all-important work yourself.

Save your children by becoming more involved with their lives.

Yours,
Didi Ji