| Parents are in a better position than anyone to influence their children’s viewing habits (Truglio, Murphy, Oppenheimer, Huston, & Wright, 1996), especially during the preschool years. This is when parents have the most control over their children’s viewing and when viewing habits are established (Hughes & Hasbrouck, 1996). Research shows that children watch less television if their parents restrict their viewing, and if their parents are warm and communicative. Children watch more educational programming if their parents encourage them to do so; however, these same children also typically watch more television in general (Huston & Wright, 1998). Hughes and Hasbrouck (1996) suggest that educating parents of young children about the positive and negative effects of television on children’s behavior could be an effective violence prevention approach. |
