Today will be the first in a series of posts about families and media.  Back when I was younger, had fewer children, and had a bit more time on my hands I would travel and give a presentation about media (TV, music, video games, internet, etc.) to various church groups.  I have decided to update and revamp that material for a series of posts that will most likely continue through the end of the year.  Along with changes in the media landscape, I have learned many lessons as a father trying to raise young children in an ‘R-rated’ world.

Some may disagree that we are living in an ‘R-rated’ world.  Let me give you a quick example from yesterday.  I took my 5 year-old daughter out with me to run some errands for work.  We made a quick stop for a special treat for my young assistant.  While we were enjoying our treats a steady barrage of ‘f-bombs’ and other vulgarities came over the divider.  The foul language wasn’t coming from teenagers but a group of men and women in their late 20’s to early 30’s.  I thought perhaps they couldn’t see the small child on the other side of the divider so I leaned over and asked if they could watch their language because of young ears.  As you probably guessed, they brushed my remarks off and continued with their conversation.  (Note to these foiks: It isn’t a good idea to behave in this manner when your company logo is on your shirts.  Complaint sent.)

From conversations in restaurants, to things overheard at the grocery store, the language in today’s world is most definitely ‘R-rated.’  Did you catch the blog post that went viral last week about the mother watching morning network television with her child when an ad with nude people popped up?  The average age for first exposure to internet pornography is now 8 years-old and trending towards younger ages as so many devices become connected.  Parents who are struggling to raise good kids definitely have their work cut out for them.

So, today we start by looking at television.  Let me start by saying that I am a fan of TV.  We are not one of those families that doesn’t have TV.  We have two TVs in our house, basic cable, and a DVR.  There are lots of great television shows that families can watch together, but there are also a number of TV shows that seem innocent but hide a surprising message.  Let’s take a look at some of the latest TV viewing statistics.

• Percentage of US homes with a television – 99%
• Average number of televisions per household – 2.24
• Percentage of Americans that regularly watch TV while eating dinner – 67%
• Number of minutes per week the average child watches television – 1,480
• Hours per year the average child spends at school – 900
• Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18 – 150,000
• Number of 30-second ads seen per year by an average child – 16,000
• Number of Americans who say they watch too much TV – 49%
  (Data from A.C. Nielsen Co. – February 7, 2012)

Television is big business and it is a changing industry.  I have observed that there seem to be two segments for television.  There are a number of shows that focus on providing family friendly programming.  There are also a number of programs with the main objective of pushing the line.  I am not saying that we have to turn off the TV.  I am advocating that parents, grandparents and all who are involved in raising children pay careful attention to what is being viewed.

The main effort of these posts is to challenge and equip.  Simply pointing out a problem does no good.  I want to help motivated families analyze the issue and find solutions.  Some posts (like today’s post) will have homework for you to do as a family.  Other posts will point you toward trusted resources and tools that will help in your efforts to raise good kids in an ‘R-rated’ world.

Let’s get to the homework.  I have worked up a log sheet for your family to use while watching television.  It will be interesting to answer the question, “What do you watch?”  There is a small section to be filled out for every show that you watch.  You can determine if you want to monitor your viewing for a day or all the way until next week when I publish my next post in the series.  Please fill out a block for every show you or your kids watch whether the show is on television or streaming on a computer or other device.  Information on the log sheet includes show title, network, TV rating, length, number of curse words, number of censored curse words, adult situations, and blank lines for other issues you spotted.  I encourage parents to log the shows they watch after the kids go to bed as well.  We’ll take a look at the logs next week.   You can grab the log sheet here >>> Television Viewing Log Sheet

It is my hope that you will follow along each Tuesday as I post new entries for the “Raising Good Kids In An ‘R-rated World” series.  If this post has been interesting or helpful to you, please consider sharing it using the buttons below.  I would love for churches and active, engaged parents to follow along and add to the conversation.  Please leave a comment below with any thoughts about this post.

While we’re talking about doing good things, I have been publishing a series of family worship guides throughout 2013.  It’s not too late for your family to join in and start spending some time in the Bible.  Check out the latest worship guide here >>>  Week 34 – David Flees Absalom