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Media Violence

How can I find educational video games for an 8-year-old boy who likes war stuff?
 How can I find educational video games for an 8-year-old boy who likes war stuff? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Do you have suggestions for how to find appropriate media, such as educational video games, for different ages, such as an 8-year-old boy who likes war stuff? I’d like to help direct him to more creative sites.  –Seeking solutions, in Burlington, VT A: Dear Seeking, It’s not always easy to know which video games…

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How can I get my 2½ year old’s dad to stop showing her movies that scare her?
 How can I get my 2½ year old’s dad to stop showing her movies that scare her? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I am a single mom of a fun-loving 2½ year old who watches about one hour of TV per day. She spends Saturdays with her dad, and she comes home telling me about Scooby Doo, Sponge Bob Square Pants, Happy Feet, Dumbo, and Finding Nemo. I am concerned about the age appropriateness of these…

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How do I get my 4 year old’s grandpa not to play violent video games with him?
 How do I get my 4 year old’s grandpa not to play violent video games with him? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My father-in-law bonds with my 4-year-old son by playing video games. Recently, he bought a LEGO pirates game, rated for 10 year olds, and the two play it for about an hour every time they see each other. I love that they spend time together, but since they started playing this game, my son…

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How might kids experience the final Potter film?
 How might kids experience the final Potter film? 150 150 Mediatrics

CMCH staff contributed the following post to Thriving, Children's Hospital Boston's pediatric health blog, about the final installment of Harry Potter.  Last night at midnight, the final installment of the Harry Potter movies opened in theaters, creating exhilaration and, maybe, a sense of loss for those who have grown up with Hogwarts on the brain…

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Video games seem bad for my son, but he doesn’t agree…what do I do?
 Video games seem bad for my son, but he doesn’t agree…what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My older son has been haranguing me for months to allow him to get an Xbox 360. He currently has a Wii but has deemed the games “stupid,” which is exactly why I allowed him to get it (with misgivings). But the games for Xbox are generally so violent that I could come up…

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Can I protect my kids’ media use at school? On the bus?
 Can I protect my kids’ media use at school? On the bus? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: How do I protect my children against what I consider to be harmful media when they are at school or on the bus?
A: Don’t leave this issue to be regulated by the bus driver, the other riders, or the school. Inform and empower your child to make sound media decisions for him or herself.

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How can I tell which films are OK for my child?
 How can I tell which films are OK for my child? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Are two year olds too young to see films like Tangled? What should I consider when thinking about taking my kids to the movies?
A: If what you imagine her seeing, hearing, and understanding is what you want for her to experience, then take her and enjoy it together, keeping in mind these developmental considerations.

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Video Games: How much time is too much?
 Video Games: How much time is too much? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Is 15-20 hours per week too much time spent on video games–even if my son gets all A’s, and is involved with lots of other activities? Is gaming a good use of his downtime?
A: There is no magic number of appropriate gaming hours: The key is to ensure that gaming doesn’t get in the way of the other important activities of life—like homework, family meals, and sleep.

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My well-rounded teen wants to play violent, multiplayer games. Should I let him?
 My well-rounded teen wants to play violent, multiplayer games. Should I let him? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 13-year-old likes to play the Call of Duty games, and claims it’s not too violent, bloody, or intense for him—he just thinks it’s fun. Should I let him keep playing it?
A: The answer to your question depends on what you’re concerned about. Given that your son is actively engaged in other activities, it sounds like you’re not worried that it might be getting in the way of other things in his life, so I suspect that your concern is about his exposure to and engagement with the game’s violence.

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My son’s school assignment is to watch the news, but I don’t usually let him; what do I do?
 My son’s school assignment is to watch the news, but I don’t usually let him; what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My son’s homework was to think about the news he watches and relate it to something in his history book, but I don’t let him watch the news. What should we do?
A: You are right to be concerned about your kids’ exposure to TV news. Because a more tabloid approach tends to bring higher ratings, TV news stations often cover the most outrageous…
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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