Close
Enter your
text here

Media Violence

How can I tell if I am being too strict with my kids’ media?
 How can I tell if I am being too strict with my kids’ media? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I have 4 boys (ages 11, 9, 9, and 7), and I am rather strict about limiting their screen time: We don’t allow any during the school week, and on the weekend, we allow the boys 1 hour per day. I have also told my oldest son that when he is at someone else’s house,…

read more
My teen loves a role-playing game involving torture, what should I do?
 My teen loves a role-playing game involving torture, what should I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 16-year-old son loves playing role-play games on the Internet. We recently became concerned, though, when we found out that the plots often involve torture. We are wondering why he is attracted to this kind of play and if there are any long or short term risks we should know about. We wonder if…

read more
How do I help my 14-year-old cope with the Aurora movie theater shooting?
 How do I help my 14-year-old cope with the Aurora movie theater shooting? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 14 year old son has been anticipating the release of the new Batman movie ever since he saw the trailer last year. He pre-ordered his tickets for opening weekend and was all set to go with friends when he heard about the theater shooting at the midnight showing in Aurora Colorado. The news…

read more
Where can I find books for young advanced readers?
 Where can I find books for young advanced readers? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 8-year-old son is a precocious reader, and I am having a hard time finding books that are both age-appropriate and challenging enough to keep him engaged. I worry that the books at his reading level are too violent or contain other content that he’s not ready for. Where can I find books (lots…

read more
Should I use the movie “Bully” to talk about bullying with my 10 year old?
 Should I use the movie “Bully” to talk about bullying with my 10 year old? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 10-year-old son will be starting middle school in the fall. So far, he has had a pretty sheltered, drama-free experience at a great elementary school. I want him to be aware that bullying goes on and that he needs to tell someone if anything like that ever happens to him. I have thought…

read more
My 17-year-old is having serious anxiety since he started playing Call of Duty–is there a connection?
 My 17-year-old is having serious anxiety since he started playing Call of Duty–is there a connection? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 17-year-old son started playing Call of Duty a few months ago. Since that time, he has had more trouble than usual falling asleep and has been waking up in the middle of the night. Last night, he woke me saying he felt like he was having a panic attack—racing heart and hyperventilation. I…

read more
Ratings Reality: Who rates our media and what that means for children
 Ratings Reality: Who rates our media and what that means for children 150 150 Mediatrics

CMCH staff member Kristelle Lavallee contributed the following post to Thriving, Boston Children’s Hospital’s pediatric health blog. Are you looking to take the family to a movie but aren’t sure whether your child should see The Hunger Games (PG-13) or Bully (unrated)? If you base the decision on the Motion Picture Association of American (MPAA) ratings, the answer…

read more
Am I overreacting if I don’t want my husband to play games like Grand Theft Auto with our 5-year-old?
 Am I overreacting if I don’t want my husband to play games like Grand Theft Auto with our 5-year-old? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My husband plays X-box games rated for those over 16 or over 18, like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, and Modern Warfare. He allows our 5-year-old son to play these games with him. I do not know anything about X-box, but I feel they are not suitable for a child that is so young.…

read more
Is The Hunger Games movie too scary for younger fans of the book?
 Is The Hunger Games movie too scary for younger fans of the book? 150 150 Mediatrics

The movie The Hunger Games opens today, and record tickets sales are expected to make the post-apocalyptic survival tale one of the spring’s biggest blockbusters. But just because your child has read The Hunger Game books, does that mean she’s ready to watch it on the big screen?

read more
My 5 year old is afraid of TV—what do I do?
 My 5 year old is afraid of TV—what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 5-year-old daughter does not like TV that involves conflict. She has no desire to see a Disney movie and even gets anxious when a kid gets lost on Veggie Tales. She’ll watch Blues Clues, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Barney but has no desire to watch the shows for her own age. When a movie…

read more