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TV & Movies

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?

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Does the sound from TV affect infants?
 Does the sound from TV affect infants? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Sometimes, we watch TV while our 7 week old is in the room. She’ll typically be in our arms or sleeping in her swing at the time. She never sees the images on TV. The shows we watch tend to be PBS shows, cooking shows, and other non-violent, non-suspenseful things. I wonder if hearing the…

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What could possibly make my two year old so scared of an eyeglass commercial?
 What could possibly make my two year old so scared of an eyeglass commercial? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: When a certain commercial for eyeglasses comes on TV, my two year old practically jumps in my arms and holds on for dear life! In it, one pair of eyeglasses makes a karate noise and splits into two pairs. I’m pretty sure it’s the karate sound that scares her, since her brother wears glasses…

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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…

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Will sitting close to the TV hurt my kids’ eyes?
 Will sitting close to the TV hurt my kids’ eyes? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I have an son who’s 11 and a daughter who’s 9½, and for many years, they have sat close to the TV when watching. I have asked them to sit farther away, and they do move back maybe a foot…but they always go back to viewing the show close up, even if the screen…

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Are static images on TV harmful to toddlers?
 Are static images on TV harmful to toddlers? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: When our 14-month-old son was born, his pediatrician told us to avoid screen time, so we do not allow him to watch TV and we rarely have it on while he is awake. But, we subscribe to a music service that streams through the TV. When the songs play, the album covers are shown…

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Do you have any last-minute tips for holiday shopping?
 Do you have any last-minute tips for holiday shopping? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Help! I’m shopping for kids of all ages this year for the holidays, and don’t know where to begin. What are your thoughts about the kinds of toys that are good for kids?
A: This year, focus on the CHILD–opt for Creative gifts you’ve decided upon after doing your Homework on the recipients’ interests, keeping in mind the importance of Imagination, Learning, and making Donations.

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Will my 7-year-old outgrow her fear of 3D movies like Puss in Boots?
 Will my 7-year-old outgrow her fear of 3D movies like Puss in Boots? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My seven-year-old daughter loves movies, and there are many 3D movies geared toward kids this holiday season—Arthur Christmas, Happy Feet 2, Hugo, Puss in Boots, and The Muppets. But when my friend took her to see Puss in Boots, which opens with snow falling, the 3-D snow really freaked my daughter out, and she…

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Should I correct Thanksgiving stereotypes my kids see on TV?
 Should I correct Thanksgiving stereotypes my kids see on TV? 150 150 Mediatrics

Readers loved this post last Thanksgiving (thanks for your great feedback, Shaping Youth!), so we are reposting it in honor of this one. Enjoy! Q: I know I’m probably making a big deal out of this, but it really bugs me when my school-age kids watch shows and movies in class or on TV that…

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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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