Growing up, children have become more influenced by television than by their parents. In today's society, programs such as Music Television (MTV) have replaced quality time, like sitting and talking with parents, with visual aides that shapes a child's ideals. In the past, this role was dominated by the influence of family and child's surroundings. When children watch television, they are physically passive yet mentally very active, absorbing information, ideas, and values. Television is such a powerful teacher that adults must be very sure that the lessons children learn from television are desirable in order to ensure their child's mental well-being.
             Each year, most children spend about 1,500 hours in front of the television and 900 hours in the classroom. Television may have the most influence in children's lives today. For example, the average child sees more than 20,000 commercials each year. Children see at least an hour of commercials for every five hours of programs they watch. Because television is the best way to sell consumer goods, many advertisers spend roughly $700,000 a year to make sure their pitches are aimed at a large number of children. More than 60% of the ads are for sugared cereal, candy, fatty foods, and toys. Among the top television advertisers are corporations that aim most of their sales efforts at children.
             Children spend three to four hours a day watching television, which is limiting time for other activities. In addition to the time spent watching television, the increased use of the VCR, and the amount of time spent watching movies, and playing video games add to the hours children spend in front of the television screen. Childhood is the time of growth and development- all children need a variety of activities to help learn valuable physical, mental, and social skills- and should not be subjected to violent material.
             Violence in American society today is als...