Television has a tremendous influence on American family life. As the dominant force in our media culture, television has changed our habits, what we do with our free time, when and how we eat meals, when we go to bed, and how we raise and entertain our children. Television is an important part of children's lives, offering them a look at many things they will never have the chance to see for themselves. But TV viewing, especially by children, needs to be controlled. The television programming of today is much different than that of previous generations. Today, the average child sees 11,000 TV murders by age 14 (Grossman).
             While television may seem to be a vehicle that can enrich a child's life by introducing vocabulary and new sights, it must be remembered that children comprehend material on a different level than adults. They often have difficulty separating reality from fantasy, believing, for example, that a teddy bear can talk. Time and space concepts are distorted. Young children think concretely and have difficulty understanding metaphors and similes. Young children are very literal in their interpretations of events on television.
             If I were a parent, and someday I most likely will be, I would have certain guidelines in place for my children when viewing television programming, for their own benefit. It is my opinion that the most important part of a child's growth process and understanding of right and wrong ultimately comes from his/her parents and family. Other social virtues are a major factor as well, especially TV.
             ------------------------------------------------------------------------
             ...