April 2018 – Parents Television Council offers five tips for how to protect your child from lewdness and profanity on TV:
1. Minimize the risk by avoiding live broadcasts – live sports events and awards shows are the riskiest. Pre-record and vet content before family viewing.
2. Don’t make a big deal about it – don’t call attention to the offending word. Discreetly change the channel or turn off the TV at a natural break in the program.
3. If your child hears the word and asks about it – the bigger your reaction, the more likely the child will repeat it. Be matter-of-fact and move on.
4. With older children – reinforce your family’s values when it comes to how they express themselves.
5. Push back – don’t just accept TV’s declining standards. If networks and sponsors are put on notice, they will make more effort to control offending broadcasts.
