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Let’s make this simple.

You limit your kids’ sugar intake, teach them not to talk to strangers, and insist they hold your hand when they cross a street. In other words, you’re doing your best to keep them out of harm’s way.

But, without sounding alarmist here, one of the biggest threats to your kids’ health is already inside your house. TV watching has been linked to everything from obesity to violent behavior to sleeping difficulties. And no wonder. Today’s TV programming is more violent, more sexualized, and more laced with profanities than ever before.

We’re not saying that’s a bad thing for adults. But for kids? Uh, yeah. Check out our solutions as to what you can do to take back control of the TV in your home. Even better, think about the big picture and get involved with the STA to make the small screen safer for kids everywhere. That may sound far-reaching, but you gotta start somewhere.

Think most kids don’t watch enough TV to be negatively affected? The average child spends 900 hours in a classroom during the course of a school year and nearly 1,023 hours in front of a television. What’s more, 70% of child-care centers use TV during a typical day.

Source: Kidshealth.org