The children of today have many more advantages than the children of two or three generations ago. Let's just take the TV as an example.

The children of today do not need to learn to read as early or to develop an imagination. All their fairy tales, bed time stories and cartoons are shown in living color on TV. There is nothing to read and nothing is left to
the imagination.

There is really no need to try and get a college degree. You can just get a job in the TV industry. After watching most of the new shows on TV, it is obvious that most of the writers, directors and actors never got past grade school.

The children today do not need to try to slip into the local pool hall to hear some of those words that they are taught in Sunday School should never be used. They can hear all the dirty talk they want to at home on TV. The cartoons today are even rated, many with a PG13 rating. This rating is usually for the foul language, however some are rated for the sex and
violence. I thought that cartoons were supposed to be entertaining and funny; however, the cartoons of today are anything but funny and entertaining.

The children, by the time they are old enough to talk, are being programmed to tell their folks just what they want. The big advertising agencies are directing more and more advertising each year to the children. The advertising personel know exactly who controls the purse strings at home. Just take a good look at McDonalds and the billions of burgers they have sold. It is the 'kids meal' with the advertised toy that has brought McDonalds all that business.

One of the latest advertising crazes aimed at the children is the 'pokemon'. At the opening of the first 'Pokemon' movie in our area several hundred parents called the schools and said their child was sick and could not go to school. However, they all showed up at the local theater that day for the opening of the 'Pokemon' movie. Oh, and the latest 'Pokemon' cards are
'Fibbermom' and 'Liardad".

The youth of today no longer have to lie about their age in order to get into the theater to see a XXX rated movie. They now have cable TV at home and can watch the XXX rated movies whenever they want to. The ones who do not have cable TV at home usually have friends that do have cable and they can visit their friends and watch cable TV.

The young people of today are learning from the soap operas just how easy it is to go from one husband/wife to another with no feelings of guilt; or how to live together without getting married.
Are these the morals we really want to teach out youth? Yes, TV is very educational, but is this what we want to be teaching our children? Too many people use the TV as a baby sitter. They turn the TV on, go on about their business, and leave the TV to entertain their children. As long as the children are quiet the parent is satisfied.

Have you sat down with your child lately and watched TV with him/her to see what shows they are watching? You may be surprised at some of the things they are showing on the children's channel now.

John Watson