[syracusa]

I wish the sex and swearing "problems" were the only things bad about TV and kids.
If this was so, then I might not even object that much to my kids watching TV, because I would be able to explain to them what's with sex and what profanity is - and then everyone would be enlightened and happy about it.

My issues with TV is that it imbecilizes kids - not because of sex and swearing but simply because it exists as a box to be watched constantly. Studies after studies show that TV is the atomic bomb of any child's education, creativity, imagination and intellect. For better or for worse, whether your child watches "Baby Einstein" or sex and swearing - the TV will make them stupider, hands down.

So as far as I am concerned, a child should not watch TV at all, other than maybe a scheduled age-appropriate movie or cartoon in the week-end, once in a while; and even that should not be done without an adult's company - not to defend them from "immoral" images but simply to stimulate their intellect in regards to what they are watching: to make comments, to ask them questions, to debate, to question, etc.

Beyond that, there should be NO TV for kids period. There are way too many books to read, way too many classics to cover, way too many things to learn outside of TV.
Most American kids and youth act so idiotically exactly because they have been raised on TV. And it shows.