Television is the primary source of entertainment for American children today. There is a large body of literature describing how media influence children's beliefs and behavior. As a mother, I refuse to allow a television to give my son a real education. Parents, we must take a stand and control the way our young people perceive the media in order to enable a positive and healthy childhood. One way to reduce the impact of television on children is to provide less television in the home. A study published in Pediatrics, an academic journal, acknowledges that most parents do not usually regulate their children's television use. (Donnerstein and Strasburger, par. 3) Parents, we need to set limits for our children. Not allowing your child to have a television in their bedroom will limit their television viewing. However, there are many other reasons why children should not have a TV in their bedroom. Pediatrics for Parents published a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics called "TV Watching and Social Skill" in which they reported that "children with a television in their bedroom have more sleep problems and less emotional reactivity" ( NA, para. 3). Another idea is to purchase “television budgeting devices” (Munson and Smith, para. 2). “Boob-tube kids” in Prevention magazine informs parents about devices that “block certain viewing times” on televisions. (Munson and Smith, para. 4) The article points out that "television budgeting devices are not widely available" but are growing in popularity. (Munson and Smith, par. 5) Increasing family activities will directly cause your child to watch less television. Inventing family rituals applicable to your home environment will increase family unity. Establishing a dinnertime routine will reap multiple benefits... middle of article...... 'Smarter TV Viewing' Author Brain Stonehill Says 'Quality of our viewing – and therefore, in a media-saturated world, the quality of our lives – depends on how carefully we make our choices about what to watch and what to turn off (Stonehill, par. 5)Television is part of our culture, so parents need to evaluate how their child interacts with today's media technology. As a part of today's youth, television should be. integrated in such a way as to minimize its negative effects on childhood Marie Winn, author of “Television: The Plug-In-Drug,” notes how “parents accepted a home life dominated by television” (Winn 437). This attitude is no longer acceptable in parenting. Parents must dictate adolescents' media consumption by ensuring that it is not abused or overused. Simply remaining involved in a child's media exposure will help lessen the destructive impact on childhood..