Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
FREE Catholic Classes
By Sally Connolly
Although television programs are aired without warning labels, watching TV can have unwanted consequences for the behavior of teenagers.
Surprise. Surprise. Watching TV can have serious consequences for behavior. So says a three-year study of youngsters between the ages of 12 and 17.
The RAND Corporation study, which was published in the journal Pediatrics, found a high rate of unwanted pregnancies among teenagers who watched the most TV programs with sexual content. Teenagers who had with the greatest exposure were twice as likely to get pregnant.
The study went on to point out that the United States has "one of the highest teen pregnancy rates among industrialized nations. Nearly 1 million young women become pregnant each year, with the majority of these pregnancies unplanned. Research has shown that young mothers are more likely than others to quit school, require public assistance and to live in poverty."
Are we really stunned by the findings of this latest study? How shocked would we be to learn that someone who saturates his diet with hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats has developed cancer? Or that someone who gorges daily on baked goods, candy, and ice cream has become obese or developed diabetes?
Overindulging is bound to have consequences, some of them unwanted and unplanned.
Our favorite TV programs, however, seldom carry warning labels. The possible consequences of risky behavior--pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases--are seldom portrayed. How often have the characters on "Friends" or "Sex and the City" talked about safe sex? Or engaged in safe practices? How often have the frequent portrayals of one-night-stands resulted in health problems?
But avoiding TV programs with sexual content is difficult. Approximately 80 percent of today's programming includes sexual scenes or dialogue. Producers and scriptwriters rely heavily on the marketing premise that sex sells. Take a look at the themes of the highly popular "Two and a Half Men" or the program geared specifically to teenagers, "90210."
We must not wait for other studies to confirm what we already feel in our gut. The hypersexualized messages being fed to us by TV as well as movies, music, magazines, and the Internet have a negative impact on formative minds.
As parents, we need to know the viewing and listening habits of our youngsters, and we must be willing to have frank discussions with them about the behavior and values being portrayed. Everybody may be doing it on TV, but in real life, actions have social, moral and legal consequences.
To avoid overexposure to the media we need to work with our teenagers to help them find satisfying alternatives for their bountiful energy--activities such as after-school sports, personal enrichment opportunities, or limited, part-time work.
It is often said that in terms of our body, we are what we eat. In terms of the formation of attitudes and our behavior, we can say the same thing: Garbage in, garbage out.
________
Sally A. Connolly, a retired school counselor, is the author of A BOY FROM LAWRENCE: The Collected Writings of Eugene F. Connolly (2006) and Never Better: All Things Considered (2007). For more information, go to www.neverbetter.net
Contact
Connolly Associates
http://www.neverbetter.net
MA, US
Sally Connolly - Director, 978 774-8158
sallyconnolly@att.net
Keywords
TV and pregnancy
More Catholic PRWire
Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716
A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain
Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul
A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell
My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz
Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell
Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online
Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online
Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online
State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online
Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online
2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online
Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online
Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online
Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online
Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online
Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online
Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online
Full Circle
Robert Gieb
Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite
Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony
Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell
World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online
Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA
Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online
A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe
Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly
Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard
The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely
Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow
A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow
Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea
Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard
Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol
Edging God Out
Paul Sposite
Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow
George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online
Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell
Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey
Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite
Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol
Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol
Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online
Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online
Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online
Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online
Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online
Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online
Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Thursday, October 31, 2024
- St. Wolfgang: Saint of the Day for Thursday, October 31, 2024
- Memorare: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, October 31, 2024
- Daily Readings for Wednesday, October 30, 2024
- St. Alphonsus Rodriguez: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, October 30, 2024
- Prayer to the Holy Spirit # 2: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.