Stay Tuned

For parents concerned about what their children are watching on television, Jane Murphy and Karen Tucker--the founders of Kidvidz, a company that creates award-winning, special-interest videos for kids--offer welcome advice and specific guidelines for making the most of the time spent in front of the screen. Going beyond books that simply list shows or videos appropriate for children, Murphy and Tucker show how careful selection of TV programs and videos can enhance a child's intellectual and emotional growth--and liberate their parents from TV guilt.



How To Avoid Raising A Channel-Surfing Couch Potato And Still Turn On The Set explains how to transform the passive, solitary experience of watching television into an opportunity for family interaction and open communication. For example, the authors recommend programs and videos that focus on a specific value like honesty and suggest topics for informal family discussion after viewing. They provide tips on how to decide what's right for families with kids of all ages, great ideas for games that reinforce insights gleaned from entertaining videos and favorite television programs, and activities--like creating a best/worst list or developing a family rating system--that are both educational and fun.



Filled with sidebars, cartoons, sample family dialogues, and more, this is the only video guide anyone with kids (and a TV/VCR) will ever need.