As a rule of thumb, you should set your own personal "watershd", here in the UK, we have a 9 pm watershed, and no adult themed programmes are broadcast before this time.

The tv shows on our common tv are of the standard decided by the parents of this family. If the child (depending on age of course) wishes to watch something not normally watched, they may request, and a parent will watch an episode with them to determine its suitability. If, after talking to the child about the show's shortcomings, it is deemed unsuitable by parent, the child is not allowed to watch it. Point blank. However, as a child enters teen years, more latitude is extended, although parents will still intervene if they consider the show to be too adult or too violent. Our kids are now adults in age, and can choose to watch what they like...they also have their own TVs...the younger one likes gory stuff, which I don't, and I let her know I don't. But she is an adult, and, if she chooses to watch them on her tv, so be it.

You have to watch the shows yourself first. Do the shows contain violence? If so, how much and what type? Do they contain profanity? If so how much and to what level? Is there nudity? Is there sexual content? You have to decide what a child should see or be exposed to and go from there. My children were NEVER allowed to watch anything rated R (even if it was only because of bad language - which they could hear ANYWHERE at ANY time. They could not watch HBO after 8 pm and CINEMAX was completely off limits! They couldn't watch the music videos because either the lyrics were too vulgar or the clothing and dances were to sexually explicit! I caught a lot of flack from others for this and my children were none too happy about it either but now that they are all grown (the youngest being 22) they have all told me they understand what I was talking about now and they too will not allow their children to watch such things! I even banned some "animated" shows simply because children don't differentiate between reality and fantasy until they are older. I hope this helps you some.

I let my son watch any thing he wanted with the exception on "sexually oriented shows". I watched with him and "taught" him how to watch TV...I explained each and ever violent act as "faked" for the TV...I would tell him the two dead people got up after the scen and had lunch together! I told him the blood was fake too! I never kept him from anything especially the nightly news! My son is now older, and a parent too. He is not a viloent person, or a mean person and does not use vulgar language, I told him about that too...it was not allowed in proper society! He is extreamly intellegent and has a wonderful job and was not effected by any thing he watched as a child, to this day he sees just about every movie that comes out and can watch them objectivly. He is not a whimp or a wuss either! He is a good strong gown man now with a very good head on his shoulders...those violent video games didn't effect him one little bit and I feel it was because "I was taught" to watch TV when I was little! I personally feel that children of parents that make a big deal out of everything are going to have a very impressionable child who will end up a nerotic and allow "what they were not allowed to see" effect their lives...forbidden fruit always tastes the best to a child so of course they will sneak and see exactally what you as a parent don't approve of! You have to expose your child to everything they will experience in life and help them understand what is right and what is wrong and you can do this no matter what they see on TV or play in the video arcades "or at someone elses house"!! Teach your child about life as it really is...don't sugar coat anything! It makes for a more well adjusted child who can except life as it comes!!

I have a rule that i don't expose my children to something if they don't fully understand what their watching, and if it would effect them in real life, then it certainly will effect them watching it on tv!!

I watch the show and decide that way. yes, ratings are helpful, but there is nothing more informative than your own mind, eyes and ears. And besides, you want to know who your kids are talking about when they mention a character, or an inside joke.... just be involved!