One of the most helpful things you can do as a parent is to teach children to question and think about what they watch. Each time you watch TV with your children make at least one critical viewing comment. Soon your children will catch on and my start making a few comments of their own. For example:
1. "I wonder if they could have solved the problem without using a gun."
2. "If the cereal tastes so good and is so good for you, why do they have to put a toy in it to get you to go buy it?
3. "She's pretty, but I wonder what she really looks like when she wakes up in the morning? I bet she doesn't wear makeup to bed."
4. What would happen to that guy if he crashed all those cars in real life?"
Source: Lisa Oesterrich, Iowa State University, National Network of Child Care.