To a lot of people, television may seem like a good thing: kids can learn the alphabet and you can keep up with current events on the evening news. Nevertheless, how does TV affect your daughter?

I am convinced that television has no place in a young girl’s life. I realize we are questioning a practice that has been a form of habit to all people, since brushing teeth. A big part of a parent’s responsibility during the years from birth to seven is to help our daughter develop good habits. Watching television is one habit they can do without!

We are all guilty of abusing the television. Often we use television to relax after a rough day, or we turn the TV on to help us fall asleep. Wouldn’t you think that we would have to limit our own watching of TV, if we eliminate TV from our daughter’s life?

During the impressionable years, daughters have difficulty knowing the difference between what is real and what is TV.

We as parents and educators have lost control of teaching values to our daughters. This role now resides with television. Have any of us considered what girls really learn from television?

They learn that, most problems have to be solved through violence. They believe that dressing in a sexy way makes one popular. If you can believe it they also think that eating candy and soft drinks makes one happy.

If you think that's something how about girl's looking at shopping as a desirable pastime. Or that people from minority groups are either inferior, odd, or frightening. I think you know the cool rule. You have to be “cool” to be “in" and if you’re not you’re “out”. If you think that's something imagine this. Alcohol, drug use and having sex, not being a big deal to her. Really!

"Probably the clearest evidence we have that television influences children's thinking and behavior is the fact that advertisers invest literally billions of dollars trying to influence the perceptions, choices and behaviors of children through advertising," says Dr. Brian Wilcox, chair for Task force on advertising on children.

We have to ask ourselves whether the things on television today best teach our daughters to be creative, inquisitive, caring, intelligent, and competent human beings. I can answer that they do not.

I understand that turning off the TV for good may not be easy to do or consider. However, it may be easier for those of us expecting a daughter or with a daughter. If you cannot turn off the TV, I encourage you to consider toning it down, with parental supervision. Watching too much television can teach you a lot. Are you sure you can handle what it is teaching your daughter or you for that matter?

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