Children and Television

Sometimes it suddenly hits me how much violence children see on television. We just don't realise the effect it has on them.

Tonight I was sitting with my best friend Michelle, drinking coffee and discussing the tragedy in Asia. Her daughter Alex was at the table with us. I think Alex is 11, but hopefully she'll forgive me if I'm wrong.

Shell and I were talking about the impact on the buildings, what caused the tsunami in the first place, and the news coverage we've seen of it. Then Alex asked, "Was that wave real or just sometime they made up on television?" I don't think she realised until that moment it had been a real event with real people killed or injured.

It makes you stop and think, doesn't it?