Kid Media Monitor: What parents should know about today's cartoons

Parents can also take a more active role in monitoring what programs children are watching, regardless of their TV ratings, popularity or what channel they are aired on. They would then have a good idea of what media their children are consuming and be able to decide for themselves if it is proper material for their youngsters or not.

TV Watch, a broad-based coalition that opposes government control of TV programming and promotes the use of tools like content ratings and parental controls, echoes this suggestion, stating, "Parents should try to watch at least one episode of a new program that their child wants to watch to make sure that they approve of the show’s content."

On-demand programming could help, but could also make the situation worse if controls are not in place to restrict viewing as parents see fit for their families.

Unfortunately, due to current viewing trends and more adult-oriented animation choices, things seem to be going downhill when in reality many child-friendly, well-suited cartoons are still being broadcast today. Parents and youths need to be better informed on what they are and where to find them.

There are several good resources available to help parents such as Reboot.fcc.gov's "Parents' Place," the Parents Television Council and recommendations from their local community.

Branden Hurst is a proud father of four. He has worked in the IT industry for over 14 years, but in his free time enjoys sharing in wholesome activities with his family and developing websites, including his genealogical work at itsallrelative.info.