In a perfect world, we moms would have the time to personally preview everything our kids watch on television or at the movies BEFORE they see it. In a semi-perfect world, we would have the time to watch each and every show with our kids so that we’d be able to change the channel the second we see something we don’t like. But in the real world, the one we’re stuck with, it can be really tricky to figure out which shows are okay for your kid to watch and which ones aren’t.
So, just in case you haven’t already found this website for yourself, you must check out Common Sense Media. I surfed over there a few weeks ago and was impressed with what I found. They have reviews of just about every show you can think of and a few more you’ve never heard of (but your kids probably have). The reviews are specifically designed for parents and will give you a heads-up on what that particular show contains and for what age group it is most appropriate.
Cartoons, sitcoms, movies, books, video games, music and even websites — you name it, they’ve got a review for it. The ratings are simple. Green is good. Yellow is iffy. Red means “turn it off.” Even your little kids will understand how the rating system works. My kids have learned that, when they ask to watch a certain show, I’ll probably go to the computer to read about it before I give them an answer.
The site is easy to navigate and the editors even give recommendations for specific shows for certain age groups along with an explanation for why they like it. To check out the site for yourself, click here or on the logo above and bookmark the site for future reference. We think it’s a cool tool for moms.
