According to the Parents Television Council, children may be exposed to an average of 136 foul words per week. That’s over four words per hour.
What’s the source of their exposure? From what’s considered the “family hour” on network TV. This doesn’t even account for the violence or disturbing imagery from shows and movies.
Repeated child exposure to violent content can influence child behavior. Scenes of screen violence, aggressive behavior, or intense action scenes can alter how children feel about aggression. It can even normalize conflict resolution through violence. This makes the roles of parents, schools, and the media more important than ever.
At Enjoy Movies Your Way, we understand you won’t always be there to talk to your child about the violence they see on TV. However, there’s a way for your child to enjoy a family-friendly screening, regardless of a show or movie’s rating.
Our platform lets you filter out violent scenes and profanities. It gives you control over the level of intensity of mature themes that they can be exposed to—even if you’re not there. With your Enjoy app, you can set family-friendly boundaries until you and your child are ready to have those important conversations.
The Effect of Child Exposure to Screen Violence
Extensive research has shown that early exposure to screen violence is linked to an increase in aggressive behavior and antisocial tendencies:
Increased Aggression and Antisocial Behavior
- One longitudinal study (2025) found that children who were exposed to violent programming early in life were more likely to engage in physical aggression as teenagers, including hitting, stealing, and gang-related violence.
- Another study linked early exposure to reactive aggression, such as threats, insults, and violence without provocation, years after initial exposure.
Desensitization and Fear
- When children are exposed to repeated violent content, they may become less sensitive to real-life violence. This desensitization can lower emotional responses to suffering, normalize aggression as a problem-solving method, and even lead to heightened anxiety and fear, making the world feel more dangerous than it really is.
Learning to Accept Violence as Normal
- A 2023 study found that younger children are more prone to directly imitate what they see, while older adolescents show cognitive changes that increase tolerance for aggressive behavior. Additionally, parenting style also influenced these effects, highlighting the importance of family context when discussing violence.
- According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children are more likely to imitate what they see when violent actions are unpunished, realistic, or shown repeatedly, even if they don’t fully understand the consequences.
Why It’s Important to Talk to Your Child About Screen Violence
Recent studies show that children ages 8 to 12 want their parents and caregivers to talk to them about difficult topics. Given the prevalence of real-world events and violence in the media, open communication helps children feel heard, valued, and safe. Talking with you helps them navigate content that may be frightening or confusing.
For instance, when screen violence or upsetting content isn’t discussed, children may internalize it or misunderstand its implications. This can lead to feelings of isolation, emotional stress, or increased behavioral issues. Children may model what they see without realizing it’s inappropriate.
Today’s kids encounter tough topics through television, video games, and online content earlier than ever. From violence to social injustices, they often hear about these complex issues from friends or media channels, before they’re emotionally ready to understand them.
However, this is your opportunity to speak first. Talking to children about TV violence gives you the chance to talk about family values, offer context, and correct misinformation. With your guidance, this vital conversation helps you shape a healthier view of conflict resolution, empathy, and safety with your children.
How to Talk to Kids About Violence in TV Shows and Movies
Encourage Open Communication
It is essential to set a foundation of open communication with your child. By creating a safe space for them to ask questions, your child can feel at ease asking about anything, including screen violence. Reassure your child that no question is “off limits.”
Use everyday moments—such as watching TV together—as natural opportunities for discussion. When they ask questions, be honest and use age-appropriate language in your answers. If you don’t know the answer to their question, admit it and look it up together.
Talk About Emotions, Not Just Events
Children may feel unsettled after watching a violent scene or news reporting on an intense conflict, even if they don’t say so. To check on them, you can ask how the content made them feel. For instance, you can open up a conversation with this question: “That TV program seemed scary. What do you think?”
From there, help them process their emotions. Reassure them it’s okay to feel scared or confused. Talking about your child’s feelings and acknowledging them helps reduce their fear and anxiety associated with what they see on screen.
Watch Together and Talk in Real Time
Whenever possible, watch TV shows or play video games with your child. This helps you monitor what they’re seeing and model thoughtful media habits.
You can use characters, their actions, and their consequences to challenge the normalization of violence by asking, “What would you do differently in that situation?”
If a scene disturbs you, let them know and explain why. You might say, “I don’t think violence was the answer in that situation. People in real life get hurt, and that’s not something to enjoy.”
Use Media as a Teaching Opportunity
When watching shows or movies with relevant or heavy conflicts, you can use them as a teaching opportunity. Media discussions can lead to powerful conversations about empathy, justice, and kindness, values that you want your child to develop.
How to Monitor Your Family’s Streaming Experience
Many streaming platforms today offer TV ratings and parental locks. These features can help you screen content at a surface level. However, these tools often fall short. They either overblock or underblock. At times, they may even fail to catch violent scenes or offensive language embedded within a program.
With Enjoy Movies Your Way, families can go beyond standard restrictions. The app lets you filter profanity, mute or skip mature scenes, and block specific violent content without removing access to your favorite shows or movies. This means:
- You don’t have to miss out on a movie just because of one or two inappropriate scenes.
- You can watch with your kids confidently, knowing that the content has been cleaned up for family viewing.
- You can allow kids to view content independently, with content limits still in place even when you’re not present.
Unlike native apps, Enjoy comes packed with additional tools to enhance your streaming experience, including:
- Ad Skip Queue: Bypass annoying commercial interruptions.
- Playback Speed Control: Speed up or slow down content based on your family’s preferences or time constraints.
- Stylized Subtitles: Translate or style captions for better comprehension and accessibility.
- And more!
Moderate Your Family Streaming Experience Today with a FREE Trial
With Enjoy Movies Your Way, you don’t have to worry about pausing, skipping, or covering your child’s eyes during intense or inappropriate scenes. Our advanced filtering tools automate your streaming experience to ensure it is safe, respectful, and age-appropriate.
Ready to tailor your home’s streaming experience? Sign up for a 7-day FREE trial today to filter violence and support family values from your streaming subscriptions.
