According to the American Psychological Association, TV violence desensitizes children to the pain and suffering of others and makes them more fearful and more likely to behave aggressively toward others. In a study of 100 preschoolers conducted by Dr. George Gerbner of the University of Pennsylvania, children who watched violent cartoons were more likely to strike out at playmates, argue and disobey authority than those who watched non-violent cartoons. Studies by Gerbner also have shown that children's TV programs contain about 20 violent acts each hour and that children who watch a lot of television are more likely to think that the world is a mean and dangerous place. And a University of Illinois study found that children who watched many hours of TV violence during elementary school grew up to be unusually aggressive teenagers. Sometimes it's the parents who inadvertently teach children to settle conflicts through violence.
Corporal punishment sends the wrong message.
It says that violence will solve the problem. In some cases, parents overtly encourage kids' violent tendencies. If a child has conflicts at school, some parents encourage that child to physically attack the offender. Children do not instinctively know how to handle conflicts when they surface. So they emulate what they've seen others do on TV or at home.