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mages from the action and feeling brains. It is also the part of the brain that has the most potential for the future, and it is the place where our experiences, recollections, feelings, and thinking skills all combine to shape our ideas and actions (Everett 1997Pg.105).The thinking brain is '5 times larger than the other brains combined and provides intellect, creativity thinking, computing and, if developed, sympathy, empathy, compassion and love' (Pearce 1992 pg.50)

By age 4, both the core and limbic brains are 80% myelinated. After age 6-7 the brain's attention is shifted to the neocortex with myelination beginning first on the right side or hemisphere and later joined by the left hemisphere. The right hemisphere is the more intuitive side of the brain, and it particularly responds to visual images. It grasp wholes, shapes, and patterns and focuses on the big picture rather then the details. It directs drawing and painting and monitors Melodies and harmonies of music. It is especially responsive to novelty and color and is the dominant hemisphere when watching TV. (Healy, 1990, Everett 1997 pgs.122, 102.)

Brain size has been shown to decrease 20-30% if a child is not touched, played with or talked to (Healy 1990 pg.199). In addition, the poor quality of reproduced sound presented to our hearing and the flashing, colored, fluorescent over-stimulating images presented to our eyes cause problems in the development and proper function of these two critical sense organs (Poplawski 1998 pg.60). It is important to realize that a six-year old's brain is 2/3 the size of an adult's though it has 5-7 times more connections between neurons than does the brain of an 18-month old or an adult(Pearce 1992 pg.78).

Television has been in existence for the past 80 years, though the broadcasting of entertainment shows did not begin until the 1940's. In 1950, 10% of American households own a TV set. By 1954, this Percentage had increased to 50%, and by 1960, 80% of American households owned a television. Since 1970, more than 98% of American households own a TV and currently 66% of households own three or more TV's. Television is on almost 7 hours per day in an average American home. Children of all ages from preschool through adolescence, watch an average of 4 hours of TV per day (excluding time spent watching videos or playing computer games). A child spends more time watching TV then any other activity except sleeping, and by age 18 a child has spent more time in front of a TV than at school. (Internet yahoo.com)

Parents have to regulate and take part of there children's lives with television. Some things parents can do to control what children watch and protect them are:

*Move your TV to the basement, sunroom, or attic. Having a TV in a prominent place is too tempting. When you want to watch a show, move the tube back to the living room. You may be surprised at how few programs you find worth all this moving.

Have everyone in the family make lists of activities to do besides watching TV then start doing them.

*Sell all but one TV. Remove extras from bedrooms, the kitchen, and the garage. Use books or tapes or the radio instead of TV as background noise. Instead of using the TV as an electronic baby-sitter as you make dinner, invite children to help plan and make meals. Then leave the TV off while you eat.

*Try to limit viewing to l