Start when your children are young. It’s best to develop good media habits well before children start school. As they grow older, it will be more difficult to enforce restrictions or influence their choices.

Look at your own media habits and change them if necessary. Remember, you are the most important role model in your child’s life.

Make sure that your child’s media use is balanced with sports, hobbies, creative play and playing outdoors. Ensure that late-night chatting and surfing do not cut into important sleep time.

Get involved in your children’s media use — watch, play and listen with your children.

Encourage your children to sample a variety of quality media experiences. Guide them to make good media choices.

Learn about the Canadian and American ratings systems for television, music, movies and video games. They can be helpful when choosing appropriate media for your child.

Talk to your child about stereotypical and violent images in the media and about strategies that advertisers use to market to children.

Limit the amount of violent content your children are exposed to and monitor their behaviour after watching scary or violent shows, or playing video games.

Keep television, Internet-connected computers and gaming equipment out of your child’s bedroom.

Make your voice heard. If any media content strikes you as inappropriate or offensive, it’s important to speak out to the media organizations. It is equally important to speak out in support of quality entertainment.