But it’s important for parents to keep tabs on how much violent content their children are being exposed to. Research shows that violent media content such as video movies and TV shows affect children, with many studies indicating that violence in media may be a risk factor for aggression, reduced empathy, increased confrontational and disruptive behavior, and other antisocial behavior in some kids. So what can parents do to protect school-age kids from violence and sex in the media? Here are some strategies for screening and choosing the media content your child is exposed to: One great resource to check out is Common Sense Media, a national organization of child-experts who screen movies, video games, TV, books, and other media to help parents make appropriate choices for their kids. For video games, go online and read all the reviews you can about the game and call your local video game store to see if any of the sales clerks have firsthand experience with the game. The most important thing is for parents to respect differing opinions and see individual choices as just that—individual. Refrain from judging other parents for their preferences for their kids and ask them to do the same. And if your child feels peer pressure, try to find other activities that they can do with their friends that don’t involve screens. Research has shown that monitoring and cutting back on screen time led to a number of benefits in kids such as better sleep, improved grades, and lower body mass index. And limiting technology in general—and reading together or going outside—is a good idea. Don’t give in and let your child see something you know may upset them just because they beg you to do so; they’re most likely reacting to peer pressure from a friend who may have seen it. By the same token, don’t expose them to content that may be upsetting for them just because you don’t think it should bother them. If your child asks you about something they saw in a movie or video game that was violent or ​graphic, be as candid as you can without going into too much detail. (Even older grade-schoolers, who may think that they can handle more media violence and explicit material, can be frightened by inappropriate images.) Explain briefly that violence and other mature content can be unhealthy for children—and even in some cases adults—and that your job is to protect his welfare until he is older and better able to make decisions about the grown-up material.