Improving kids’ television diet

Yes, there are too many commercials aimed at children. But by no means does it take superhero powers for parents to counter the power of marketing [“Those Sugary Saturday Mornings,” Jan. 24]. A simple three-step program that’s worked for our family:

1) Cut down on the number of commercials that your children see, especially in the years before they are aware of the wonders of cable TV.

2) When watching TV with your children, teach them how to interpret commercials.

3) If your children crave the cereal with SpongeBob or Shrek, let them use their own allowance to buy it. At $3 to $4 a carton, it is a rare grade-schooler who can support a box-a-week habit.

Jo Pitesky

Studio City

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The only way we will ever truly influence what is marketed to our children is to exercise our ultimate right not to buy the junk. We can teach our children this powerful lesson by saying no to the junk and by explaining why. We can make our children media savvy by talking to them about the content of the commercials, different types of “sells,” who is making them and to whom they are aimed.

And we can turn off the television and go outside. We as parents can be role models for walking, talking, playing outside and doing a myriad of things other than sitting in front of the tube. Kids aren’t buying this junk. Adults are. Take responsibility.

Kate Fuglei-Lazebnik

Studio City

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There’s a solution to exposing one’s children to sugar-laden TV advertising. My girls watched only PBS TV shows during their preschool years (no commercials). Once they were older, and watching the occasional network show, they were instructed to “mute” the commercials. Since all their TV watching took place in our family room, we were able to monitor and ensure they did indeed silence those unwanted pleas. By and large, it worked.

Betsy Grimes

Yucaipa