Children who are exposed to adult-themed TV shows and movies are more likely to have sex in early adolescence, according to a study by Children’s Hospital Boston. 
More Information:
According to a report on CitizenLink, the study found that for every hour the youngest group of children (6- to 8-year-olds) watched adult-targeted content over the two sample days, their chances of having sex during early adolescence increased by 33 percent.
Dr. Jennifer Shuford, director of applied science at the Medical Institute for Sexual Health, said other research has shown children don’t have the capacity to distinguish entertainment from reality.
“When they see sexual activity on television, it becomes part of their reality,” she said. “As an adult, you can look at that and say, ‘That’s television, and that’s not the real world.’ ”
My good friend, Dr. Bill Maier, vice president and psychologist in residence at Focus on the Family, said parents need to be vigilant.
“Parents can’t be using the television as a baby sitter,” he said. “If they do, the results could be disastrous.”
You can read more about this topic, with tips for you as a parent, in some of my past blogs on this topic:

• A Television-Free Home: Is It for You? (Monday, 7 April 2008). 
• Tips for Taming the TV (Monday, 7 April 2008). 
• Too Much TV and Web time harms kids’ health in almost every way (Wednesday, 3 December 2008). 
• Study links teen pregnancy to sexy TV shows (Monday, 3 November 2008). 
• Teens with TV in their bedroom highly unhealthy (Monday, 7 April 2008).  
• Should Children Have TVs in their Bedrooms? (Monday, 1 September 2008). 
• Background TV disruptive for very young children (Wednesday, 16 July 2008). 
• Turn off TV during meals or kids may get fat: study (Wednesday, 9 July 2008). 
• A Television-Free Home: Is It for You? (Monday, 7 April 2008).