Are film studios way too aggressive in marketing PG-13 films to kids of all ages?

That’s what the Los Angeles Times wondered yesterday. Sure, no one’s directly pitching extremely violent movies to elementary school-age kids…but advertising licensed toys and snacks may be effective enough.

Explains LA Times writer John Horn:

So if your 4-year-old suddenly says he has to see “The Incredible Hulk” — rated PG-13 in part for “sequences of intense action violence” and “some frightening sci-fi images” — it could be that he’s seen a Hulk Airheads candy spot running in the middle of the morning on Cartoon Network’s “Robotboy.”

(Yes, that ad does include a clip from the movie.)

Another nice quote from the piece:

“Parents say, ‘I thought, “How bad could [the movie] be because they have all these toys?”‘” says Susan Linn of the Campaign for a Commerical-Free Childhood. “And then they take their 5-year-old to ‘Iron Man,’ and there are extended scenes of torture.”

Personally, there’s no way we would take a 5-year-old to see Iron Man, toys or no toys, but that’s beside the point.

Who has the power to make sure kids’ ads contain age-appropriate content and air at the “right” times? It’s the usual regulatory mess — the FTC, some trade group called the Children’s Advertising Review Unit, and the Motion Picture Association of America which, according to Horn’s article, seems annoyed with all the complaints.

It’s a fascinating article. Check it out. Just remember to watch live TV with one finger on the fast forward button.

We love how PBS caters to parents, as well as its millions of loyal kid viewers. (Keep reading to appreciate the subtle pun.) Their online entity,PBS Parents, has just launched a new section about keeping kids healthy and fit. Check it out for everything from tips on winning over a picky eater to a refresher course on classic outdoor games like Hopscotch and Four Square. What we’re looking forward to the most, though, is the list of healthy snack ideas. Children cannot survive on Veggie Booty alone.

If your kid already eats hummus and whole-wheat pitas at snacktime and your fam’s already got the healthy exercise thing going on, not to worry. PBS still has a little something for you, too: a very cool new They Might Be Giants song to kick off the summer. Hear it here.

The Chicago Tribune had a great article yesterday about how YouTube can be a fantastic learning tool for kids. Whether you’re searching for footage of The Nutcracker or a giant crane in action (we speak from personal experience on both counts), chances are you’ll find it on YouTube.

So here’s our question: Why are many parents so quick to demonize the concept of TV watching…yet completely onboard with YouTube? Is it because the footage is user-specific? Advertisement-free? Available in smaller chunks of time? Or is it because YouTube-watching pretty much requires the parent and child to watch together? (Unless you want, say, strawberry jam all over your keyboard.)

We think a big reason YouTube is such a hit with parents is because it puts them in complete control of what their child is watching, and when. Which is why we’re such advocates of every parent in the world owning a DVR. TV doesn’t seem so scary (or, let’s face it, stupid)  when you’re picking and choosing what media your offspring is ingesting.

Have a toddler who just can’t stop singing "Wheels on the Bus?" Chag Holland, who writes about being a stay-at-home dad of two at cynicaldad.

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