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For many families, heading to the movie theater is a fun way to entertain children and adults alike, but experts say finding movies appropriate for children with little or no violent content can require some homework.

On a recent evening, Andy and Robin Beck of Libertytown were buying tickets for themselves and their two daughters, ages 9 and 5, at an area cinema. Headed to see a movie that was rated PG, Robin Beck, 41, says more advanced computer graphics make today's movies show more realistic violence.

For Fatime Yoda, who was at the movies with her children, ages 14, 11, and 8, the concern is about video games.

"I think there's a lot of violence in video games," the Urbana mother says. She reads the cover and checks the rating of a game before her children play it. Her brother, Cheick Traore, who was visiting from out of town with his 16-year-old daughter, also says the rating system is what he relies on to make his family's media choices.

"I'm concerned about the rating — that's all I'm concerned about," he says.

Marissa Connolly is communication manager for Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that provides information for parents about media and technology. The organization has 12,000 reviews of movies, television programs, CDs, mobile applications and books on its website (www.commonsensemedia.org).

Connolly says Common Sense Media's goal is to enhance entertainment experiences for parents and kids.

"We say sanity not censorship," Connolly says. But "in some cases, there is more violence, more sex and more language and more consumerism in particular forms of media than there were decades ago."

Connolly also cited studies that show movies that were rated R 10 years ago are now being rated PG-13 or lower.

And she says with so many forms of media accessible to kids—mp3s, online streaming, on-demand viewing, and iPhones to name a few—the big concern is how to control it.

Dr. Cynthia Wilcox is a psychologist at the Center for Mind-Body Therapies in Frederick. She thinks the violent content in media has become "more extreme as the years have gone by." And she thinks there is a direct impact on children who are exposed to violence through movies, music, games, or books.

"There are about 30 years of research that document the relationship of watching violent television and movies and higher levels of aggressive behavior in children," she says, adding that there are similar findings about exposure to violence in music and video games.

According to a 2009 policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics, "exposure to violence in media represents a significant risk to the health of children and adolescents."

Wilcox says that in addition to a child showing increased levels of violent behavior, children may become desensitized to violence, which can result in them not caring if they are around it and are OK with participating in it.

And a child may start to perceive the world as "mean and scary."

Wilcox says this perspective of things can manifest in one of two ways. The child either becomes more aggressive and violent or, on the flipside, very anxious and fearful.

"It's important for parents to keep track of what their kids are watching and place limits on the exposure," she says, stressing parents need to limit both the amount and severity of violence a child is exposed to in media.

"The more graphic the violence, the stronger the effect," Wilcox says, adding that for young children who cannot differentiate between real and unreal, the effects of violent scenes can be even worse.

But Wilcox stresses it is not a good idea (or even possible) for parents to completely shelter their children from all exposure. Instead, parents should "help them gain perspective" by watching programs and listening to music together, then discussing the violent scenes or lyrics. She suggests talking about what the aftermath of such violence might be or whether or not the violence is realistic and what might actually happen in real life, as well as stressing that the violence they see on the news or in crime shows does not happen every day.

Wilcox says having these conversations will give children perspective and give a sense of reality on the issue, providing them with the "tools to understand and cope."

Connolly says parents cannot cover their kids' eyes.

"We've got to teach them to see so they can learn and make good choices themselves," she says. "It's important for parents to insert their own voice and values into what the kids are absorbing through the media."

When it comes to books and magazines, Robyn Monaco, children's services supervisor at C. Burr Artz Public Library in Frederick, says violence such as "villainy, war, battle, and other forms of conflict have been featured in children's literature throughout the ages." But since children are less likely to differentiate fiction from nonfiction, the library is careful about selecting materials for them.

"Since younger children have less experience against which to judge the accuracy of realism and the value of opinion, materials for boys or girls are more carefully selected than those in the general collection," Monaco said in an e-mail to The Gazette. Selectors use reviews written by and for public libraries, journalistic reviews and bibliographies.

"Our staff are trained to navigate the sometimes murky waters of information to locate trusted reviews on our materials," she says. "Parents who would like assistance in finding age-appropriate materials for their children need only ask one of our librarians for help."

Connolly says it is this parent involvement and research that is so important, because every child, parent, and family is different.

"We encourage parents to do their homework and decide what you think your kids can handle," she says. "[Because] media is fun and can enhance and inspire our kids' lives."