Three articles offer parents suggestions on how to make television a positive experience for their children. An editorial introduces the following themes basic to all the articles: type and amount of television viewing should be regulated by parents, parents should discuss television with their children, and parents must become aware of the differences in the way adults and children perceive television portrayals. The first article weighs television's current tendency to influence children's opinions, values, and behavior through a basically distorted world view against its potential for offering sound problem solving models and encouraging children to examine their self-worth and their family and social values. The second article summarizes the developmental stages and preferences in children's television viewing. Originally developed as a handout for parents, the final article outlines a 4-week program for making family television watching more participatory and more critical. (LP)