Doctors evaluate the following about kids EXCEPT [originaltext] Next time you

Next time you bring your kids for a check-up, don’t be surprised if the doctor asks about their tastes in entertainment. The American Academy of Medicine suggested last week that doctors work with parents to evaluate how much TV kids watch and what they see, what video and computer games they play, which websites they visit on the Internet, whether they view R-rated videos without the company of their parents, what music they like and what books they read. Doctors are worried that kids who spend too much time in front of the tube don’t get enough exercises, and can become overweight. The Academy is also concerned that the messages kids get from entertainment media can make them more violent and sexually active. The Academy recommends that children under age 2 not watch any TV. "Children need activities to stimulate their brain during the first two years of life," says Dr. Miriam Barren, who chairs the Academy’s Committee on Public Education."They need feedback and socialization." Older children, she says, should watch TV in a common area. Their bedrooms should be "electronic media-free" zones where they can have a quiet place to read, study, play or just relax.