'They're Playing Indians.'

Television. In my house, I call it the root of all evil.

It is where my 6-year-old learns phrases like, "Whatever, Mom." It is usually the real culprit in a bedtime battle ("But Mom, can I just watch five more minutes?"). It is the source of endless requests for any toy the latest commercial lauds as awesome, new or exciting. And, most disturbingly, it is where my son soaks up stereotypes like a sponge.

The super-smart Asian; the black gang-banger or basketball player; the mysterious villain in a turban; the tomahawk-wielding Native American — television is full of them.

Recently, while the two of us watched an episode of ABC's hit sitcom, "My Wife and Kids," I was reminded how blatant and disturbing such stereotypes can be.

This episode featured the children "playing Indian." They paraded around the back yard dressed in buckskin, feathers and war paint, while cupping their hands over their mouths to imitate Native American chants. The father, played by Damon Wayans, proclaimed himself the "Big Chief" and donned a war bonnet while setting up tee-pees in the backyard.

My first instinct was to change the station. But instead, I left it on and decided to engage my son in a dialogue about what we were watching.

"What are they doing?" I asked.

"Being silly — doing a rain dance or something," he said.

"Why are they doing that?" I prodded.

"Because it's pretend," he shrugged. "They're playing Indians."

Back and forth we went — me asking questions, him explaining what he saw, until the show was over and we talked in greater detail about who Indians are and decided that it isn't a very good thing to "play" someone else's culture.

The average American child spends more time in front of the television set than in the classroom — racking up more than 18,000 hours of TV by high school graduation and 13,000 hours in a classroom.

That's 5,000 more hours spent soaking up stereotypes and misinformation than hours reading, discussing and learning about real people and cultures.

But, according to the Media Awareness Network, [3] there are ways parents can tame the television — and the stereotypes. Here are some tips:

Look closely at the characters your child sees. What messages do they send concerning race, gender, culture and roles? Voice your disapproval of stereotyped characters, and explain to your child why you disapprove. Ask your child to compare the images of race they see on television with the people they know in real life. How are they different?

Listen closely, with your child, to the voices of the bad characters in cartoons. Do they have accents? What about the good, kind, sweet characters?

Deconstruct the 'media reality.' Talk with your kids about the people behind the programs they watch. Children can realize that TV shows, like books, are written and created by people with their own biases and experiences. When you watch a program with your kids, ask them to think about who created the show. Did the writers and producers really understand the types of people they are portraying? Or, have they based characters on preconceived notions about other groups?

Critique other media. Look at the ads in newspapers, magazines and billboards for cars, clothing and sports equipment. Talk to your child about how the products are glamorized and which audiences are targeted. Who is represented as the consumer? Why are certain ethnic groups linked to certain products? Take a look at running shoe ads, for example: Why are black athletes often portrayed "shooting hoops" and goofing around the gym, while white athletes are shown doing serious training?

Use history as a tool. Help your child understand the real-life history behind many fictionalized stories. While it is true there was a real-life Pocahontas, she was a 13-year-old girl when she met John Smith, not a grown woman, and she didn't look anything like the small-waisted, long-haired character that appeared in the Disney film. Seek out books or videos that recount the history behind popularized stories, and then compare the real-life story to the movie version.

Just turning the television off can go a long way in limiting your child's exposure to stereotypes, cultural misinformation and other "TV side effects."

"We assume what we see on TV is the world, rather than going out to live and experience the world," said Frank Vespe, executive director of TV Turnoff Network (www.tvturnoff.org [4]), an organization that encourages children and adults to watch less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities.

Vespe's group will hold its annual "TV-Turnoff Week" from April 19-25. Since 1995, millions of households all over the world have participated in the event.

This year, I plan to join those millions in "turning off the TV and turning on life."

Until then, I'll keep doing my part to help my family deconstruct stereotypes by watching and talking about what's on television.