To anwer the question, in a word, no. But what can you do?

You can do what my parents did and what my brothers do with their children:

They restrict their access to stations like MTV, VH1, BET and others like it. They are not allowed to watch rated R movies or television shows that have adult themes.

Yes, in this day and age that limits what they can watch, but it forces them to excel in reading, writing and other academic areas in school.

Two are college graduates. One is on her second tour of Iraq.The other plays professional basketball in Europe. The other has married an Army soldier and attends college.

Restricting their access to certain televison shows might not enable them to have much to talk about at school, but they'll be fine.

We can't control what the FCC allows to be aired. But we have the ultimate control over what is viewed or played on DVD in our homes. Our children's initial view of the world and how they are supposed to behave, etc is intially set at home. What they learn, they learn at our knee. WE are their first educators and we must do all we can to set a healthy tone in our homes.

Help them develop into healthy adults and be prepared to face the world on THEIR terms and not on it's.

Forget being their friend right now. Your'e the parent. You have plenty of time to be a friend after they grow up and move on. But it's better to lay down the law now rather than to be dictating what is right and what is wrong later on...from behind a plated window at the county jail.

Television is about fantasy and the reality shows now on are sometimes over the edge. Teach them that while those shows are entertaining, they are simply for that purpose: entertainment. But not everything entertaining is healthy.

These networks and producers, it's their job to create attractive, drama-filled shows that will generate viewers. No matter how trashy, ignorant or silly the show, they only thrive based upon viewers. If you look, they flourish.

It's their jobs.

As a parent, it is your job to prevent your children from being one of their viewers.

The FCC and Television networks power ends at my door. The television shows I deem inappropriate are shut off, period.I advise you to do the same. This is one sure-fire way we can prevent our children from unhealthy, inappropriate television.