This paper provides an overview of the impact of television on young children, with a special emphasis on the relationship among TV, childhood, and violence, and on developmentally appropriate television. Further, the paper provides strategies for parents and early childhood educators to use in taking control of the television. The paper is premised on the following ideas: (1) parents are the real experts on their own children; (2) all children and all families are different; (3) families have different ways of using television; (4) television is not wholly bad--there are both good and bad aspects to television; (5) television influences children--the more they watch, the bigger the influence; (6) talking and thinking about television helps reduce its impact; and (7) early childhood educators can play an important role in helping children think and talk about television. The paper discusses how early childhood educators, in assessing the impact of television on young children's behavior, should consider TV programs in the context of developmental appropriateness. (EV)