PARENTS who use the TV set as a handy, unpaid yaya for their little children, be forewarned: Violent TV shows and video games have been proven by experts to be volatile and psychologically risky viewing fare for unsupervised kids.

In other words, very young children shouldn?t be allowed to watch TV alone, so parents are strongly advised to instantly put a stop to the ?convenient? practice.

Sufficient supporting evidence has been submitted to the US Supreme Court for that august body to rule on the constitutionality of a California law banning the sale of violent video games to minors.

In related developments, the boob tube?s alarmingly suggestive and even graphic sexual content has been rapped by child psychologists, who point out that minors are too psychically unformed to securely and responsibly deal with all that mature content.

Since television is able to ?enter? all homes, it?s supposed to be a ?for general patronage? medium whose shows are OK for viewers of all ages to safely watch. But everybody knows that this just isn?t so. A medium that shows skimpily-clad, sexy dancers sensually cavorting and gyrating at high noon is damaged ? and damaging ? as far as ?safe? viewing by very young children is concerned.

More psychological landmines are out there in TV la-la land for young viewers: All those loud and livid commercials practically forcing viewers to buy, buy, buy; TV ?personalities? cracking salacious jokes with raucous, rawdy relish; color-coded politicians imploring viewers to vote, vote, vote; ?funny? show hosts engaging in slapstick, colorful insults and painful physical ?comedy,? etc.

Clearly, children should be protected from such graphic and even vile viewing fare.

So, unsupervised viewing for very young kids is a no-no. So much for TV as the family?s unpaid electronic yaya.

It may be economical and convenient, but it?s potentially like exposing kids to insects and other nasty little beasties. Parents would never do that, would they?

Even viewing supervised by a yaya while children?s parents are out could be a problem, since the kids would be watching what the yaya enjoys ? which could be that disturbing noontime show with the gyrating dancers and in-your-face ?humor?! So, the suggested rule is: For very young ?home alone? or ?home with yaya? kids, no televiewing at all.

Is this rule too severe? Some TV people don?t think so. Aware of TV?s potentially negative effects on very young sensibilities, they admit that they themselves don?t allow any televiewing for their kids without their parental presence and guidance, until their children are at least 4 years old.

This is not to summarily indict the TV medium, which is capable of doing great good. It?s a simple reminder that TV can also disturb, confuse and corrupt vulnerable young sensibilities, so protection and parental guidance are key.