By Chen May Yee

I was saddened to read today that the National Institute on Media and the Family is closing its doors at year end, due to lack of funding.

The Minneapolis-based institute, and its founder Dr. David Walsh, is best known for warning of the dangers of video games on young minds. Dr. Walsh is also known for his book "Say Yes to No," which drummed into me the importance of consistency when you're trying to teach your child a life lesson (or the lesson won't stick...).

Dr. Walsh was also kind enough to pick the phone up when I called him after the 35W bridge collapse two years ago. My husband and I had been glued, shocked, to the TV for hours, not even thinking about the fact that our three-year-old was watching too. Only later did we wonder if that had been wise.

Turn the TV and radio off, Dr. Walsh advised.

In an often senseless world, sometimes, you do need an expert to remind you what's just common sense.

Here's Dr. Walsh's blog post on the closure of the institute.