influence of tv on children

The Influence of Television on Children

Television has come a long way since its invention in the 1900’s. People around the world have got to witness many historical events such as, the first man to walk on the moon, to even the inauguration of our first African American president. Although there were many great moments in history viewed on television, not many of the programs offered on stations are valuable. There have been many arguments on whether or not television has been a good influence on our children. I feel there are many advantages and disadvantages to television. But sometimes, television may not always be a good source of information for children and their development. There is also no excuse to use television to babysit children. Children become affected from over exposure to television. I feel television is fine if viewed in moderation. There are many alternative activities we can do instead of sitting on our couch and watching pointless shows. The usefulness of television has been a very controversial argument over the years. I feel there are a lot of both positive and negative properties about television. The positive side of television, there are many educational programs that help inform us. The news channel is an excellent example of such. News broadcasts can tell us about disasters that may have occurred, weather forecasts, and current events. Children may also watch shows that help with learning basics. Another pro is the integration of culture into our society. However, with the pros come many negative effects. Spending too much time watching television, consumes the precious time that can be spent in productive and healthy activities like exercise or reading. It also uses up the time that you can spend interacting with your family and friend. Children today watch television for long periods. The dependence to television deprives them of their time to play. It would be better for children to involve themselves in physical activities during the evenings instead of sitting inactively. Physical activities can help them live a healthier life. In addition, watching television is damaging to vision. Researchers claim that attention deficit disorders in children result from watching television for long periods. Television leads to developmental disorders, damaging the capability of the brain which is in control of language skills. Children who watch more television show difficulties in paying attention or concentrating. Television is one of the effective media used to promote all kinds of products. Unsupervised television watching in children can lead to early exposure to things they may not understand. Television advertisements may influence the children to use wrong methods. Eye catching advertisements and film stories deeply impact young minds. They associate their life to television shows and films. Studies in psychology have shown that watching intense emotions on television leaves a long-lasting impact on one's mind. Horror scenes, ghosts, unpleasant scenes that are shown on television have a negative effect on the minds of people watching them. Violence, killing, massacre and physical abuse that is shown on television impacts the thoughts and emotions of the viewers. Research shows about 25% of parents use television to occupy their children; or in other words babysit them. Some 70% of the 1,000 mothers & fathers were polled as part of the national year of communication survey say they do not feel guilty about allowing their children to watch TV. And 42% think it is a great way for children to learn. On the bbc.com website, a survey was taken and many parents say bring conversations on about what they’ve learned from watching the shows on television. In actuality only 15% of families start conversations based on tv. There is certainly no excuse to have your child sit in front of the television screen. Children can do a whole list of activities that are better worth the time such as reading or going outside and getting active. Television is one way of recreation but its unnecessary use is harmful to physical and mental health. Here are some great ways to make television viewing more productive in your home. Try to limit the number hours spent watching tv, stock the room that contains your television with plenty of other non-screen entertainment like books, kids magazines, toys, puzzles, or board games. They can help to encourage kids to do something other than watching television. You can keep tv and internet connection out of bedrooms. Try turning the tv off during meals and not allowing children to watch television until homework is done. Treat the television as a privilege to be earned, not a right.
Make family tv viewing rules or even a weekday ban. You can set a good example by off-putting your own tv viewing. Hey, maybe even watch programs together. Your family can choose shows that provide learning in hobbies and education. You can use television to describe confusing situations and express your feelings about awkward topics like sex, love, drugs, alcohol, smoking, work, behavior, and family life. There are many fun alternatives to television. If your kids want to watch television but you want to turn it off, suggest that you all play a board game, start a game of hide and seek, play outside, read, work on crafts or hobbies, or even listening and dancing to music. The opportunities for fun without the tv are infinite so turn off the television and enjoy the quality time together. Television has both pros and cons. Different people have different feelings towards television and its effects. In these times, television plays a major role in many children’s daily routines. Parents abuse the use of television on their children. Children can do so many other activities that can stimulate their mind such as sports or reading a book. I feel television is fine in moderation and content of the program. You need to have a sense of balance of everything in life.