Introduction to Negative Effects of TV on Children?
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The average child in the United States spends about 25 hours a week in front of the television (including the use of VCR), according to the latest annual Media in the Home survey, conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center -- a number significantly exceeding the maximum limit suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In 1990, the AAP issued a recommendation that children watch no more than one to two hours of "quality" television a day. Just two weeks ago, the AAP came out with stricter guidelines, published in the August issue of Pediatrics: Children under age 2, they say, should not watch television at all, and older kids should not have televisions in their bedrooms. \n\nWhy such seemingly tight limitations? Over the past several decades a number of studies have shown that there are several ways that television can be harmful to the mental and physical health of children. That's not to say that all television is bad for kids. In fact, a number of quality children's shows -- such as the popular preschool show "Blue's Clues" and, of course, "Sesame Street" -- engage kids in positive ways. However, when children watch television frequently and indiscriminately, the effects can be detrimental. \n\nTV viewing and poor school performance \n\nOnly a handful of programs teach children important skills such as math, reading, science or problem solving. Most of the shows on television, including cartoons, are noneducational. More time spent watching these shows is linked with poorer school performance overall and decreased scores on standardized tests. This makes sense when you consider that more time spent in front of a television means less time spent on homework or having stimulating interactions with adults or other children. In addition, late-night TV watching tires kids out so that they can't pay attention in school. Also, television hands kids all the answers, promoting passive learning and short attention spans. As a result, kids have difficulty concentrating and working hard to solve a problem. \n\nTV violence affects kids \n\nIn many instances, TV programming promotes negative behavior. Perhaps the most prevalent example of this is violence. Even shows designed for children are not necessarily violence-free. The Media in the Home survey found that 28 percent of all children's shows contained four-or-more incidents of violence per show -- a number that media experts consider high. Several studies have shown that a child is more likely to display violent or antisocial behavior depending on the degree of violence and the total number of violent programs he or she watches. \n\nHeavy tv viewing, heavy kids \n\nThere appears to be a strong relationship between time spent in front of the television and being overweight. In fact, this past March the American Medical Association held a special briefing in New York City to alert parents about the well-proven link between TV viewing and obesity. This well-known "couch-potato" syndrome is probably the result of taking in too many calories (junk food -- which is advertised on television -- stuffed in unconciously as kids stare at the screen) and not burning up enough calories (sitting still rather than running around and playing). But the effects are reversible: Three studies have demonstrated that overweight children lost weight as they decreased their TV viewing. \n\nLate-night television leads to daytime sleepiness \n\nTV watching (especially late-night and violent shows) has been connected with poor sleep patterns in children. The emotional stress caused by the shows could be preventing children from getting to sleep and cause nightmares. In turn, abnormal sleep patterns can cause children to be less alert during the day, also contributing to poor school perfor
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MEDIA\n\n- Children with shorter attention spans\n- Desensitization to violence and sex\n\nSCIENCE\n\n- New weapons\n- Possiblity of biological warfare\n- Cloning (?)\n\nOTHER\n\n- Less physical activity as machines do more work\n- Environmental impact
413178
yeah, sure. tv, computers, really arent good for you, first of all for your inner being, and for your head. tey also are kinda addicting, and a waste of time
298743
Whatever one thinks about television, there's no denying that it has had a negative impact on family relationships. Families don't eat dinner together anymore because everyone want to eat while watching TV. TV shows put ideas into everyone's heads about how they should be and what everyone else should be doing. Television is used as a babysitter for young children, so they learn to trust it more than anyone else.
274848
Only if you have low or no self esteem.TV is fantasy only. The problem with TV is that it promotes drugs,alcohol, and sex in a positive way, instead of having the pros and cons it only shows the pros. This year there was a 20% rise in AIDS. It will only increase if we don't educate teens instead of handing out condoms.
1080485
Other than violence? Well tv and internet is in almost every household in north america, therefore, the impact is significant.  In addition to easy accessability, parents seem to be busier with their own lives and less involved with their childrens. This combination is not a positive one, kids at incredibly early ages feel as though they know everything there is to know, and often they have absorbed much info, unfortunately too much of which is of a negative nature. In addition, our young people have not had the opportunity of much life experience to go along with all of the knowledge and ideas being blasted at them. Essentially, the old players who used to have the big impact on our kids, parents, teachers, churches, neighbours, etc., no longer have as much influence.  As a result, life ends up imitating art, as the kids have much more interest in what's on the tube or internet than they do from the old community staples of learning values. Again, with limited life experiences to sort out all that they have learned, as quickly as they have learned it, at the very least makes for a very confusing time for them, and in the extreme causes real issues more often than not bad behaviour stemming from lack of understanding real life. I do not believe that this is ever going to be an overly positive step in our evolution as it is clear to me that it is becoming harder and harder for kids today to differentiate between "entertainment" and real life.
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try this site....www.kidscandoit.com   or   www.colapublib.org.
141786
This is absolutely fantastic.\n\nHow about:  Acclimating Children: Medical Awareness 101
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Turn off the TV and spend some time with your kids.  I know, I know, you have your career and social life, but it it your responsibility to raise your kids, not the media's.\n\nMost TV's today have parental controls.  If you do not want your kids to see certain things, learn to use these controls, then use them.  I know, I know.  Your career.  Your social life.  \n\nI guess you just have to choose what's more important to you.
728852
This is an interesting article, though i would agree it really didn't get into the issue as much as it could have.Life has changed for our young people, but ultimately, parents allow the t.v shows that children watch, if you don't like a show turn it off. My children are not allowed to watch t.v after 8.30 pm when all the shows that are unsuitable for their age start.Parents allow the clothes that are in a pre teens wardrobe, don't buy something if you think it is age unsuitable. parents also allow the music they listen to, offer other choices, if you do not like the choices they want to make.Parents have to be responsible for what is going on in a pre teens life, if you don't like the influences of their school , change schools, encourage them to go to activities they are good at, and make friends with similar interests away from their school friends. To influence your children's life is a full time and often repetitive job, but well worth all the effort in the end, when they become responsible, like able, mature adults. I home school, but whether you home school or not, you have the choice to influence your children positively.
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Deprive them of the negative influence of TV.  \nDon't deprive them of opportunities to participate in the work place. \nGive them meaningful activities to do in the community.
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I believe I have too much of an impact on my children to be concerned with an impact from South Park. Out of respect I won't allow explicit episodes but the ones that are on regular television are ok. You have to know that child and if their weakness. Example won't let my children watch MTV or BET or VH1. When they watch certain South Park episodes they are like wow
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It isn't that it's bad for you--as it will directly hurt you.  But it does make you less aware of what you are eating & if you are trying to eat less, you might want to just eat without watching tv.
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on television & in magazines geared towards children
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Television is an addiction, \npeople have wasted and are wasting time in front of it, it makes a person slobber, outdoor activities are lessened in fact some people don't think of going outdoors at all, some parents don't find time to play with their kids cos they don't want to miss their fav. serial.., television should be given a phrase.., " television is dangerous for life stay away from it"
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Depends on the generation. First generation who do not speak that good English fare worse because of the language barrier. 2nd generation do very well but I don't think it is due to TV but to their parents. They want their children to succeed in education because they did not.\nI actually did a research project on this in grad school last week and this was what I found.
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Listen, yosemite same and the boys where on all of our televisions when we were kids. I do not think it has much of an impact as long as the children have good parenting. Of course there are always a few genetically enclined kids who are prone to violence. If kids are taught by their parents that what they are watching or playing is not to be acted out in real life then they should be ok. Most parents simple let the kids do anything they like without any kind of supervision.\n\nI say bring back the yosemite sam, bugs bunny wars.\n\nPS the better question is how do political cartoons influence brainless adults. Can you say Jihad.