TV or No TV?

So much talk has gone on over the years about the effects of the Television on children.

When John Logie Baird invented the TV in 1925, I am sure he could never have imagined the tremendous impact it would have on our world, children and adults alike.

While some believe that there should be zero TV time, and others believe in controlled TV time, the two sides agree that TV can have either a positive or negative effect on children.

Children can learn a lot by watching TV. It can help to expand their views about life, other cultures, go where they have never been, and learn a thing or two about their academics…

The magnitude of the negative impact of TV to the average child is dependent upon some factors:

• TV with or without adult supervision
• The amount of time spent watching
• The kind of programs they are allowed to watch [and believe me, not all cartoon programs are for kids!]

As a mom, I noticed that TV causes a whole lot of distractions for my kids, so I limit TV time to weekends only or during holidays. My kids have come to terms with it, the only thing they are allowed to see on TV during the week will be documentaries, news [not all news are child-friendly too, so this is with supervision], or sports, and also with supervision.

With television being such an integral part of our daily lives, it’s almost impossible to completely banish it from our child’s life.

However as parents we could: 

• Choose the programs our children will watch, and stick to the schedule
• Encourage children to cultivate the reading habit.
• Help them develop other hobbies such as sports, painting, craft work, music… 
• Finally, set a good example by limiting your own television viewing. If as a Mom, we spend every waking minute tuned to African Magic, our kids may not take our TV boundaries very seriously.

So, TV or No TV? It’s really your prerogative as a Mom, do the right thing for your child.

“Television has changed a child from an irresistible force to an immovable object.”  ~Author Unknown

Oluseye Ashiru