A mere generation before, children used to enjoy the outdoors provoked by its wonders to form imaginative play. This “era” has now come to an end replaced by children of all ages mesmerized mainly by the television and technical gadgets including video games, computers etc. The technology has become an indispensable part of peoples’ lives; children spend hours on end in front of the screens not realizing what they are in turn sacrificing: opportunities to explore the world around them through physical activity and play. Needless to say, as the primary caregiver and educator, parents have the greatest responsibility to educate their children and to engage them in healthy and productive habits.
The Idiot Box – An Unwelcome Companion
Television offers very limited benefits, but people have lost their balance and to the extent it is watched by today’s children that it is detrimental to their overall wellbeing. Excessive viewing can result in sleeping problems and behavior issues for children. Studies have verified that the more a child watches TV the more prone he/she becomes to worsening his/her performance academically. Obesity has also been shown to have a very direct connection to the immoderate use of the TV. This is because watching TV is essentially an activity which prompts children to overeat and consume junk food. Children are continually barraged with many advertisements encouraging the eating of unhealthy foods which are directly targeted towards their age group and create a desire within them to buy and eat that food.
The effect of television viewing on infants is unknown, but what is for sure is that it takes a child’s time away from interacting with other children; whereas social interaction is actually much needed at this stage of a child’s development. Children are also less likely to interact with their friends and families as their time slips by in front of the TV. This means they are sacrificing their social life just for some time in front of the television. TV doesn’t allow to be creative rather children passively watch and register whatever is shown. Another major problem that television poses is the exposure to violence. Violence portrayed on TV isn’t depicted as something wrong; in fact it is glamorized and made an efficient and appealing way for the “good guys” to win through fighting. This idea is constantly reinforced and teaches children that it is acceptable to use violence as a means of getting their way, and consequently this is one of the root causes of violence amongst youth.
Addiction to video games
The biggest problem associated with video game obsession is not the game itself, but the fact that they draw children away from healthy, productive activities such as reading, chores, homework, play and other aspects of a well-rounded, happy childhood. So, in addition to taking steps to curb your child's video game appetite, it is important to infuse positive, joy affirming entertainment and activities into their lives. Play offers a healthy and equally fun substitute for screen time.
What Play offers that Technology doesn’t?
The opportunity for children to go outside and play has many advantages at mental, emotional, and physical
levels. Many a times parents get annoyed at their children returning home bruised, dirty, and exhausted, and use this as an excuse to keep them at home with television becoming the ideal babysitter.
Play is a healthy and equally fun substitute for screen time.
Children should not be confined within the four walls as they need the freedom to explore the world on their own and this can be granted to them while a parent supervises to ensure safety, which is another common concern amongst most parents. This liberty can enable children to experience the world firsthand and indulge in lighthearted acts like running, shouting, climbing all of which can stimulate brain development and function. Moreover social interaction through play helps develop vital skills in children such as sharing, compromising, leadership, negotiation, etc. Children are also given a chance to overcome their fears and discover new things by using their creativity, enhancing their imagination and dexterity. Physical activity is important in everyone’s life regardless of their age. This is an important factor in keeping healthy and can counteract arising issues such as obesity and other diseases.
There are a number of ways in which more positive behaviors can be promoted for children that would also eliminate much of the time a child spends watching TV:
- The importance of television entertainment should be devalued. It should neither be presented as a privilege nor a basic right.
- Parents should always be aware of what their children watch and if they feel that something is unacceptable, they should discuss these topics with their children.
- The television should be banned during time for homework and meals; instead mealtimes should be shared within the family which encourages communication.
- Children need to be provided with other forms of entertainment such as outdoor play opportunities and indoor activities and resources including magazines, puzzles, board games, books etc.
- Parents need to take out time themselves to get involved in various activities with their children.
- Parents should spend time reading to their children which provides them valuable knowledge that lasts throughout their lives.
- Of course parents need to limit their own time in front of the television to be effective role-models!
In conclusion, many children spend more time in front of screen than in activities that are essential for their healthy development. Besides the more popular harmful effects of technology including stress, sedentary lifestyles and promotion of consumer culture, screen time tends to undermine children’s play with serious implication on their growth. Free-time activities and child-created play are lost to unimaginative imitations of TV shows and video characters. Parents who are concerned about this issue need to be proactive and encourage and support children’s interests beyond electronic media and provide play materials for creative and imaginative play.
