Television and Its Effects on Children

Television and its effects on children

Jalia Smith

COMM/156

03/02/2014

Kim Capehart, MD, DDS, MBA

Ever noticed how television has not only became a major part of most family's lives, it has also become an important family member as well? The time that most families spend together is far less than how much time these same families spend watching television. Children nowadays are being cheated out of their childhood innocence. “The first two years of life of children are considered a critical time for brain development” (Ijaz, 2011). Since the first years are critical for brain development, television and computers can affect how the child plays, interacts with others, and develops relationships within their immediate family, and other. Companies and advertisers understand how vulnerable these young children are so they target them. How do they target them? Through television and commercial advertising toys, foods, and games that aren't healthy for the younger generation. Outside of peer pressure, problems at home, and socially awkwardness; children have much to overcome, but aren't seeming to make it. Many people like to point out the positive effects of television, but the negative effects are what need to be discussed more. While television may not be the only source of the issues, it has more negative effects on children than positive.

With parents using television as a babysitter for their children, children start to develop bad habits, and non-sociable traits. Naturally, if the parents aren’t supervising their children as they are supposed to, there are numerous, inappropriate context young children can come across. For example, television shows, and video games rated TV-MA. Usually, when context is rated TV-MA, it contains sexually content, foul language, and extreme violence. Out of all of those content matter, violence is the one that will stick out. Young children do not have the rationality not to act out what they see on the game or television....