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How Television Educates Our Children
Too much television is obviously bad, but other programs claim to help our kids learn. Many have begun to investigate these claims, and have discovered that television does in fact educate our children. The education, however, is not always what we originally had in mind. There is such a thing as good programming and it is important to distinguish it from other, less desirable, shows.
The Good
Many companies have put forth tremendous effort to develop quality programming with educational or moral messages. While the material in these programs should only be a supplement to a parent’s interaction with his or her child, they do contain some worthwhile elements.
Many shows developed for toddlers or preschoolers emphasize values such as sharing, exercise, and manners. These shows might also take an educational slant and help establish numerical or letter concepts. As a child ages, parents are able to find wholesome programming in various ways. Some channels are specifically designed to provide information about scientific discoveries or history. Other shows demonstrate skills applicable to older children such as problem solving and conflict resolution.
The Bad
There are actually many adult programs that greatly appeal to children. These might include animated characters from small towns in Colorado or shows involving dangerous stunts. Unfortunately, these programs have occasionally been marketed to children, despite clear ratings indicating the content is unsuitable. Occasionally, news stories surface about children becoming injured or evening dying attempting to duplicate certain wrestling moves or fiery stunts.
Language, violence, sexuality, and personal insults can all be included in these shows, and it is important for parents to monitor their child’s television viewing. There are even features available on many televisions and cable boxes that allow parents to block entire channels or shows if they find them unsuitable or if the show is rated at a certain maturity level.
The Ugly
The most dangerous programs, for parents and children, are shows designed specifically for children that have ugly messages. There are quite a few cartoons that attract children that glamorize insubordination or disrespecting authority. One such show has been on the air for twenty years, and centers around an elementary school student making it a point to antagonize his father and insult others. Other cartoons and television shows involve violence such as bullying or fighting. This sends a very confusing message to children.
As parents, it is our responsibility to monitor our children and our television sets. Children are reflections primarily of the values they see demonstrated around them, and no parent wants to see their child grow up obnoxious or violent. It is important to note that television does not cause violence or bad behavior, but rather they are caused by the lack of opposing instruction. Children need guidance in how to behave. If there is no positive message being taught to the child by parents, that void will be filled with televised behavior. Don’t allow that to happen to your child.
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