Television has become a very important part of our lives. And the truth is that we cannot stay without it. Considering the effects of television on children I guess that it is not just the kids who are to be blamed but parents are equally responsible. Television is no longer merely the drug of the nation, it is the pacifier, babysitter, wallpaper and teacher for our children. Time spent watching TV has a displacement effect and stops children spending time on other, more valuable brain-building activities. Researchers says that Watching television for more than three to four hours a day is linked to eight leading causes of death, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The study found that compared to those who watched less than one hour of TV a day, individuals who reported watching three to four hours were 15 per cent more likely to die from any cause. We may now be highly tuned to what we feed our children’s bodies but we are less careful about what they watch on television. Further, there is a booming market in educational computer games and DVDs. At times, unwanted thoughts may start coming to their mind which can divert their attention from studies and force them to do undesirable things. It can create disturbance in child’s life and make his or her life stressful. Watching TV for longer time can also deteriorate child’s health. It is very necessary that parents continuously monitor what child is watching on television. TV programmes can affect child positively as well as negatively. Therefore, parents should take proper steps to monitor the content viewed by children.
Vinod C. Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
