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| Yes | 23% | 1154 votes | Total: 5016 votes | |
| No | 77% | 3862 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesMy wife and I have been raising our five children without broadcast or cable television, but do allow viewing of recorded material, and can clearly see the effect that watching television has on the children.
It is obvious that after even a small amount of television - twenty or thirty minutes - the children are reluctant to turn it off and walk away and when they finally do they are more aggressive, more short-tempered. The family all knows of this correlation. For example, our 9 year old has recently said, "I want to watch Blues Clues with , but he hits everyone afterwards."
Part of the television issue is that conflict is fundamental to a good story. Television displays conflict to children in many varieties. From the angry faces on Thomas the Tank Engine, to Spider Man and Doctor Octopus going at it, the conflict depicted on television are rarely resolved in a manner we, as parents, deem acceptable. Therefore, it is simply wrong to subject our children to such a series of conflicting, confusing messages. The children take these viewed conflicts and work on them, emulating them, trying to understand and internalize them. But it doesn't take much to see the obvious correlation between the mean, hurtful words on Thomas the Tank Engine and the repetition of these words by a four year old.
Clearly, television is attractive and attention grabbing. All those colorful, moving pictures. We as humans are hardwired to look at moving things. When we are overwhelmed with a crying baby, dinner to prepare, the table to set, the television is a great distractor and focus that gives us the time to get the food cooked and on the table for the family. But that convenience comes at a tremendous cost because pulling them away without the ensuing frustrations and tempers is a tactical nightmare.
Therefore, we tend to stay away. We play outside - bikes, scooters, skateboards, tree house, sandbox, swing, soccer, baseball, etc. - or we play inside - coloring, building, blocks, board games, dolls, cars, dress-up, puppets, make believe, etc. And then there are books; from the four year old to the twelve year old, the entire lot of them can come back from the library and sit on a rainy afternoon fully engrossed in a series of books without all the irritable tempers that come after TV.
Occasionally the children encounter references to television events from their friends and peers. They typically respond, with no small amount of pride, that we don't watch television in our house. The friendships persist and the conversations continue on a different track.
With the ability to do so many other, primarily constructive, activities the need for television really doesn't exist. We feel it is convenience, but at a cost. The messages present on television do not align with our parenting messages and we see no reason to confuse our children. So, yes, strongly Yes, children should be raised without television.
Learn more about this author, Peter Degen-Portnoy.
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No
Life is experience. We gain experience through all aspects of life. Part of growing up is watching television. I do not believe television should be cut out of a child's life completely. I do agree there should be some limits and some ground rules.
Don't use your television set as a baby sitter. Children need to know that their parents are there for them. They need to know that they can talk to their parents. We are all busy, but we need time to all sit down and talk together and do things together. Just as you set aside television time, set aside game time, or reading time. Get involved with your child, and with the things that they like to do.
Watch what your children are watching. Now days even cartoons are violent. There are wonderful inventions on your TV remote that will let you block out what you don't want your children to see. In order to know what you don't want them to see however will require time on your part to sit down and watch the same shows that your children are watching. I believe that when you see something that is violent or not appropriate, talk to your children about that and explain to them why you feel it is not something that they should be watching. Keep the lines of communication open and honest. Your children will appreciate it in the long run and will be more understanding.
I had an aunt that had several children. She home schooled those children and there was not one television set in her home. She was rather wealthy so it was a choice that she made. But, every time those children were out of sight at someone else's home, they headed straight for the television. Children have a thirst for knowledge, and raised in the right manner, a television can lead as another avenue to learning.
Television is not just cartoons. It is news, which is everyday life. There are shows about animals which will teach them about science and how things grow. There are shows that are heartwarming that will teach them compassion. There are shows with singing, bringing music into their lives.
My child use to watch Discovery Kids when she was very young. One day, I think she was about 3 years old, I found her "saving" her dolls life by giving her mouth to mouth resuscitation and check compressions. Something she had learned while watching Discovery Kids. Now how can something like that be bad?
I'm sure there will be a strong debate on the good and bad of television. It is all a matter of how you handle it in your home. You are the adult. They are the child. Stay strong in what you believe is right or wrong and enforce your rules. You and your child will come to understandings and everyone will be happy.
Learn more about this author, Pamela Folks.
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