by Joyce Wheeler

Created on: September 22, 2008

The children of this generation are growing up surrounded by technology and television is just one more electronic device in their lives. While studies have shown the negative impact television can have on our children, I feel it is the responsibility of the adults in the lives of children to monitor what they watch. These adults should also be aware of what they are watching while children are present. Limiting time spent watching television should be considered. Along with growing up with all the technology such as television, video games, and computers, obesity is a growing concern for this generation. Children spend more hours participating in one of the activities mentioned more than physical activities. While they participate they are sometimes consuming food, rather it be healthier snacks or junk the results are the same. Healthy snacks are better, but only if eaten in moderation. For instance fruit is a great snack, but contains natural sugars which can cause weight gain if not eaten in moderation. What tends to happen when individuals are participating in an activity such as video games, or watching television is that they eat more. No attention is paid to how much food is being eaten. To avoid this eating should be done without the distraction of electronics. Obesity is the biggest issue which stems from engaging in watching too much television, but there are other issues to be aware of. Such as how it affects the brain, during the viewing process the left side of the brain shuts down. This occurs due to the right brain taking in the information the television is feeding it, the longer they watch the slower their brain waves become. This can cause future problems with attention span and a wandering mind. Sensory development of the brain can be effected, studies have shown that a few minutes of watching television has the same effect as sensory deprivation. Sight is affected by passive viewing which does not allow the eyes mechanics to perform they way they should. With all this said should television be removed from households, no. Just like the fruit previously mentioned and other things in our lives too much can be a bad thing. As caregivers in the lives of children it is important to be educated in the activities they wish to participate in. Television has educational aspects which are not used as much as they could be. Animal Planet is a great place to learn about different animals and the effects they have on the world. Food Network offers a variety of cooking shows where we can learn to cook healthier foods along with trying something new. While these are shows some might think children would not be interested in they are options to be considered and something new to try. Try negotiating on television time and what is being watched, some kid friendly show/shows and then something educational. You just might be surprised at the results.

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