by Olufemi Oyedele

Created on: April 07, 2009   Last Updated: September 08, 2009

Parents should not raise their children without television. If they do, they will create the desire to watch television in their children and this will have a detrimental effects on children's development. Not all television programmes are bad for our children, most are educative and authoritative. Whichever way we look at it, it is better to raise children with close parental supervision than not to have television in the house. Nowadays, televisions are in the public transport, taxis, bus and train stations, airports etc, and children that have not been told why their parents do not have televisions will not have any other option than to watch.the televisions anywhere they find one.

Children enjoy watching children programmes on CBBC channel in US and Cee Bees in UK. They are immersed in them and on many occassions, they become gentle and less troublesome whenever they are watching interesting television programme. Academic quiz, sports and discovery television are just few of the programmes that children can benefit from. Educative programmes like science show, world of science, travel and tourism etc are good for preparing and developing our children's brains and cognitive senses.

It has been argued that children devote too much of their time to watching television. Although they have everyday contact with other media and many other forms of expression and communication, children have also been seen devoting too much attention to computers and 'glueing' ipod earpiece to their ears. There are so many activities that can divide the attention of children and what they are able to become in future depends on their parents' attention to their activities today. If we do not care for our children, they become uncontrollable and unproductive in the future.

One good thing about visual media like television and computer is that they develop children's comprehension through attention to activities seen on the screen. In the 1950's, televisions were sold based on the benefits they could provide children and family. There was no children television channel but children programme were extensively aired. Now we have television channels specifically for children like CBBC, Cee Bees, etc. Before CBBC, children enjoyed such programme as 'The Lone Ranger', 'Sky King', Lassie, Howdy Doody, Kuka etc. In the sixties, animation programme were aired and these aroused the attention of children. Flinstones, The Jetsons, Bullwinkle and Space Ghost were very popular among children.

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