by Nicole Bailey

Created on: April 16, 2009   Last Updated: April 17, 2009

As a teacher, I have often heard other faculty say things like "well if the kid wasn't parked in front of the television non-stop, they wouldn't be so aggressive". If we look at this statement carefully, however, we see that the television is not at fault here. The T.V. doesn't turn itself on, then flip itself to a program with excessive language and violence. Usually, it's the child themselves that chooses this kind of programming, but can we say it's the child's fault? Not really. The defining factor of adolescence is that one is not mature yet, and does not yet have the experience to make wise choices. Who, then, is to blame? In my view, it's the parent.

The role of 'parent' means you look after your child and help them make wise choices. These days, that means keeping a close eye on what your child watches on tv and on the internet. Yes, this is a lot of work, but since when was parenting supposed to be easy? The problem is, many parents just aren't home enough to keep track, as the kids just let themselves into the house after school and do whatever they want. This is not a good situation. If given the freedom to do so, many kids will just park in front of a violent television program. As teachers, we see the results of these immature choices coming out in the form of bad language and aggression in the classroom. Let me make this clear: not all kids are so easily swayed by what's on tv, and some will choose not to watch these programs, but kids who are a bit inclined toward aggression will act out what they see potrayed. When teachers report violent behavior to parents, it is the parent's responsibility to put the child into a situation where they cannot watch certain programs on tv. This may mean blocking channels, or putting the child into a supervised atmosphere after school. They could sign the child up for an after-school sport or activity group, or encourage them to volunteer their time somewhere they might enjoy. Instead, parents often shrug their shoulders and blame the media, forgetting that the media panders to what people want: they don't create the trend themselves.

No, tv is not the cause of violence and foul language in kids. Adolescents copy what they see and hear, to be sure, but it is largely the parent's fault that the child sees and hears things that are not appropriate for their age. Inevitably the child will see violence, but that should be in a controlled atmosphere where the parent can explain and talk to them about it, not when they are sitting home alone after school channel surfing.

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