by Chris Leahy

Created on: August 29, 2009   Last Updated: September 01, 2009

Should parents raise their children without television?

Answering such a question cannot reap a definite "yes" or "no," as there are pros and cons for both sides.

My personal opinion, however, is "no" for many reasons.

Forbidden Fruit

First of all, the idea of "forbidden fruit" creating more curiosity among your children is very true when it comes to television. The more boundaries you create, the more your children will want to tear them down and find out more about the "forbidden fruit." If they see their friends watching television, they're simply going to watch television at their house, and not yours. You can't monitor what they watch when you're not there- you can only do so when you're present.

Parenting is Tough Enough

It's true, and a statement even the average babysitter can verify. Parenting is tough, especially with younger children. You're constantly- if not always- on call for anything your child might need. It gets tiresome after a while- how many times do you really want to play hide-and-go-seek with a toddler before you need a break?

And the necessity is right there: a break. Which is exactly where television comes into play.

Know What They're Watching

Of course, you shouldn't let your child watch hours upon hours of television a day. Apart from being just a bad habit to develop, it can be highly detrimental to their brain development, learning, social behavior, and countless other things. But half an hour or maybe an hour of television just to unwind and let your child be entertained by something else can be good for both you and your child.

Nowadays the television industry has been expanding to accommodate those parents that believe television is a horrible thing to have regardless of time limits and channel blocking. Things like the Discovery Channel, which hosts numerous programs regarding animal life, exploration, and survival in the wilderness, and the History Channel, which runs educational programs on everything from Neanderthals to global warming. Channels that appeal directly to toddlers and young children such as PBS and Nickelodeon have also begun to sprout.

The point is that television has its disadvantages, and its hindrances. But it also has its benefits, those for children and also those for adults. Simply deciding to raise a child without television is doable, but difficult. As long as you monitor what your child is watching and limit the amount that they watch, there is scarcely a legitimate reason why children shouldn't be allowed to watch television.

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