TV and other crimes against nature

Here’s something you already know: sometimes TV has a bad influence on us. Here’s something else: Television is especially bad for our children. And the scary part is, we don’t know how much. The effects of writing we understand. It has been with us for 8,000 years or so and the effect of writing has been positive in any number of ways.

Writing can open up new worlds for children; teach them about the world, about other cultures, and about science. And so can television. But what of the long-term effects of both?

Writing is linear, that is, it progresses in a straight line and helps us develop logical minds. For example, letters create works that create sentences that create paragraphs that can turn into stories. We read and make sense of it all precisely because it is linear. Television has been with us about 60 years, too short a time to have even a glimpse of its possible long-term effects. Rather than linear it has what has been described as an “all-at-onceness.”

Unlike reading and writing, however, television viewing starts earlier than other forms of media, often beginning at age 2. And researchers have discovered that between the ages of 2 to 5 is when a child develops his/her personality. Guess what years are some of the heaviest viewing years: You got it, 2 to 5. On average, children between those ages watch 32 hours a week watching TV, DVDs, videos and game consoles. For the mathematical challenged, that’s almost 5 hours a day! And by the time a student graduates from high school, he//she has spent 11,000 hours in the classroom while at the same time the same student has spent about 19,000 hours in front of the television. Just who’s doing the teaching?

In one study, the University of Michigan reported that “we don’t know yet what effect TV-viewing by babies may have on their development. We do know that time spent watching TV replaces time spent interacting with caregivers and other children. Social interaction is critical to a baby’s healthy development.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics advise parents with children under the age of 2 to avoid television altogether, even children shows. “Under age 2, talking, singing, reading, listening to music or play are far more important to a child’s development than any TV show.”

More than one study has found that television can discourage and replace reading. Reading requires more thinking than television and studies have shown that reading fosters healthy brain development in children.

For you folks out there thinking, “I’m glad my kids don’t get that much TV time,” here are a few stats that might give you pause. More than 70 percent of 8 to 18 year olds have TV in their bedroom, and children with TVs in their bedroom watch almost 1.5 hours more each day than children who don’t. In addition, about two-thirds of households, the TV is usually on during meals. On average, children see about 2,000 beer and wine ads each year, not to mention the sexual exploits of most of the “stars” of the reality shows. Finally, some studies have linked early TV viewing with problems later on, such as ADHD.

The message: Be afraid. Be very afraid.