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research tells us that most young children start watching television before they start going to school. Two-thirds of toddlers and young infants watch an average of two hours per day whilst kids and teens between the ages of eight and eighteen tend to spend roughly four hours each day in front of a television. On top of this they spend an additional two hours on their computers, playing video games or doing school work.
it is recommended that kids below the age of two years watch no TV whatsoever, and those over the age of two watch no more than between one and two hours. This is because the first two years of a child's life are considered critical for the development of the brain, and television can get in the way of more positive activities such as playing with others and exploring and interacting with their surroundings.
as kids grow up, watching too much television can be detrimental to their overall progression as it prevents them from being physically active and activation their minds through reading and doing their homework.
it can of course be a good thing watching TV, although this is only in moderation. For example, kids yet to attend school can get help on learning the alphabet or slightly older kids can learn about nature and life around them. It is a source of great information and can be a fantastic way for children to learn about new things in a more interesting way than in the classroom.
yet for all its potential advantages, watching too much television can be detrimental. For example, those who spend more than four hours per day consistently are more likely to be overweight and unhealthy which can lead to further problems later in life.
children who view violence on their televisions are also more likely to display violent behaviour towards others. They will also hold a more fearful view of the world and be more likely to expect violence and aggression towards themselves.
furthermore, characters on TV often depict unhealthy and risky behaviours such as smoking, drinking and taking drugs. Its very important to monitor your children's watching habits to make sure that they are watching the right sorts of programming. For some this is the solution, to keep kids watching TV but to make sure their favorite shows are positive ones. For others the solution is merely to stop our children watching any television whatsoever.
