What's wrong with watching TV?
Do you think TV is bad for kids? Why or why not? How much TV should kids be allowed to watch in one day?Is playing video games on TV or on a computer about the same as watching TV, or is one worse than the other? Is it okay for kids to watch several hours of TV a day if they are watching good shows, like PBS, AE, the Nature channel, and the History channel? Do you have any other comments on the influence of TV on kids in the United States?
Okay, now, help me out with this . . .
Willie Tanner
(12:00 class)
Do you think TV is bad for kids? Why or why not? How much TV should kids be allowed to watch in one day?Is playing video games on TV or on a computer about the same as watching TV, or is one worse than the other? Is it okay for kids to watch several hours of TV a day if they are watching good shows, like PBS, AE, the Nature channel, and the History channel? Do you have any other comments on the influence of TV on kids in the United States?
Okay, now, help me out with this . . .
Willie Tanner
(12:00 class)
25 comments:
I think moderation is definately key. Yes some shows are good for learning, yet kids need to also experiance first hand how the world works. I would say between 1 &3 hours a day during winter months and about half that during summer months when it's warm out. These are numbers based on my own experiances with my own child, it seems the more TV she watches the more she wants to watch it and the lazier she becomes. TV can be good to teach kids so I would recommend PBS, but it can also cause harm if the stations aren't monitered properly. I can remember being about 13 watching "Porkies" when I was supposed to be asleep and being worried for years when and were I would start my " Girl Thing" because in the movie a girl started in the gym shower & all the other girls laughed at her, so I was literally tormented by that one sceen. Not to mention all the stupid things kids do to copy shows like "Jackass" or criminal video games. Kids are also very suseptable to pick up bad habits from a TV show when they are young and vulnerable, with all the sex, drugs and crime even on the news you need to protect your child while you can. Video games can be good for improving hand/motor skills, memory and thought process- I do think though you should limit game playing too and explain that it is just a game and if it were real life certain game outcomes could = death when you get into the violent games.( Definatley watch the game your child is playing or better yet play it first to make sure it isn't to violent or graphic)Amy Marx
I think that tv is bad for kids if they are not getting stuff dont because of it. (like their homework). Playing video games is about they same to me only maybe even more time consuming. So i guess that it might be worse depending on how much you watch/play each one. I do think its better for kids to watch "good shows" but it's still important that they get stuff done also, and not let it go.
Amanda Borders
We as poeple do watch way to much TV at times, but I think we are getting better at not watching as much. Some people may watch only hour to two hours. Many people just have one show they like and that is the only show they watch during the week. There are people who watch just one channel for example one person may just HGTV and that is the only thing they watch, but if nothing is on that channel then they turn the TV off. Not all TV is bad; there are good programs like Discovery, History Channel and A&E. Watching movies and playing video games on is lot more consuming of peoples times than watching TV shows. I know that I sometimes spend to much time playing video games especially when the weather is bad and I have nothing else to do during the day. I do have problems with watching TV and playing video games to much. Though I off set this by spending time reading, running and playing golf and basketball over the summer.
Jarrod Winder
Childrens in todays world do watch to much tv and play to many video games. But i honestly think that most of them will grow out of it as they get older like i did. Most people only take the time to look at how tv in bad but if a child sits and watchs the Discovery channel, History channel, and Animal planet all day then is it bad. There kids they just want to have fun and in todays world watching tv and playing video games is how they do it. We as a society need to be worrying about the kids that are not watching to much tv. The ones who are selling drugs, joining gangs, and getting killed every day because they live on the streets. If people see it as such a big deal with there kids watching to much tv the explain to you kids that its ok to watch tv but they still should get out and be active. If the doesnt work then take the tv away. Your child cant do anything because its your house and you pay the bills. TV is very educational, why cant we as adults see that and stop focusing on how much tv or kids watch. I pretty sure most people ar children went through a phase where all they wanted to do was watch tv.
Destini Reed
I do think theres something wrong with too much tv or video games. i've seen kids wheres all they do for there spare time is watch tv, and or play video games. My buddies little brother had that problem. We tried for so long to get him to go outside or just do something constructive around the house. He just blew us off, and kept on at it. It got even worse during the summer. He had nothing to do, and tv was his buddy. Also, he was too young for a job, spent too much time during school year to really make a lot of friends, and was never motivated to join sports. I havent seen him in awhile, but i believe his life is still like this today. Its sad to see someones time go down the drain due to tv, video games, and laziness. T.v. should be modified to only a few hours a day. As of right now i'm full time employeed, go to school full time, and when i get home at night i usually spend my time on the computer keeping up with friends. Even then i only have a small amount of time because after I use time in the shower,eating supper, and after i talk with my room-mates its usually about the time all my friends go to bed. But, after they go to bed i'm usually working on my homework. So, tv isnt usaually a problem me or most people i know that are out on their own and in school. I think we should just worry about the younger generation. If they spend too much time now; later on they'll do the same thing and wont ever be motivated for anything.
Justin Crowley
I dont really think TV is bad for kids, but watching too much is. It also depends on what channels they are watching for instance if they are watching pbs its alright because its an educational channel, but if its a channel that has alot of violence then i dont think that kids should be watching that because then they try to immitate what they see. Kids dont know if its wrong or the consequences so they have no limits to what they will try to do.
TV has become very influential over the years. kids, who naturally have an impaired sense of judgement, follow and see everything. you can control tv to benefit the kids, or you can ignore that fact that the tv is dangerous, and some kids will wind up imitating superman and tragedies happen. tv is really helpful to kids as they respond more to imagery and music than to words. having said that kids should be allowed to watch tv for entertaining and for eduacational purposes, like the history channel and the animal planet...
couple of hours a day should be fine. playing video games is the same as the tv. it can be good or bad, depending on the parents. kids shouldnt be allowed to play the violent games as it scars their brains permanently. however they should play other nice and fascinating games because i truly believe that the video games can actually help them develop co-ordination of sight and muscle. everything is basically fine if the parents know what to do and have total control of the situation.
BAHAA ABU SALIM
I think that television watching is ok as long as it is not excessive. In know that it is all open to interpretation on how much is too much. Honestly I believe that it depends on the child. Each child needs a good amount of excercise and because of television, video games, and computer games many children are not getting enough excercise and I think that is a huge contribution to the amount of obese children that are in the United States. I think that is the parents job to moderate the amount of T.V. and video games. Many children are not going to turn the television off when they think it is time they will wait until they have to. It is definately a problem, but I think that an increase in watching educational programs would help a lot.
Michaela Kern (12:00)
I'm a big fan of T.V. Sometimes I feel that I've learned a lot more from T.V. than school, but that doenst mean it was teaching me all the right things. For me, T.V. is useful, thats only because I grew up wanting to be on the T.V. so being a theatre major, its kind of one of my homework assignments. I like to watch the acting and comedy stuff, to get ideas for myself. The only problem with too much T.V. is for kids who are trying to be lawyers and buisness people because then it just makes them lazy. But I definately dont call T.V. a bad thing. It's what helps develop our wit and set trends. I could go either way on this subject.
Zach Lutz
I think that kids should be allowed to watch TV and play video games at moderation. My only problem is when kids play video games way too long and do not go outside and play with their friends and that is why I think many kids are becoming overweight and less athletic. When it is a bad day out and they have nothing else to do it's okay. Many Kids take it to the excess and never like to go outside anymore, even when it is a nice day out and they are missing out of some of the best times of their childhood. I think that the parents should just keep a close eye on the amount of time spent watching TV and playing bad video games.
Love+Charlie Ramshaw
I think kids should be allowed to watch as much tv as they want to. It might not always be good for them, but its better than forcing them in to doing something that they don't like. If they are involved in some kind of organized sports, but during there free time all they do is watch TV and play video games, than atleast they are getting some physical exercise. I can understand why some people think too much tv is bad because it can people a view of the world from the media aspect side of life if they let it.
Luke Brown
I think there is a fine line between enough tv and to much tv for kids. I think that if a person is outgoing and keeps an active lifestyle then there is no reason why they just can sit home some times and watch as much tv as they want to. But if people sit at home all the time and watch tv then there is something wrong with them. That is how our country becomes obese. Some tv channels are good for ya like the Discovery channel and the history channel. This is a topic that can go either way depending on who you talk to.
Phillip Poppe
Children shouldn't be limited with a time that they can watch television. If they are going outside and getting excercise during the day, they should be able to watch as much television as they want. If monitered, television can provide useful information for children to learn. If the someone lets their children stay inside on a nice day instead of making them be outdoors and doing something active, then their kids would get lazy and probly fat.
randy ransom
I do think that kids today watch too much TV. I remember growing up and when I got home from school my mom would make us a snack and then we would go outside and play till it was dark. Every day that the sun was out or it wasn’t raining we would be outside till dark. My mom wouldn’t let us stay in side and watch TV. As a family we would watch TV shows together after dinner and that was the only time I really watched TV. We didn’t have TV in our rooms growing up so we didn’t watch TV before bed. I think that it is one of the best ways to raise your kids. Kids should not be allowed to waste a nice day sitting in front of the TV. I know I was fortunate because my mom was a stay at home mom and she was there to supervise us, I think it was a great way to grow up.
Andrew Halleran
I don't think t.v. is all that bad. it could be good at times and maybe benefit the person whose watching it. When someone is watching t.v. they can easily gain some kind of knowledge from the different programs that networks are showing. then again t.v. can be very bad especially for kids, watching too much t.v. can stop a child from focusing on homework, and other important things they have to get done before their parents give them free time. When I say t.v. is good ad bad; take the discovery channel for example. your child is flipping through the channels and see something amazing on the discovery channel and go tell their parents to come look. On the other hand your chilod is flipping through the channel and stops on the discovery channel again; but this time they see some animals doing something strange they have'nt seen before. So once again the child goes and get his/her parents, but this time the parents aren't happy with what their has experienced.
WILLIE TANNER
I think that most children are exposed too much to television and video games. When I was growing up there was limited channels, so we were forced to use our imaginations and play outside. I am glad I didn't sit in front of the television, like most kids today. I believe giving access to watch tv, and play video games are ways to keep a child occupied. I believe for single parents, this becomes a necessity. I let my two sons watch television while I am trying to cook dinner, clean or do homework. I let them play on the computer. I make sure they do not watch violent cartoons, or video games. I don't let them go overboard, encouraging play with friends and outside activities. I think children should be exposed to more outdoor things compared to watching television. I probably am guilty of letting them watch too much tv, although they play with toys while watching tv. I think it depends on the parents and what expectations they have of their children. Who is to say what is how much is too much? We all have different views and prospectives.
Cheri Adkins
I don't think that TV is bad for kids but i do think that kids watch way to much TV instend of doing other things like playing ouside or reading.i don't rally thing there should be a spefic amount of time but the time they have should be limited.i do thing that video games and doiung stuff on the computer is the same as watching TV. They all keep kids from doing other things that would help them instead they all sit infont of the computer or the TV and do noting.Even though PBS and the History channel are educational they still should not be watched all day long a kid could just as easily pick up a book and read.I personal like to wathch TV but i also enjoy other things like reading and i think that since younger kids are watching TV all the time it is not helping them and could be making them gain wieght beceu they are not doing anyting but playing stuid video games.
Laynie Shields
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I think that tv is bad for kids if they are not getting stuff dont because of it. (like their homework). I thinkthey should be allowed as much as they want after they have chores and homework done. Playing video games is about they same to me only maybe even more time consuming. So i guess that it might be worse depending on how much you watch/play each one. I do think its better for kids to watch "good shows" but it's still important that they get stuff done also, and not let it go.
Amanda Borders
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Tv is getting bad for kids, too much is indeed bad for you. kids now a days seem to be content with sitting inside and watching tv or the computer. a time limit isnt neccesary but just monitor is they are watching too much. Good shows or bad dont watch tv all day. there are better things do. Go outside and mess around. it is a major influence in life and i thing it should be cut down.
Dani Belts
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I believe that TV is not bad for kids, because a lot of positive things can be learned from TV. I realize that kids also see a lot of other things on TV that may not be good for them but with channel locks and parental controls I think it can be controlled. There should be a limit on how much TV they can watch in one day. THey shouldn't be allowed to sit around all day and watch TV. I would say Video games and TV should be treated the same. They should only be allowed to a certain extent.
Tony Brown
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T.v. isn't bad for children. It's isn't their fault they are allowed to watch it so much. If parents put restrictions on their child for how much t.v. or how much video games time they get then the child won't become addicted to neither. Of course if the child is bored their going to find something they like to do the most which is watch their favorite shows and play video games. Having more for the child to do while at home could probably pull them away from the t.v. Putting barriers on what a child watch might sound good but it probably won't help. Every child is going to see lots of violence weather its on t.v or not. The way you raise that child will teach them from right and wrong, so when they do see something violent or inapporpiate they know how to react. Although kids do often copy what they see the mojority of doesnt come from t.v. There are plenty of other places a child goes and may copy what they see. If you just want kids to watch all they good stuff on t.v. then you might as well lock them in a room with a t.v. only showing good/ positive t.v. shows because most of the stuff that happens on t.v. happens in the real world.
Oshawa Wardlow
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Now a days I feel that we as Americans watch way too much TV, kids especially. A lot of what I have seen is that kids get up in the morning, watch their favorite cartoon or show, go to school, come home and plop down in the chair and watch TV the rest of the day. This is one of the reasons for obesity today in my opinion. Instead of watching TV or playing video games and being lazy, I believe that people should go out and work.
Josh Kaufman
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Childrens in todays world do watch to much tv and play to many video games. But i honestly think that most of them will grow out of it as they get older like i did. Most people only take the time to look at how tv in bad but if a child sits and watchs the Discovery channel, History channel, and Animal planet all day then is it bad. There kids they just want to have fun and in todays world watching tv and playing video games is how they do it. We as a society need to be worrying about the kids that are not watching to much tv. The ones who are selling drugs, joining gangs, and getting killed every day because they live on the streets. If people see it as such a big deal with there kids watching to much tv the explain to you kids that its ok to watch tv but they still should get out and be active. If the doesnt work then take the tv away. Your child cant do anything because its your house and you pay the bills. TV is very educational, why cant we as adults see that and stop focusing on how much tv or kids watch. I pretty sure most people ar children went through a phase where all they wanted to do was watch tv.
Destini Reed
I don't think tv is bad for kids, but there is a time to say enough is enough. I think the key is making sure they split up their time between tv and other activities such as sports and homework. Parents should become more strict on their rules with children and how much tv they watch. Even if the tv channels they are watching are good, they should still be limited to how much they watch. Granted, a person can learn a lot from watching informational tv, but children still need to get out and exercise and experience the world on their own instead of in front of a screen. With the kids I know addicted to tv, I find them more lazy than others. Kids also are more likely to pick up bad habits if the tv shows they are watching are not good. They see it on tv and automatically try to copy what they just saw. I think how much tv we watch has gone down, but it is still a significant problem.
Lance Hanmer
Since the television was made, it helped people to know the weather and to be excited by knowing what people look like on T.V. I think it is okay to let kids watch television and to also watch educational television to. Playing video games is not the same as wtching T.V. Games that parents let their kids play with may have much violence and bad language that teach kids bad things and get in trouble at school if repeating the game. Games that are for their appropriate age is good because it could fun for everyone and some games are educational to let kids learn in a fun way. Watching T.V. more than eight hours on weekdays is too much, but on the weekends, it is okay by sitting back and later going out with friends.
Katrina Burkhardt
I don't believe that too much t.v. and video games are bad for children or adults. You can learn valuable information from watching t.v. You can also relax watching your favoite entertainment shows or taking out a bad day while playing one of your favorite video games. I think people should watch t.v. all the time, everyday, but if watching t.v. is what someone likes to do then why is it a problem. There are bigger problems in this world that children who watch too much t.v. There are many good channels like the history channel, Amimal planet, Discovery, PBS, even the food channel.
Kahla Ryder
I think that TV is a problem with kids today. Kids would rather sit and watch TV then go outside and play. It is making us lazy. I think that kids should be able to watch TV but not all day and I do not think that video games are healthy for the youth. TV and video games all do the work for you. They make the picture and the sound and the plot. All you do is sit and watch or maybe move your fingers. If kids could play outside more or do more activities that are not related to TV then I think it would be ok for kids to see a little TV every now and again.
cody sullivan
I don't necessarily think that TV is bad for kids, but too much TV can be a problem. I feel it's great if children watch educational programs and even cartoons. If a young child knows how to work all of the buttons on the TV remote, that seems a little wrong. I don't think that they should be watching the same programs that adults might be interested in. Nor do I feel that they should be watching several hours of TV a day. That's a couch potato, even if it is educational... Saying this stuff makes me feel like a hypocrite. Even today, as a college student, I still find TV getting in the way of my priorities. Just last night, I was going to write two essays and do some blogs, but I found myself getting all comfortable on the couch watching COPS. I had my laptop out and on, but I fell asleep and woke up in the middle of the night. Who's to say TV can only be bad for children?
Ashleigh Cloyd
watching to much tv does nothing to you. people just say that because they let their kids watch tv all day long. its nothing wrong with it, it doesnt kill the child. they could be doing something more constructive with their time, but their kids. so let them enjoy their youth
Stephen Simmons
Too much tv is not a bad thing as long as they are watching decent shows or movies. And it also depends on the age of the children. a 6 year old probably shouldn't be wathching the same shows as a 15 year old.
Kelby
i think whatching tv is not bad, but some people take adventage of it. there are many parents whoe uses tv as a punishment to their children and i think it is not very educational. when a child does something bad, he/she does not get to whatch tv. instead of getting him punish
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