Television and Children

In this article, I will focus on the positive and negative effects of television, which has become an integral part of our daily lives and the cornerstone of our home, on our children, the points that should be taken into consideration in the child-television relationship, and especially what mothers and fathers think about the child spending too much time in front of the television. I would like to include suggestions for what you can do.

While talking about the effects of television, it is possible to talk about the positive or negative effects of some programs on some children. Just as it cannot be said that all television programs are always beneficial for all children, it is also not possible to say that all television programs are harmful for all children. What is important in this regard is; The quality of television programs, the personality characteristics of the child watching that program, the characteristics of the immediate environment in which the child lives, the length of time television programs are watched, constantly watching the same type of television programs... all these are factors that must be taken into consideration when examining the effects of television on the child.

Watching television is a behavior that does not require physical activity. It is an entertaining tool that you can watch by just looking at it, without using communication channels or any of your skills, without difficulty, without paying too much attention, and sitting in your comfortable chair at home. For some, it is a fool's box, for some it is a crime machine, for some it is a treasure of information and entertainment

The effect of television on the tendency to violence

The most emphasized and researched topic in the television-child relationship is violence. Research has shown that television alone does not lead to violence, but encourages and increases it. Images containing violence may make children insensitive to violence and aggression in real life. Or they may lead to a very dangerous situation such as trivializing violence. Especially when violence is presented in connection with pleasure and entertainment, its negative effects cannot be perceived sufficiently on everyone, especially children whose abstract thinking skills are not sufficiently developed, and there may be an increase in the tendency towards violence.

Research shows that people who watch television for more than 1-2 hours a day It shows that there is a delay and insufficiency in the emotional development of children between the ages of 0-3, their adaptation to social environments, their ability to show closeness to people - to understand them, to show interest in their peers and to communicate with them. It has been observed that watching too much and age-inappropriate television programs in children between the ages of 4 and 7 creates concrete-abstract confusion, causes deficiencies in language and social development, and causes children to have overly anxious thoughts about the world and the future.

Verbal skills of the child; It can develop in environments where time can be devoted to relationship and interaction and where reading-listening-telling activities can be carried out. Verbal skills are very important for the child to control himself and develop correct thinking skills. Television, on the other hand, can hinder the development of verbal skills because it does not leave time for these and does not allow interaction. In this context, television, which restricts our relationships with people, causes us to prefer watching television instead of chatting, thus seriously weakening interpersonal relationships.

Its effects on reading, thinking and success

Excessive television watching by the child. , may deprive him of reading, going to the cinema and theatre, or even playing games. The child's social relationships weaken and he or she may become withdrawn. Television is a one-way socialization tool, we do not have the chance to interact or communicate with it. In this case, the child cannot ask questions, ask for explanations or object to the television. Thus, television, which is increasingly addictive, causes people to become more manageable and directable.

Children who spend most of their time in front of television gradually experience decreases in their academic success, book reading rates, and shortening of their attention span. In addition, they become prone to learning by seeing rather than by hearing, listening or reading.

Physical effects

Watching television for a long time without doing any movement, and consuming high-fat foods in the meantime, increases the child's weight. allows you to confront the problem. However, the child needs to use his body to develop his full potential. is. Additionally, the stimulation of sounds and images can cause significant fatigue.

When used appropriately, television can be defined as a mass media tool with entertaining and instructive qualities. A television that offers attentive children's programs can contribute to the child's spiritual development and education. If your child only watches television during the free time from school, your values, expectations and your child's weight are in danger.

 

The effect of advertisements

Frequent interruptions of programs with commercials while watching television distract children's attention. It may lead to loss of continuity and deterioration of concentration capacity.

In addition, the products shown in television commercials are shown as if they are the key to happiness and success and can cause dissatisfaction when not obtained. In other words, television not only provides information and entertainment, but also increasingly determines how we think, how we dress, what we should like, and therefore our lifestyle.

 

  HOW PRECAUTIONS CAN YOU GET IT?

• Restrict weekly television viewing. Give your child a strict limit on television viewing time. Also, keep a close eye on the programs he watches, and remove those you deem unsuitable from the viewing program. Not every program that children like may be suitable for them; we, the adults, are the ones who will make this decision and are the only ones responsible for it. Let's try not to watch programs that are not suitable for children in their presence. Since language development is not completed in the first three years, children should not be allowed to watch television on a very limited basis, if possible at all.

• Make a weekly television viewing schedule. To limit the hours your child spends watching television, sit down with him/her at the beginning of each week and determine together the programs he/she will watch during that week. Never make any changes when your program is approved by you and your child.

• Determine consequences for watching television outside the allowed time. If you catch your child watching the television at a time when he/she should not be watching, immediately ask him/her to watch the television. Give him a job in a place where he can't follow the vision. If he wanders back in front of the television without finishing the task assigned to him, give him another task. "I am sorry that you did not fulfill the task given to you. Since you made this choice, I am giving you another task." You can say.

• Encourage your child in different activities and be an example. Parents who read, chat, or engage in other creative activities instead of watching television in the evenings and on weekends set a good model for their children in this regard. Moreover, by praising your child when he or she engages in reading, studying, or other more creative activities, you will make your child less likely to want to spend passive time in front of the television.

It's also up to you to accept other activities that are more dirty or messy (stringing beads, playing with play dough, gluing beans) rather than letting it spend a long time in front of it.

• Watching television. Treat it as a reward for reading. Tell your child, "Let's make a deal with you!" play the game. "If you read a book for half an hour, you can watch television for half an hour." you can say. The programs that your child will watch must be among the programs that you have previously decided and approved in the weekly schedule. What you need to make sure of here is that your child does not watch more television than you agreed upon with this contract.

• Your children should be able to filter what they watch on television through logic, weigh and interpret what they see in their own minds before accepting it as real, absolute truth, Watch television with them and make comments so they can consider alternative explanations other than what is being told. In this way, children's ability to evaluate the possibilities in life and to discuss them will be improved.

WHAT SHOULD WE NOT DO?

First of all, children's It should not be forgotten that they take adults as models in television viewing behavior, as in many other behaviors.

If our child is extremely curious about television, we should ask ourselves the following questions:

-    Are the activities done as a family not enough for the child? Are they boring? I'm coming r?

-    Does television actually act as a nanny?

-    How skillful are parents in finding different interests for their children?

-    Being able to do our own thing Or are we actually the ones who direct our children to the television from time to time in order to rest?

 

    The answers we give to these questions also answer the question "what should we not do" will be the answer.

• Avoid putting televisions in the house - especially in children's bedrooms. In addition, it is better to have the television turned off during the meal, as it will interrupt all communication in the family.

• Turning on the television should not be one of our first things in the morning. Even if we don't watch it, it wouldn't be right for our children or for us to hear it and have a television on in every room.

• Explain to your child's caregiver that it is out of the question for your child to watch television in your absence. Suggest that he listen to tapes or CDs telling stories. This leaves imagination much more free. Also, give the caregiver suggestions to keep your child busy with other activities (painting, pasting, playing clay, etc.).

• If your child accidentally comes across a scene with bloody events, turn off the television immediately. Instead of turning it off or hastily changing the channel, feel free to say a few words about what may have shocked him/her. In this way, you will take him out of this situation where he is confused and even panicked.

• Do not say "Give up this bad habit" to your child who spends too much time in front of the television. Such words create guilt and backfire. Your child continues to watch television during hours when you do not see him.

• Do not make watching television the most important activity the family does together. Devote your evenings and weekends to reading, discussing, developing manual skills and other activities together. If we tell our child "turn off the television" and look at him sideways or keep the television on as soon as we send him to bed or whenever we have free time&nb

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