August 01, 2005

Books, media and other influences

I wonder if any studies have been done on the difference in behaviour etc between kids who grow up with no television vs those who have cable TV from america.

I just can't see a kid who watches Dragon BallZee or however it's spelt, turning out the same as a kid who read newspapers and sensible books (not Harry Potter....sorry titilayo!)

Personally, if I were a mother (of a kid and not a dog as I presently am!), I would select carefully what the kids watch on TV, and it would certainly be limited. There would be no Sims 2 video games either. Everything would be educational, and the fun ones would be very carefully chosen.

Further, we would spend time in the Great Outdoors, appreciating nature and the environment. I feel that would contribute to bringing up a more wholesome child.

By the way, I was remembering the other day that I read an Enid Blyton Five book one day, and it showed you how to get a key out of a door, like if someone locked you in a room and left the key in, and I remember trying the method they used and it worked. So if I...a sane, sheltered kid....could actually try something that I read in a book, image a kid who is not so well grounded wanting to try something dangerous that they read in one of these outlandish books or see on TV. That's why we have incidents like Columbine.

Posted by yamfoot at August 1, 2005 05:01 PM
Comments

Well I could tell you that when there is no cable tv my son reads more take his bike to ride outside more so we removed it since the year started and the results are amazing I miss Oprah but its a small sacrifice for a greater good.

Posted by: Amelia at August 1, 2005 06:04 PM

I have a friend who did that. Their son was taking 'common entrance' exam for high school and they removed the cable.

Result? he got a government scholarship. And he read more.

If this were my house, there would be no cable for the kids to watch. I'd keep it on one TV, and only I would have access to it.

Posted by: Michelle at August 1, 2005 09:11 PM

I was talking to my co-worker today and he was saying that they don't allow their 2 year old son to watch television at all yet he seems to know all the TV characters and their goings on. He said it's because it's infiltrated everywhere: on the cereal boxes, at the groceries, on their clothes. He said they can't seem to get away from the media.

Posted by: Nikki at August 1, 2005 11:37 PM

I grew up on tv and I turned out ok I think lol, of course I did alot of reading and running around too. I agree that too much tv is not good. I say everything in moderation, limit the tv viewing, limit the video game playing if its allowed at all and spend time with your child actually talking and doing activities togethr

Posted by: jdid at August 2, 2005 01:09 AM

I agree with you Yammie.

I watched some TV when I was a yute, but even Disney now is not the Disney of yesteryear.

HBO, MTV, BET have stuff that really do nutten for young people's minds.....except perhaps get them into a heightened state of erotic arousal and violence.

Posted by: Dr. D. at August 2, 2005 08:45 AM

I don't have a problem with the tv and video games. I'm with JDid in believing in moderation is fine.

Posted by: Marc at August 2, 2005 10:19 AM

AS ME BROKE, ME NO HAVE CABLE!!! MY KIDS ONLY PLAY VIDEO GAMES ON WEEKENDS.
THEY PLAY A LOT OUTDOORS, AND ALSO READ A LOT. DONT BAN THE CABLE, VIDEO GAMES, EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. USE THE CABLE AND VIDEO GAMES AS REWARDS.

FROM S
MOTHER OF 2, NO DOGS

Posted by: SHAR DAV at August 2, 2005 11:25 PM