The Media and Our Children - Research Paper Example

?The Media and Our Children Since its innovation, the television has become a favorite pastime of children all over the United s. On average, children under the age of sixteen watch fifteen hundred hours of television each year (Gunter 13), which equates to over four hours a day; the amount of time watching television per day increases in the absence of school, such as during holidays. In the same span of a year, children spend, on average, nine hundred hours in school, almost half of the time they spend in front of the television. As their companion and babysitter, television has become an important staple in the lives of our youth. While it may be a good activity to keep children preoccupied or even a reward after a long week of school, too much television does not come without its consequences. Television and the media that it displays can bring about physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual implications. The negative ramifications and influences of television on children can result in permanence if the problem is not solved while they are still young. The more time that a child spends in front of the television, the less time they spend participating in anything else. Of all the things shunted aside and neglected for the sake of the television, exercise is often at the top of the list. The most favored activity while watching television, however, is eating sugary and starchy snacks. As such, obesity has become an increasing concern in young children due to the amount of time spent watching television in comparison to the time spent exercising or playing. Children that watch over four hours of television on a daily basis are more likely to weigh more than children who spend less time in front the television (Bryant & Thompson 128). When children combine constant immobilization with continuous eating, they risk gaining an excessive, unhealthy weight. Unhealthy weight gain for a child carries with it the potential of other health consequences, such as diabetes, heart strain, which can lead to heart failure, and health complications as the child reaches adulthood (Liebert & Sprafkin 94). While some of these health issues can be prevented and even reversed if the weight is lost in a safe and timely fashion, if it is not taken care of, children can experience them for the rest of their lives. Media exists as entertainment, providing children with many shows and movies to exercise their imagination and to simply entertain. Unfortunately, there are just as many shows and movies that are not made for children but are just as easily accessible given the ease of using the television and navigating through the various stations and programs. Quite a lot of this media consists of graphic violence, sexual activity, and great quantities of drugs and alcohol. The younger that children are, the more impressionable and influenced they are by the things that they are subjected to by media. The graphic images and ideas that are presented to children can leave a lasting impression or negatively influence the way they view the world and respond to issues in their lives. A startling correlation has been found between media violence and aggressive behaviors and children displaying violent acts and behaviors (Kelemwork 29). As children witness these negative and often dangerous behaviors in the media, they feel that they are being condoned. Children become more willing to participate in these actions because they saw them on television, and then they apply them to situations in their own lives where they see fit. Instead of talking out their problems or seeking help from an adult, they allow the anger that they have learned to become solutions. Similarly, children engage in the risky behavior that is so openly displayed in media, such as promiscuity, drug and alcohol abuse, and rebellion against authoritative figures. If children see these activities in the media, yet nobody is there to explain the difference between right and wrong, fact and fiction, the children are apt to experience the actions for themselves. Media has also presented children with negative and inappropriate ideals in regard to gender roles and racial stereotypes. Though media contains concepts and dilemmas that are often found in real life, or are even based on true events, they are displayed in a way that sheds a negative light on the people involved in the given scenarios. Women are painted as weaker, lesser people than men, and minorities are often mistreated and attacked with verbal and physical assaults. Due to media, children are being given misled concepts about humanity. Children, again allowing media to condone these actions, will imitate what they see or hear, using them to affect those around them (Steyer 104). It all comes down to influence. If a child witnesses a gruesome murder as a result of an argument while they are watching a television show, they will store that image away for future reference. Not only will that image be frightening and jarring to them due to the intensity of the violent graphics, but they will begin to connect violence with problem-solving. Likewise, if a character on a show refers to a minority by a racial slur, the child will store that away, remembering it for a time when they think it is okay to use it. Media presents children with ideas that they are more than willing to use. Television and media have the ability of clashing with how well a child does in school (Traudt 59). Instead of doing their homework and focusing on studying for upcoming tests, children spend that time watching television. They continue to put off their homework, convincing themselves that they have enough time. Some may try to do their homework while watching television, but their attention is divided. Many children do not get to their homework until right before their bedtime, causing them to stay up late. They are tired the following school day, which distracts them from learning. Students’ grades have proven to suffer based on the hours that they spend watching television on a regular basis (Vered 44). Their homework is neglected and they find it difficult to concentrate during school. Television and the enticing media that it offers pulls children away from the valuable time that could be spent on education, something that will benefit their brains and development better than any television show ever could. A proposed solution to end the implications that come with media is to offer more healthier and livelier activities for children to participate in. These activities can include school-related clubs or events, or activities arranged by the city or the community. The activities can range from sporting events and performing arts to events that exercise the mind, offering a variety of activities for every child to find something that they can enjoy. If children are given more opportunities to spend outside of the home, especially opportunities that can involve their friends or meeting other children, then they will spend less time in front of the television. If children are given the chance to engage in activities that they enjoy with more chances to take place in them, they will find themselves less dependent of the television as their main source of entertainment. Yet another solution would be to make televisions less accessible for children and to cut down on how much time they spend watching television. By doing this, parents can encourage their children to play outside with friends, read a book, or discover a new hobby. They can be permitted certain times to watch television, such as during a favorite show, occasionally throughout the week. Television can also be viewed as a reward, which will help to control how often it is watched. Furthermore, it is in this way that parents can monitor what their children are watching, ensuring that the programming is appropriate for their children. Children will benefit from less negative images and ideas. It is believed that children should have a chance to have a break from school and chores, and television is the prefect solution. It gives children the chance to sit back and let their minds wander. Due to this, it would be a waste of money to create programs and activities that children would normally find at school. Once the school day is over, children just want to get home and do something that is not intellectually benefiting. After all, eight hours of their day are already spent learning. If they already participate in sports or performing arts, the proposed activities would become redundant and boring, only inspiring them to come home and watch television (Winn 61). While it is true that children do deserve some time off from the responsibilities in their lives, all of their free time should not be spent in front of the television. As previously mentioned, children are impressionable and easily influenced. If they can be convinced at a young age the importance of exercising their minds and their bodies, they can be granted an early start to a healthy future. The proposals do not require completely ridding children of their television time, but simply distinguishing the fact that television is not a necessity but a privilege, which can be done by using it as a reward system. This will help lessen the dependency that children have on television. Though starting various programs and activities for children outside of school hours may be costly, the result will be healthier, smarter, and well-adjusted children, a result which greatly outweighs the costs. When children are physically and mentally healthy, they are healthy in other aspects of their lives. They have more energy and more drive, which allows them to succeed in school. Children become more active and engaged with the goings-on of their environment and school, and they discover healthier outlets to express their emotions and feelings. When children spend more time participating in the world instead of wasting away the hours in front of the television, they become a vital, active part of their community. However, these options just need to be provided to them before results can be seen. Television may be a great source for entertainment, but it is an unhealthy habit for the children of this day and age. The more media that children are subjected to, the unhealthier they become in regard to their weight, their behaviors and their emotions, and their intellectual abilities as students. To pull children away from the negative impacts that come with watching violence and other negative images that the media displays, they need to be provided with activities and events that stimulate physical activity and creativity. Children, as young as they are, have very little control over what they do in life, so it must be up to their parents to ensure that their kids do not get lost in the negative world of the media and embrace the opportunistic world around them. Works Cited Bryant, Jennings, and Susan Thompson. Fundamentals of Media Effects. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, 2002. Print. Gunter, Barrie. Children and Television. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 1997. Print. Kelemwork, Teddy. Media Maniac: The Effects of Media Violence on Children. Los Angeles: CreateSpace, 2010. Print. Liebert, Robert M., and Joyce N. Sprafkin. The Early Window: Effects of Television on Children and Youth. 3rd ed. New York: Pergamon Press, 1990. Print. Steyer, James P. The Other Parent: The Inside Story of the Media's Effect on Our Children. New York: Atria Books, 2003. Print. Traudt, Paul J. Media, Audiences, Effects: An Introduction to the Study of Media Content and Audience Analysis. Boston: Pearson/Allyn And Bacon, 2005. Print. Vered, Karen Orr. Children and Media Outside the Home. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print. Winn, Marie. The Plug-In Drug: Television, Computers, and Family Life. 25th ed. New York: Penguin Books, 2002. Print. Read More