Is watching television good for children, or something not to be encouraged?
These are my thoughts and experiences:-
In my opinion children watching television can be good providing an adult monitors what they are watching. There are some quality educational programmes aimed at children.
When I was working as a registered child minder I didn’t allow the children to watch a lot of television while they were with me; but we often sat down together to watch a programme called Come outside. This was about a lady and her dog who went on adventures together in an aeroplane, the adventures were always entertaining and often had an educational element to them, we would discuss what we had seen afterwards.
When I was a child, my sisters and I liked to watch’ Multicoloured swap shop’ on a Saturday morning, this was a magazine type children’s programme hosted by Noel Edmond. My mum who liked to keep a clean and tidy house always seemed to get the vacuum cleaner out during the best bit ( we didn’t have a pause facility on the remote control then- or even a remote control!)
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My eldest son would sit on his potty and always managed to perform a No.2 while watching ‘Play-days’ on the television.
My youngest son loved a programme about Barney a purple dinosaur, this was on at lunchtimes, so when he came home from ore-school I would allow him to eat his lunch in front of the television, he sat on his plastic chair pulled up to my coffee table
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A friend’s son was almost addicted to the television. One day they had an important visitor so wanted to turn off the television while she was there, knowing that the child may well play up when it was switched off, she told him that the television was broken. To divert his attention a family member took him for a walk during the walk he asked several times if it would be mended when they got home. On walking back into the house and seeing the television was not on he came out with some choice words embarrassing everyone!
Advantages of letting children watch television are: that it provides opportunities for families to sit down together to watch a good family film, for example
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It can help children who don’t have English as their first language to learn it.
I once met a holiday representative who was working in Italy, she wasn’t Italian and told me that she had learned the language by watching Italian films with English sub-titles.
Disadvantages of children watching television are that too much television can interfere with sleep patterns.
I looked after a child who was too scared of going for a nap in my bedroom . He managed to explain to me that he had watched a programme ( monsters Inc.) where the monster had come through the bedroom door while a child was sleeping. I overcame this by setting up the travel cot on my large upstairs landing where there were no doors for him to worry about. This worked as he slept peacefully for over an hour until I had to wake him to go on the school run.
My middle son liked a programme called Rosie and Jim, that night however he had a nightmare that the toys in his room had come to life like in the television show.
Fast moving cartoons can also have an impact on children’s behaviour and sleep.
So is television good for children, or not? All things in moderation is my conclusion.
Please share experiences of children and television.
As always questions, comments and topic suggestions are welcome.
Until next time.
Karen
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Everything in moderation I think is the best bet. I know a lot of family switch on the tv as soon as they get up and keep it on all day . Much better to select programmes , some can be a bit scary but most of them are quite nice to watch. I can’t remember ever putting Hoover on during the best bits,that would be a shame. Interesting blog .
You definitely did put the vacuum on, mum, but you had to clean at some point, thanks for your feedback x
I agree with your comment, Karen, “So is television good for children, or not? All things in moderation is my conclusion.” For two related articles, “Children and Television,” http://kellybear.com/TeacherArticles/TeacherTip8.html and “Too Much Violence on TV? What Can You Do?” and I might add technology use today, see http://www.kellybear.com/ParentTips/ParentTip5.html
Thanks Leah I guess as every child is an individual, it is finding out how much television and which programmes suit that particular person x
I agree that too much or certain kinds of programmes can be really bad. But we love watching some of the more educational ones. Moderation I suppose. #GlobalBlogging
Our kids don’t watch too much tv, and the tv they do watch is okay. We always monitor or watch together as a family. Getting a good mix of outdoors, exercise, reading and fun mixed with TV is all good in my eyes. #globalblogging xoxo
TV is great in moderation. We always have the tele on in the background and Ben watches as much as his small concentration allows, but I do think most of his TV watching contributes to his extensive vocabulary and skills. He knows quite a lot of colours, his ABC’s and can count to 20 and it’s not all down to us teaching him either. We don’t always have kids TV on as he loves daytime gameshows and adverts too!
We have had to start ensuring nothing with swearing is on it as he’s repeated a few words whoops! Thank you for sharing this with us at #triumphanttales. I hope to see you back next week.
I’m with you on the moderation thing. I think its easy to get too caught up in studies but also easy to get lazy and let the TV be a babysitter. Somewhere in the middle is the answer #anythinggoes
A little is ok. It is a hard balance but each family needs to decide that. #bloggerclubUK
Ahh! My girls used to love “Come Outside”. Such a lovely TV show.
My girls don’t actually watch that much TV. They watch the odd epsiodes of The Simpsons, Friends and some the soaps which I watch. They are more for watching films.
I think TV is a good thing in moderation. When you have to lie about the TV being broken your child is watching too much TV and something needs to be done. #PoCoLo
I think everything in moderation when it comes to parenting. TV can definitely be educational, provided the child isn’t left to stare at it all day long, every day. #GlobalBlogging
Like yu say it’s all about moderation #pocolo
I loved Come outside when I was little and 20 years later my LO loved it too. Now it is no longer on TV which is sad
I have to say TV teaches my kids so much – Horrible Histories, for example, is fantastic, as is CBeebies for preschoolers – I’m all for it! #ThatFridayLinky
I think TV can be a good thing and it’s just about getting the balance right. I don’t limit TV time as such, but we do lots of other activities which means the kids never really ask for it, or think of it as a big deal. We don’t use it as a reward or take it away as a punishment, so as there is less emphaisis on it it’s just something that is there if they want to watch it, much like any other activity in the house. Often they will choose to do drawing, or crafts or even listen to music over watching the TV. Thanks for linking up with #KidsandKreativity hope to see you back next time x
Everything in moderation like you’ve said! My boys are into vehicles big time and love ‘Catie’s amazing machines’ on CBeebies…I must admit I quite like it too…and it is educational. There are some great educational programmes being produced now. And nothing beats snuggling in for a family film. #KidsandKreativity