Television Has Changed The American Child - 2133 Words

Television Impact â€Å"Television has changed the American child from an irresistable force to an immovable object.† (Peter). There was a time when all children wanted to do was to run, play, explore, and be adventurous. As time evolved, children have found more interest in television. Statistics show that a child spends 900 hours per year in school,and they spend 1,200 hours per year watching television. When asked to choose between watching T.V. and spending time with their families fifty-four percent of four to six year olds voted they would prefer to watch television. Television has changed the mindset of children over the years it has been proven that the more programs they watch, the more harmful it is to their brain development. T.V.†¦show more content†¦on television they are more likely to imitate such acts at a younger age. When children watch violent shows they become more aggressive and they have more violent tendencies. Children view characters in T.V. shows as their rol e models when they see them doing risky acts they think that it is normal behavior, and are more likely to mimic the acts in their preteen years. Physiologist have linked childhood exposure to violence through media.When children watch television shows that are too mature for them they are more likely to see the world as a scary unsafe place. Even television that is designed for kids can send a message that fighting and destroying things is fun and acceptable.†Children under (age) 2 learn a lot by facial expression, tone of voice, and body language — much of which doesn’t translate well on a flat screen, especially in animated or cartoon form.†(Darice).Many shows today paint an unrealistic picture of what teen agers should look like and be like. When young kids see such things they are more likely to to try to live up to these standards even if that means taking substances or starving themselves to do it. Too much T.V. time can also lead to behavioral pro blems such as attention deficit disorder commonly known as ADD. Children who consistently watch four hours of television a day are more likely to be overweight. Physical activity is getting pushed aside in favor of Television shows