Television has invaded children’s world like colossus. Many believe television is good for children. But ground level surveys tell a different story. According to them, TV retards mental development of minors.
TV channels are unfriendly for children
Children these days are seen playing strange games. Plastic revolver in hand, they are seen bragging, “I will shoot you down!” This is all thanks to television, and channels aired by it. Sample these. Seven year old daughter of a Bank Manager, when denied her wish, gobbles down a piece of mosquito mat soaked in water. In another incident a 9 year old brat perches precariously on top of a 5 story building. Jilted for being denied a bicycle of his liking, he came down only when assured by family that they would do exactly as desired by him.
In short, Television’s increasing domain has so dented psyche of young ones to an extent unimaginable two decades back. Present day parents may recall their own childhood to see the difference. They never ever tried black mailing their parents for getting of their demands met. Why so? Answer is simple. In those good old days television wasn’t in vogue. A swarm of satellite channels these days has made children prisoners in their own homes. An average minor (in India) spends more than twenty five hours a week watching television. Small screen is all of a sudden the most important of all domestic items at home and in neighbourhood. A survey has reveals that TV crazy children have poor memory as compared to those who use this idiot box sparingly. So to say TV addicts have poor reading and recalling skills as compared to prudent kids.
A part from impaired intellect, TV buffs suffer from lack of interest in outdoor games. This is tragic, since games hone a child’s imagination, mental stability, camaraderie and interactional abilities.
Books are far superior to television
When children read a book, printed words are mutated to live visuals in their mind’s eye. For example, if the chapter being read is a story of seven dwarfs and a fairy castle, then these characters of story are pictured lucidly in child’s mind. Diminutive human forms, fairies with their magical sticks, mansions, witches, maid servants, and palace gardens; all run into child’s imagination with such intensity as if it is real life event. By so visualising, child gets a fair degree of cerebral exercise. This, in effect, hones child’s intellect and creativity.
On the flip side, consider a child watching television. For the same story, castle and other characters are there on TV Screen in substance and nuances. There is thus no need for child to visualize them and exercise his mind. Consequently the child grows unimaginative, dull and dud. Hence it behoves on us to encourage reading habits in our children. Highlighting importance of books and periodicals, Carlile used to say that the state of art academic institutions were nothing but collection and perusal of good quality text books.
Many experts believe that idiot box weakens a child’s ability to concentrate. Motion pictures on screen, changing every fraction of a second, prove tiring for mind. Moreover it has harmful effect on human eyes. Thanks to all this, children suffer from poor eyesight and are forced to put on spectacles.
For what they see on screen, youngsters end up paying dearly. Commercial advertisements lure them into buying inapt and undesirable products, making them haughty and arrogant in the process.
Sex and violence that spills over on TV screen in gore and blood make children cool to such happening in real life. Children go to great lengths in imitating so-called Art on popular channels. For example children imitating bungee jumping and falling to their deaths. And a child’s fatal leap from high rise building in mock imitation of Shaktiman’s feats as shown in TV serial by same name.
As a matter of fact children take TV programmes for real and not as mere entertainment props. Ergo, they drift away from the mainstream social realities. Today films of Adult categories are frequently shown on television. It is well neigh impossible for parents to keep their children away from them. Such films leave bad impact on psyche of growing children.
An overdose of films is no good for children’s temperament either. They go about singing filmy rhymes and uttering catchy dialogues of celluloid characters. They even try imitating mannerism of screen personalities. This naturally encroaches on their studies and other activities of physical and mental development.
Games are vital for children
For an all round balanced development of children’s personality—games are imperative. Just observe kids out at play. You will find them in best of their concentration, spirits, and tenacity. The kind of application exhibited by children at play, is hard to find in elders at work. Games bestir whole lot of child’s personality—putting it on a higher pedestal. Play ground, for youngsters, is a veritable laboratory where they test their mettle and learn to relate to the outside world.
Even before their schooling, children learn plus and minus by playing with coloured glass balls or with tit bits of stones and pebbles. This naturally comes handy when they learn three R’s in school campus. Just see them turn junk of clay, broken bangles, spent match box, empty bottles etc. into peaces of adorable creations like castle, aeroplanes, railway train, and houses. This entire exercise in testimony to child’s intellectual repertory. At times children quarrel in course of play. In such situations parent should keep their cool and utter no harsh words they hear story from both sides. Without being party to any of estranged kids, parents should prevail on them that acrimony helps none.
Surprisingly children patch up is no time even as their guardians may still be nursing bruised egos. In disputes involving their dear ones, mothers often get emotionally charged, venting all their anguish on their spouses when they return home from office. Children pick up their mothers tantrums and become rebellious. At times end-of-the-day tired father goes berserk in such situations and beats up his children. Such behaviour is totally uncalled for. When your children quarrel amongst themselves, or with their companions, you should act sympathetically and shock absorb bitterness there of.
Being biased for or against children is of no use. No child would act right all the time, or wrong all the time. Hence solving children’s disputes is no child’s play and demands wisdom and foresight.
Remember
❑ Being busy all the time and ignoring children is improper. Children’s activities—in substances as well nuances—need to be taken note of.
❑ Many a mothers delight in pranks and perversions of their offsprings. This is reprehensible. Such an attitude ups children’s misdemeanour—creating problems of a serious nature for them as well as for their guardians. Remember, it is never too late to mend. If children use foul language, rough-up their play mates, cut clothes or upholstery with a pair of scissors; snub them outright and counsel them to desist from such behaviour in future.
❑ On a bread made of gram flour,
A lump of sauce—my mother.
Kitchen, fire place, tongs and blow pipe
Were extension of my mother’s frame.
She gave me her face, her forehead
And her beautiful eyes.
And then disappeared
Like a naughty girl,
In the pages of an old album.
❑ If you are a troublesome toddler’s mother, and worried, have patience. Act wise.
❑ Right from the very beginning, try keeping your child engaged physically and mentally. This will, apart from keeping him positively, engaged will foster in him a sense of responsibility. Being usefully preoccupied, child will abstain from nuisance of all kinds and realise that he has an important role to play in family and community.
