Violence on Television and It's Harmful Effects on Children
Much has been said about the violence on television and its potentially harmful effects on children. Everything from cartoons to toy commercials depicts violence in some form, and it is understandable that parents may be frightened. However, television can be a valuable tool for children's social and academic education. Programs like Sesame Street have for years taught young children the basics of reading and math in a multicultural framework. Educational children's programming abounds, and each show has something unique to offer. By watching these shows, children are encouraged to be creative. Educational programming also includes shows on stations like the Discovery Channel and the History Network. Many of these shows can be watched by both adults and children and can therefore stimulate dialog within the home. Even entertainment television such as sitcoms can help children make sense of their world. An early exposure to popular culture can be highly beneficial later in life, because so many casual conversations are steeped in pop culture. Television can also help children learn the intricacies of language, become familiar with a variety of ethnic and cultural groups, and learn how people interact with one another. While not all
Children are going to watch television no matter what. Therefore, it is important for parents to appreciate the power of television and to wield that power wisely. Instead of prohibiting television viewing, parents can become more educated about the shows their children are watching. Television can fill in the gaps of a child's education, as schools do not always do a perfect job. Television teaches children about popular culture, something that they do not get when in school or at home. Even some advertising can be beneficial to children, as some of the toys and products that are touted on TV are healthy ones. In general, television can be directly educational as through shows like Sesame Street and Discovery Channel shows, or television can be indirectly educational, as through entertainment television that imparts positive role models and social norms. television is suitable for young viewers, a great deal is. Parents can use their own discrimination to select shows that they feel might benefit their children's language and social development. Television can teach children some of the most difficult lessons in life, lessons that parents often overlook. For example, a television show or news special can show a child that abuse is intolerable. If a child experiences or witnesses abuse at home or at a friend's house, he or she might be more likely to take action when armed with the knowledge that abuse is unacceptable behavior. A child that has watched his father abuse his or her mother might have thought that was normal behavior until seeing a show on television. Moreover, on television, children learn that drug and alcohol abuse are bad, that crime doesn't pay, and that it does pay to treat other people with kindness and respect. Television might not be a panacea or a cure for all of society's ills. However, the media
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Approximate Word count = 1238
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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