Saying No to Television

Children should not watch television at a young age. There are three main reasons that watching television before the age of two can be detrimental to a young child. The first is that it impedes brain activity because it is a passive activity. The second is that it takes time away from outdoor activities. The third reason is that children learn to be lazy by watching television. Because watching television has harmful effects on the behavior of children, it should be avoided.

Children who are exposed to too much television before the age of two are inhibiting the activity of their brains. It has been documented that a child’s brain, much like a sponge, is very susceptible to any sort of stimuli. Watching television disrupts the learning center in a child’s brain, and interferes with his or her ability to think creatively. Furthermore, watching television before the age of two interferes with the overall brain activity of a young child.

Because brain activity is important for child development, watching television should be avoided whenever possible. The child’s brain is open to receiving information, and sometimes the information from television is negative. This is not conducive to proper child development. Parents must be mindful of the delicacy of their child’s brain development, and limit, or cease, television watching until at least age two.

Children who watch hours of television are not only inhibiting brain activity, they are inhibiting outdoor time. Children learn best in an engaging environment, especially the outdoors. Exploring nature is an excellent activity for child development, and watching television robs a child of this time. For every hour a child watches television, he or she loses that valuable hour instead of being immersed in the natural world.

The natural world allows children time to touch leaves or feel the wind. Being outside provides so many sources of natural stimuli that it is hard to understand why one would even want to be glued in front of a television set. It is widely documented that children who spend at least three hours a week engaged in outdoor activities are more patient, more introspective, and more likely to succeed.

Finally, watching television promotes laziness in children. With the current statistics reminding us how apathetic and obese many of America’s children are, it is surprising that a parent would promote this situation by allowing their child to sit glued in front of a television set at such an early age. Television viewing zaps a child’s imagination. It essentially forces the child into sitting still, passively, while some other input beams away to his or her bran.

Lazy children are not likely to succeed as their non-lazy counterparts. Because parents have a choice, they should decide that television be limited in an effort to keep their child active and interested in thoughtful activities. Although the internet and other advances in technology make it more difficult to keep children physically active, it is still possible to achieve with a bit of planning and foresight. Allowing children to spend time outdoors is a profitable venture for both parent and child.

In conclusion, there are three main reasons why watching television is detrimental to a young child. Watching television before the age of two inhibits brain activity. It allows the brain to sit passively, instead of working actively. Watching television also robs children of time otherwise spent in the natural world. Being outside is one of the best ways for a child to develop properly. Watching television also promotes laziness. The last thing America needs is another lazy child. Children, at least until they are much older, should not be exposed to the harmful effects of television watching.