Home Add to Favorite Contact Submit  
             19 March, 2024
 

    
Category:  Articles » Family Concerns

 

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Truth About TV And Your Preschooler

Popularity:
         Views: 3728
2006-09-30 22:11:40     
Article by Deanna Mascle

I am the mother of a preschooler and I have to admit that my child watches several hours of television each week. I am sure he watches more hours than any educator would recommend, but I've decided to dismiss the recommendation of the so-called experts. For the record, my child is a precocious, intelligent child who started preschool at the head of his class and will start kindergarten next fall at the head of his class. So who is right? I think we both are because there are good, bad, and ugly truths about television and the preschool set.

There are many good truths about preschool television. Today there is more quality programming designed with educational benefits in mind than ever before. While I did have Sesame Street in my youth, today my child has several stations designed specifically to offer quality programming (often created by or with educators). My child learned Spanish and sign language in preschool but his experience was reinforced and expanded by Sesame Street, Maya and Miguel, Dora The Explorer, and other shows. Preschool and library programs introduced my child to science and math but his knowledge was also increased by Stanley, Discovery Kids, and Bear In The Big Blue House. Literacy, history, culture, and interpersonal relationships were all expanded by shows such as Blues Clues, Power Rangers, and Thomas The Tank Engine. Through television programs my child can experience dinosaurs, volcanoes, sharks, and rain forests and as a result he is much more informed and knowledgable than I was about the world at his age.

There are some bad truths about preschoolers' relationship to television as well. My son has learned bad habits, attitudes and language from some shows and networks. I have seen my child and others take on a zombie-like aspect in front of the television. For some children, thankfully not mine, television takes the place of active play so the child lacks physical and mental stimulation. Not all television is appropriate for preschoolers and can expose children to violence, lifestyles, and sexual situations that young children cannot, and should not, comprehend.

The ugly truth about television and preschoolers is that TV is a tool -- and like any other tool it can be either used or abused. Too many families rely on television as a cheap babysitter. I have done so myself. Too many families place no restrictions or control over their preschoolers' television habits. Children can watch whatever they want, whenever they want. It is easy to blame networks or the entertainment industry for problems with our children. It is easy to diagnose that cutting back television viewing is the cure.

The simle truth is that balance and control are the real keys -- not restricting your child's access to television. Balance TV viewing with quality family time and play time. Control what stations and shows your child watches. Television can be a positive force in your preschooler's life if you exercise balance and control, but if you don't take care then it may well become a negative force. The simple truth is the direction of the pendulum swing is up to you as a parent.

Print article      Bookmark this page
Related Articles 
Investing In Your Grandchildren Is Not Expensive (Popularity: ): I believe the greatest investments we can make while we are alive are to invest in our children, or grandchildren. By invest I am not talking about money, although there is nothing wrong with money. We all enjoy buying them things like kids bedding, or something else for their rooms. What I am talking about is investing your time and just having fun with your grandchildren.I remember one day when ...
Expanding Your Child's Vocabulary Promotes Skilled Reading (Popularity: ): Learning to read is not like climbing a mountain. You do not simply lead your child over a peak and they then become a skilled reader.Instead there are a series of skills and building blocks that children gradually acquire and then continue to build on for years before they become truly proficient readers.One of those essential skills is vocabulary. Vocabulary refers to the words we must know to communicate effectively ...
Preparing Your Child Cognitively To Read (Popularity: ): The ultimate goal of reading instruction is to enable children to understand what they read, so reading instruction has to be about more than simply matching letters and sounds -- it also has to be about connecting words and meaning.It is clear from research on emerging literacy that learning to read is a relatively lengthy process that begins very early in development and clearly before children enter formal schooling.Children who ...
Family Health Insurance Assistance Programs (Popularity: ): In most “first world” countries like England, France, and Canada; every man, woman, and child receives basic health care from the government. This makes the business of private health insurance redundant in those countries. However, in America things are a bit different. In the United States, many citizens do not have health coverage at all due to the high cost of medical care and the rates and premiums that the ...
Top Gifts For a 21st Century Dad (Popularity: ): What does it mean to be a father in today’s world? There used to be a very strict hierarchy in families, where the dads were the tops dogs and the bread winners and the women were very much stay at home carers for their children. However, over the years, dynamics have changed, with men taking on more household responsibilities - not just taking out the bin. A 2014 study reported ...


Related Business 
Good Bad and Ugly (Popularity: ): Comments about each weeks storylines from one point of view.
The Little Ugly Bottle (Popularity: ): The Little Ugly Bottle for the BIG ugly problem is here to save you. Unlike the countless powders and sprays and lotions of the past the Ugly Bottle works! The scientific formula in The Little Ugly Bottle contains the right combination of natural ingredients and medicinal supplements to reduce bacteria growth on your feet and keep them fresh and revitalized all day.
Cheap Conservatories (Popularity: ): Cheap Conservatories is an exciting new service launched in 2010 to help you, the consumer save money when comparing the costs of conservatories online. In a world of salesman's commission, middle men and rogues - it's hard to know if the price you are being quoted is good, bad or down right ugly!
The Truth Television 'We're Truth, We're Television' (Popularity: ): The Truth Television brings you the very best programming for music, films and video games mixed with the message of Jesuschrist. Beware! This is not your grandma's channel, make sure to plug in your ears and open your bible. What is truth? Jesuschrist is truth.
Bad Credit History Secured Loans (Popularity: ): We will arrange charge free loan the best deals for you with flexible repayment terms. We help you getting secured loans, homeowner loans, bad credit history loans and loans for people with bad credit at bad credit history secured loans with good or bad credit.
Bad Credit Personal Loans (Popularity: ): A bad credit has always refused for loan availing. Where as a good credit holder always get finances at the best terms and conditions. If a borrower puzzled in credit distress, it becomes a hectic task for them to get a loan. People loose their hopes to find any type of monetary assistance in such conditions. But now no need to lose moral with bad credit personal loans. These are ...
The Hunting Report (Popularity: ): Critiques good and bad guides and phs...and tells you honestly whether you should or should not pay good money to visit a given area.
Bad Credit Auto Loans (Popularity: ): Auto Credit Max offers used cars, van, SUV's and trucks for sale in Nashville tn, murray ky, paris tn, Jackson tn, clarksville tn, union city tn, milan tn, mckenzie tn, camden tn, huntingdon tn, Paducah ky, with in-house financing, Bad Credit Auto Loans available to customers with good, bad, or NO credit.
Help For Bad Credit (Popularity: ): Useful tools and articles for individuals to educate themselves about how the credit system works and how you can remove bad credit from your file without waiting the seven years. The terms and conditions for this offer seem almost too good to be true and unfortunately that's because they are.
Unsecured Loans (Popularity: ): Unsecured Loans for People with Bad Credit has been a market leader in terms of providing collateral-free loans for the bad credit holders. Our long term service is dedicated to all those people who want to get rid of the clutches of cash needs as well as the bulky bad credit rating. We have a good many loans customized according your needs. So, if you are having bad credit and ...