Is Watching Television Good for Your Child?

As a parent, you must have on occasion wondered if watching television is good for your young child. Although there is no right or wrong answer to this, as you reach a decision, you must consider both the advantages and disadvantages of watching television for children.

Television is Informative and Inspiring

Put aside the television debate in your head for a minute and let’s look at the bigger picture. Our kids are growing up in a world that is extremely connected in every possible way.

Global events that take place in countries on one side of the equator have the potential to impact countries located at the other end of the world. The economy and politics of a country are largely influenced by international factors. The far-reaching influence of organisations such as the United Nations and the G8 group of countries means that all nations have to abide by international laws. Countries which act against humanity whether on its soil or against another country, end up facing significant economic sanctions and trade embargoes.

There is greater global workforce mobility. People from all over the world are working in the UAE. Similarly, many from the region have chosen to work in Europe and North America. The trend is similar when one looks at higher education. Many UAE students aspire to study and research at world-class institutions such as Oxford, Harvard, MIT, and Yale.

Think about what this global connectivity and dependence means for our children?

It means that our kids need a broader view of the world than we did growing up.  They must understand the impact of news events and the role countries play in international politics. They must also develop an understanding of global cultures, people, and languages if they are to assimilate well in international societies either as students or as part of the expat workforce.

Guess what? Television offers your child the opportunity to do just that.

News channels such as CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera often have programs which provide a 360-degree perspective on world events. Channels such as National Geographic and the History Channel are a great way to educate children through visual media. Viewing international programming gives children an insight about people from other countries.

Remember that for most children, it’s far easier to learn something they see rather than to remember something from a textbook.

Television is not just informative it can also be a springboard for motivating children to excel. Watching sports stars such as Rafael Nadal or the para Olympians overcoming all odds to be champions of sports, can have a hugely inspiring impact on young children.

Let’s not forget, for families with limited budgets, television is an affordable and convenient way to meet the entertainment needs of all members of the families, the old and the young alike.  Laughter is a great medicine, and watching a good comic show as a family is a nice way to spend an evening at home.

What’s the downside to television watching?

Watching of television is not bad for kids. But as they say, “Too much of a good thing is bad”, and the same holds true for watching television. If you let young children watch too much TV or let them have unchecked access to the TV remote control, there is bound to be trouble.

Spending too much time in front of the telly can cause weakness of eyesight. TV watching is also linked to increased chances of unhealthy weight gain. Watching television for hours at a stretch can make you feel mentally numb, lethargic, and sometimes emotionally low.

There is a reason that the television is called the ‘idiot box’. Regardless of the poor quality of programs on most channels, TV can be highly addictive. Excessive television watching eats up into the amount of time that children could otherwise spend doing something more productive such as engage in a healthy conversation with their family.

Creating a TV watching discipline

Some parents remove television sets from their home. While that’s admirable, they risk creating the lure of the forbidden apple. What’s stopping them from watching television at a friend’s place or your smartphone?

Rather than ban television, the healthier way to deal with the situation is to create a TV watching regime. Perhaps 30 minutes or an hour a day is what your child may be allowed to watch. This too should be allowed only after they have done their homework or after they have finished their evening outdoor routine.

It’s important to monitor what your child is watching, especially if he/she is under 12 or 13 years of age. Ensure that they only watch age appropriate content.

Instead of letting your child watch too much TV so that you can get some ‘me time’, encourage them to play board games, or read comics and novels. Enrolling them for extracurricular classes such as tennis and dance a few times a week is a good way to ensure that their energies are expended in the right way.

Last but not the least, set a good example for your child by limiting the amount of TV you watch yourself.