Introduction

Today television has become a very important part of our day to day, but especially in the lives of our children. As we know, these days the vast majority of families, in many parts of the world, have (or have access to) this magical screen.

Television is a very powerful and effective modern phenomenon that can influence the shaping of the future of many generations of children in many parts of the world.

Children mimic the action, spoken word, and/or personality they may be observing, therefore their influence cannot be underestimated, regardless of the circumstances the child finds themselves in. This influence can be categorized as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for the future development of these children.

Parents and guardians have an important role to play in deciding which channel or program their child can watch, for how long, and in what part of the day. All of these factors are important in deciding the shape of a child’s future within any setting.

Positive and negative aspects

Not so long ago most countries had only one or two TV channels, not only that, but viewing time was limited and the broadcast itself was restricted to a number of hours per day/night.

Today, there are a huge number of TV channels, and some of these channels specialize only in children’s programs. Many of these children’s TV channels broadcast from early morning to late at night (or even 24 hours), to the point that large numbers of children find it difficult to break the habit of not missing a series of favorite shows.

One of the negative effects that television has on children is the effect of violence. The hero of a movie or television soap opera may use violence for one reason or another, which can certainly be justified in the eyes of the child. Such violent action will be seen as the normal way of solving a problem or problems, and the character, i.e. the hero, becomes the model for whatever real life situation the child may find himself in later on.

On the other hand, educational influences can be an excellent aid to learning and development, regardless of whether children are in school or not. This learning process can also be a step forward later in life when the subject of education is approached more seriously. Without forgetting that the learning process, or education itself, can be much more attractive to the child when used through television programs than through a textbook, even if the main objective of this program is pure entertainment or the procedure of a scientific experiment in a laboratory.

Comparison

Another factor that can play an important role in the development of children who watch television regularly is comparison. Children begin to compare the behavior of children and adults on television and the behavior of those around them. They see two models of behavior, the behavior of the characters or the presenter of a television program -which is usually seen regularly- and the behavior of the parents/guardians and/or relatives who live with the child. In many cases, but particularly when the child watches television programs more frequently, the television presenter or any television character that is regularly shown will in many cases function as a role model for the child, rather than the parent or guardian. If this causes confusion in the child’s mind when comparing two different behaviors, then this confusion can influence the child’s mental/emotional development later in life.

The parent’s role is obviously very important, if the child needs help in resolving any confusion that may occur. In many cases, the child will assimilate the differences in behavior between the model she saw on television and the environments around her. Depending on each individual’s environment and the strength of television’s influence, a child may develop mentally faster (or slower) than average normal mental development.

Advertising

Commercial advertising is also another factor that can affect children’s understanding of their environment, in addition to influencing their mental and emotional development in different ways.

In many cases, parents/guardians are not concerned about the effect of television advertisements on their children, unless the children demand to purchase one or more products seen by them through the advertisement. Obviously, the purpose of the advertiser is to create this type of demand. If not, the ad has failed its original purpose. Commercial advertising on television, as we know it, are images with or without sound, which reflect -sometimes with great exaggeration- only the beneficial side of a certain product or service. For a child looking at an ad for a product he is interested in, the image of that particular product can be the starting point for a dream of how wonderful it will be to have such a ‘thing’. Sometimes this daydream can lead to frustration and anger if the product is out of the child’s reach, especially if other children known or seen by the previous child managed to get their hands on it. Consequently, the end result will manifest itself in the child’s behavior immediately, or it could be later, for a shorter or longer period of time.

That said, and despite the real effect television can have on children, claims about the powers of television should not be exaggerated to the point of blaming everything a child can or cannot do simply on what they saw on television. These types of exaggerations are simply a way of neglecting the responsibility of the parents/guardians, or family members, towards the child in question.

Conclusion

Television can be a source of education and entertainment for most children around the world. At the same time, television can prevent children from being mobile and expressing their own vibrant energy (including vocabulary aspects) while playing and coming into contact with their natural environment. Television also gives the wrong message about the world as a whole when interpreted in the mind of the child.

In general, the effect is very real and, under certain circumstances, can have a definite impact on the mental and/or emotional development of any child. These effects can be expressed, in the short or long term, in a positive or negative way. Television, therefore, should be used by those who care for children primarily for the benefit of those children. This should be done in a balanced and healthy environment, where parental (or guardian) supervision is an important guiding factor for their mental and emotional growth and development.

Najib Altawell