Dangers of TV and Video Games on your Children
Do you know that technology is the best is the best thing in life? Had it not been for the perpetual technological innovations in the fields of medicine, agriculture and transport, life would never be the same. In deed, the human life has been improving after each day. This explains why ultimate solutions have been found to address the numerous challenges facing the society today. Surprisingly, no one has imagined thinking about the dangers of exposing young children to these technologies.
Over the years, television (TV) has become a very common gadget in many households. It has significantly gained popularity because nearly all house holds in the USA have it. Although it is perceived as a good thing, many households have failed to appropriately use it to educate, inform and entertain them. Instead, it has been used as a tool to keep children busy while having no work to do. They expose toddlers to the TV at a very early age. However, they do not understand that it is a bad thing to do since it does not benefit the children in any way.
The worst thing such parents do is to introduce their children to the TV at an earlier age. This is quite unsafe for them because it enables them to consume harmful contents. Since most media houses do not put the interests of consumer primary to their own agenda, they often air programs and shows which can interfere with the mental development of such children. Their lack of concern makes them to broadcast violent shows in which the actors portray unethical conducts like murder, rudeness and use of vulgar language. This is very dangerous for these children because they believe that those are acceptable behaviors which should be emulated.
Unfortunately, this situation worsens when these children transform to the video games. Obviously, this interferes with their mental and physical health. It makes them to be violent, rude and uncooperative. For instance, the glorification of murder in these shows and video games influence them to participate in violent acts such as murder and shooting of their peers. Besides, the spending of much time playing video games or watching TV can lead to childhood obesity. The participation of these indoor activities makes these children lazy. Moreover, it influences them to be rude and use foul language when communicating to their colleagues, teachers and parents. Such a behavior is not tolerated since it is beneficial to the society. It explains why there is an increase in the cases of indiscipline amongst the school going children. Many teachers are finding it challenging to discipline the learners and make them conform to the standard codes of conduct.
In this regard, it is important for the parents to know that it is their duty to care for their children. Despite its enormous contribution to the society, technology should be sparingly used. It is nonsensical for parents to claim that they are too busy to look after their children. However committed they are, they should create time to guide their children and censor whatever they view. This is the only way through which they can help their children to secure a promising mental and physical status. If left uncontrolled, they may develop unaccepted behaviors which might not only harm their future, but the entire society.
Rhetoric-in-Practice
Dangers of TV and Video Games on your Children
Dangers of TV and Video Games on your Children is an article which sensitizes the readers on the effects of emerging technological trends on the contemporary society. Although it concentrates on the dangers of technology, it acknowledges the fact that the numerous innovations have positively impacted on the life of man. It has helped in improving the life of human beings in several ways such as health. For instance, the technological innovations done in the field of medicine enabled the society to get rid off small pox which had been posing a great threat to the people. As a matter of fact, the article states that technology has become so rampant to the extent that everyone is exposed to it. In fact, no one can afford to live without it. Unlike in the past, people have embraced technology. Thus, a lot of children get exposed to it at earlier ages.
The article targets parents as the primary audience. Since it is their duty to guide their children, parents should be accredited with any success in their behavior. On the other hand, they are the ones to be blamed in case their children are perceived to be portraying any subversive conduct. In this regard, the article addresses the parents on exactly what they should to their children as far as technology is concerned. Precisely, it accepts that parents may be committed in their day to day activities. However, they should be serious with the welfare of their children. Although children should be under strict supervision of their parents, some parents are extremely busy and do not have enough time to be with their children. The article informs the parents that their absence is quite detrimental because it creates room for the children to get access to technologies which may adversely affect them as they grow up. In this regard, the parents should know that it is their primary duty to determine the way their children interact with technologies. This makes this article be so instrumental in informing, sensitizing and challenging the parents on exactly what to do to their children.
However, the article clearly states that the most destructive form of technology is television (TV) and video games. According to a series of research conducted by several scholars, TV has really affected many children. A good number of children have grown up to what they are due to their exposure to it. According to researchers, young children between the ages of 8 and 18 years spend approximately 4 hours per day glued to the TV. To them, they think that they are getting entertained and educated. However, they are not aware that the contents of the shows and programs they watch are harmful to them because they end up determining their behavior in the long run. Most of the TV channels air programs which are not suitable for the consumption of young children. Even if they instructions to the parents to guide their children on what to watch, many parents fail to take action. Such a situation worsens because nearly all modern households have a television set. Meanwhile, many parents want their children to watch TV because, to them, it is the only way through which they can be engaged when idle. They have a lot of commitments and can not be with their children throughout the day. Hence, they believe that the TV programs and video games can occupy their children during the most of the day.
The main reason why TV is the most dangerous form of technology to children is because they get exposed to it at an earlier age. In other words, it is the very first form of technology they come across in their lives. This is a very unsafe thing since it makes them be wild creatures. First, it makes them view programs about violence. Violence is a very common theme in most of the programs aired in the TV. While the management of such media houses concentrates on the popularity of their channels, they do not care about the safety of children viewing such programs. Unfortunately, it ends up affecting children because they grow up to be violent. As a result of their exposure to the violent characters, they believe that it is normal to be like that. Therefore, they imitate them. As toddlers, they do not understand that violence is a vice and a criminal activity which is not condoned in any community. Instead, they try to live like their admirable characters. This is a very regrettable scenario which can be avoided much earlier.
The article also attributes murder to be an effect of uncensored TV. Since children are innocent people who strongly believe on what they see and hear, they may learn to be killers at such an earlier stage. They may be influenced to engage in murder after watching horrific movies in which people are ‘murdered’. Although they may not understand the technological manipulations used in such movies, they think that their favorite characters use the movies to kill one another. Hence, they intend to attempt to or actually kill their peers in the pursuit of identifying with such heroic characters. This explains why the cases of child murder are increasing in the contemporary society. Many children have been found guilty of shooting their siblings or friends while in school or at home. One such example is the recent shootings in Virginia. As the article reports, uncensored TV shows is responsible for such unfortunate acts. Had it not been for an earlier exposure to TV, cases of teen homicides would not be that rampant.
An earlier exposure to TV has also contributed to the increase in the level of indiscipline amongst the school going children. Surely, indiscipline was not a major issue in schools in the previous years. This is because children mainly relied on their parents and teachers as the main source of authority. At no one time would such children be influenced by weird characters in the TV. Unlike today, TV was a very luxurious commodity in the society. Nearly all the households in USA have a TV set. This is not the case today because it is no longer a luxury, but a basic commodity popular with children. However, as the article reports, it has made children be so undisciplined. Actually, it gives them an opportunity to learn such behaviors from the actors they see. Thus, they copy and apply them during their day to day interactions both at home and in schools. This explains why they are more aggressive and difficult to be handled by their teachers. TV has made children to be rude and uncooperative to their colleagues, parents and teachers.
The uncontrolled watching of TV has also been associated with the use of foul language amongst the children. Indiscipline has become a force to reckon with in the education sector thanks to uncensored TV programs. TV viewing has contributed to the increase in foul language in schools. This stems from the exposure of learners to characters in the certain TV programs in which rudeness and foul language is a norm. With the expansion of the TV shows, several programs have greatly contributed to the use of foul language amongst the children. The watching of such shows influence their language use since they believe that it is a celebrated trait which everyone should demonstrate. However, it has not yielded any fruit because it has deteriorated their interactions with their age mates, peers, teachers and parents.
TV watching is not only detrimental to the children’s physical, but also mental health. The increase in the cases of childhood obesity can be attributed to the prominence of TV watching and video game playing. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, children watching TV and playing video games are five times more likely to suffer from childhood obesity as compared to their counterparts who participates in out door activities. Such children are actually endangered since, despite their daily calorie consumption of 20%, they do not burn them off. I would like to concur with this observation because childhood obesity is becoming a common problem. The participation in door activities makes children be so lazy. A part from failing to burn their calories, they fail to create time to participate in out door physical exercises. This justifies why the rate of childhood obesity has recently increased by 16% in USA. Children have become lazy while still young. This is a very unfortunate experience which is harmful for their health and future developments.
However, the article appeals to the parents to be cautious and concerned about the welfare of their children. Despite their busy schedules, they should ensure that they create time to monitor what their children consume. Children are very innocent people who may not be blamed for whatever they do especially while still young. Often, they learn from and believe what they see and hear. As they mature up, they become the products of their environment. Even if technology can not be avoided, the parents should be in the fore front in determining the kind of game played or TV show watched by their children. This is the only way they can be salvaged from any inappropriate exposure that can be harmful to their bodies, minds and future.
Conclusively, Dangers of TV and Video Games on your Children is a well written article appropriate for the target audience. It is invaluably insightful, informative and educative and should be in the must read list of anyone willing to sensitize himself on the negative consequences of technology on the mental and physical health of children. It is quite exhaustive and contains detailed information regarding this topic. Besides, it uses a simple language accompanied by well designed and relevant visual illustrations. Moreover, it exploits external sources from previous researches by reputable organizations. This makes it credible and accurate in its claims. Thus, it can be relied upon as a valid article appropriate and appealing to the target readers.
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