marty_t3

I was just thinking about the effect TV has on kids.

I remember when i was a kid (a few years ago now) and there were only 3 or 4 channels. Not being a big soaps fan i ended up watching a lot of documentaries and factual programs (tomorrows world and the such like). Ok so i was too young to understand it most of the time but surely it's better than the current trend of sitting glued to 'stargate' and the 'simpsons' for hours.

Just raised my concern a little when i was thinking about my kid being at home with it's mom watching Rikki Lake and other mindless drivel. My girlfriend doesn't watch ANY factual or informative programs at all. I was just wondering if this is likely have an effect on the kid?

I'm not bothered about violence on TV cuz my favourite films were things like Conan, Terminator, Alien etc and i turned out ok (i think). I just want to make sure the kid learns something while sitting in front of the box.

Any opinions? Any budding child psychologists out there?

turboman786

thers an interesting book out there...called "entertaining ourselves to death"

I dont know who the author is but its well worth a read.

brickboy

Kids up to about age 7-8 will watch whatever the nearest adults watch -- it is important to show a mix of stuff. My two (8 and 5) love wildlife programmes, Blue Peter, looney tunes etc but they also like Pokemon and other modern stuff.

Best thing is to try and make TV a "treat" rather than a habit ...

marty_t3

Brickboy,

Thats really what i'm worried about. My girlfriend watches junk TV (even moans when i turn on the news) so the kid will end up watching it too. I don't know how much of an effect it'll have (if any at all) but i'd imagine that it won't really be of any value to the sprog.

ChrisB

Time to dump her Marty. Else you'll be in the divorce thread soon

Mice_Elf

When your child starts chanting "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry" everytime you and your girlfriend have an argument, it's time to ban TV...

MarkO

Hmm. So that's the age to stop watching the blue movies then?

brickboy

Marty, it's very hard to say what the effect will be -- does your kid like books & stuff? If so, that can be a big help to balance watching the box.

I'm surprised your child doesn't find all those shows as dull as f*ck and do something else anyway ...

MarkO, you should *start* with the **** at age 8 . It's surprising what kids pick up from playground chat these days ...

barge

my ex. used to think of the TV as a baby sitter

my 9 year old now likes to pick & choose what he wants, but when they are with me they only watch a mins each day before bed.

normaly a cartoon or a none brain mashing program.

Jerry & all the other which like the banjo playing people on their show are just waiting for a live TV killing when billy joe jimbob kills his, brother, dad, uncle, cousin & best freind on tv, & then slaps his, sister, mother, aunt & best freind from slepping with the person he has just killed.

SuzyQ

Well my kids decide what to watch these days ..they love steve irwin and natural history kind of programs..i try to stop them from watching too much news as ..well to be honest its too horrid most days ..mine are now both worried bout the serial rapist guy ..at least with soaps u can say they are actors..but then i didnt let them watch those until recently mainly cos bedtime was 6.30!!..and as for the simpsons ..cartons arent real so thats not so bad ..if kids see real people doing nasty things it will stick in thier minds more than yellow people doing nasty things..this is just my simple thoughts on this ...i have to say tho sticking with bagpuss mr ben and jamie and the magic torch is a good idea..lol
gosh i could go on forever on this ..lol but its ok i know when to shut up ...honest

Ralf

When commercial TV was introduced over here I was about 19. It was argued then, that educated people and well raised children would not be affected in any way, hmm.

Anyway it's different today. Kids (and I say kids now) are raised by the TV IMO. Take a look at the world and tell me your opinion please.

AnDy_PaNdY

Never forget watching The Exorcist at quite a young age, it fekked me up for years.

sebastian

it is moron culture

marty_t3

Ralf, That's really what i'm getting at here. 20 years ago there wasn't much choice of TV so kids were forced to watch some decent education al TV. But now, with all the channels available, kids can watch commercially driven garbage all day. Most shows now have more educational content in the adverts in between that on the programs themselves.

Guess i could just get the kid it's own TV and set it up so it can only watch the discovery and history channels

Cheers for the replies folks.... almost put my mind at ease.