Television and videos entertain us all, but for
children they also provide a window on the world. That world
influences their development. They take in messages about
lifestyles and behaviour. They can be overburdened with the harsh
realities of life and given messages that are harmful to their
development. They can also have positive experiences and be shown
responsible ways of acting in the world. Children need the
opportunity to be exposed to a wide range of attitudes and
behaviours and they need to experience the world outside of
television. Children need to talk, play, daydream and to read, as
well as watch TV. As a parent you need to keep television and
video watching in balance with other activities.
EFFECT OF TV
Children's reactions differ and it is not possible to work out
exactly how each child will respond to what they see on TV, but your
child's age and stage of development will make a big
difference.
- Children under 6 years will have difficulty working out
the difference between fantasy and reality on TV. They
will not follow plots and they tend to focus on the
exciting bits. They do not understand cause and effect.
They can see cartoon characters as real and they are open
to the appeal of advertising.
- Children from 6-9 years will still have some difficulty
working out the difference between fantasy and reality,
especially if it looks like real life. Boys tend to
admire and want to be like the powerful male hero.
- Older primary school age children are likely to be
disturbed by material which is based on fact as it could
mean it could happen to them. They are curious about the
teenage world, sex and fashion and can be misled by the
way boy-girl relationships are shown in the soapies.
The extent to which your children's behaviour, beliefs and
outlook on life are affected by what they watch is influenced by
how real they believe the television program to be. Children
judge whether a program is real in three ways.
- They recognise things and people on TV which they have
experienced, e.g. "It is real because there is a dog
in the program like mine".
- They think programs are "unreal" if they clash
with their experiences, e.g. "People don't really
have special magic by wriggling their nose".
- They understand how programs are made, e.g. "I know
how cartoons are made or I know that the people are
actors". 9 to 10 year olds are much clearer about
people playing a part, whereas 6 to 7 year olds can
believe TV families are real families or Sesame Street is
a real street in the USA.
- Some images may be frightening although this will be
different for each child. Some children even enjoy being
frightened a little, but only when they are secure.
Knowing they are really safe allows them the freedom to
experience "thrill" feelings.
The more children are shown frightening programs, the more
they believe the world is a frightening place. This can make them
anxious.
- How your child thinks about herself.... whether she feels
really happy with the way she is or quite miserable can
also be influenced by popular figures she admires. Her
ideas of what is good, what is worthwhile, how to behave,
what to value can all be shaped by famous people she sees
on the screen as well as what she learns from you.
ADVERTISING
Advertising influences children. Most children under 8 years
believe what the adverts tell them. Children 8-10 years are aware
that adverts don't always tell the whole truth, but are not sure
how to tell when they are not.
Where well known people sell products children are easily
persuaded. With the techniques that are used children can be
misled or tricked by the shape, speed, size and way a product
works.
Children with little understanding of language can get the
wrong meaning, such as thinking "good to eat", or
"fruit flavoured" means "good for me". You
can help your child learn about advertising by talking about what
they see on TV, how the advert. might have been made and looking
at the product in real life.
VIOLENCE
Most parents worry about the effects that watching violence
has on children. Different children will be affected differently,
at different ages and stages of development and by different
types of material. Children of all ages will be disturbed when
they see violence to other children and to animals and by
violence in the home. Young children (under 8 years) may take
from cartoons the message that "violence works and
wins" even though they laugh or can tell that it is fantasy.
Older children are more likely to absorb the same message from
violent heroes in action movies and series. Older children may
also feel anxious by news or dramas that they see as real and
which could occur in their own neighbourhood.
While there are different views about how much violence on TV
is harmful to children, we do know the evidence says that seeing
violence repeatedly on TV has an impact:
- children are more likely to use aggressive means to solve
problems
- children are made anxious about the "mean and
scary" world in which they appear to live
- children become less sensitive to violence in real life.
The heavy viewers (over 3 hours daily), the younger children,
boys, children from violent homes and those who are insecure are
the ones who will be most affected by exposure to TV violence.
UNDERSTANDING OTHERS
Children need to understand and enjoy the mixture of
differences in lifestyles and traditions that make up our country
and our world. Children are not born with prejudices.They learn
it from the world around them. As early as six months of age,
infants notice skin differences and by their second year, they
start to question how people are alike and different. Between two
and a half and three and a half years, children begin to absorb
the messages (attitudes) from parents, neighbours, friends, books
and television about people from other races. Television can
introduce children to stories, traditions, songs within their own
culture as well as helping them learn about others. The kinds of
messages they get from TV will affect how they think of others eg
that women are weaker.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
TV can interfere with the routine in your home, such as
getting ready for school, bedtimes and mealtimes, visitors and
homework.
- Use the TV classifications which tell parents and
children what is suitable for age groups.
- Teach your children some responsibility for deciding what
they watch at an early age. Help them to make their own
ratings and become choosy, such as,...C - can't be
missed, S - so,so, W-waste of time. Encourage them to
stop watching W and later, W and S.
- Make a rule that TV is not switched on until all jobs
have been done. Have a list of things to do before school
and help children manage their time. Be firm and clear,
such as, "you haven't finished what you have to do
this morning. Maybe tomorrow morning you'll do it
differently and have time to watch TV".
- If programs are important to your child plan to tape them
so that they can be watched at a more suitable time.
- Decide on a bedtime for your child's age, rather than
around the TV program. Children need to wind down between
TV and sleep, so turn the volume down or off before
bedtime.
- Select a program that finishes well before bedtime.
- Try to keep a mealtime TV free so that there is time for
people to talk to each other.
Watching TV
- Know what programs your children watch and know the
characters.
- Give your children a chance to ask questions, describe
their feelings, and make sense of what is taking place.
Let them know what you think.
- Talk about programs....Discuss characters, stories and
themes. Describe likes and dislikes. Ask questions, such
as "What would happen if you did what that person
did?".
- Talk about moods after watching programs and get children
to come up with words that describe how they feel, such
as ....bored, happy, scared, sad, excited, grumpy.
- If your child becomes quite distressed after a program,
allow him to talk about what he saw, what he is feeling
and why. Maybe there are links with something that is
happening in his life or he is fearful what he saw could
happen to him. Talk calmly, show affection and follow up
with some pleasant activity.
- Make your views known to the authorities when you are
concerned about a program. It is important to have your
say soon after the event and you need to be exact with
the time, date, place, program and the channel on which
you saw it. (Young Media Australia can advise you who to
complain to, how and where).
REMINDERS
- Lead by example...your child's viewing habits may be
copied from yours.
- Control the TV..don't let it control you.
- TV viewing with a very young child should be in your
company.
- Choose programs....Have the TV on only when you have
chosen a show.
- Tape programs....Use the VCR for control and flexibility.
- Encourage children to describe how TV affects them...Talk
about how family members feel.
- Play "spot the gimmicks and trickery" in TV
commercials.
- Have a list on the fridge for other things to do...take
time to kick a ball, see friends, catch a train
somewhere, do something completely different.
- Choose a family area which is a TV free
space....make it comfortable and friendly and use it.
- Children need to learn skills which help then get on with
others in the world. These can be best learnt and
practised by doing things as a family without the TV on.
Practice using the "off" button on the TV set.
