Home | Family | Holidays
Everywhere we turn, we see children staring into the “box”. What is the “box?” It’s the TV, the computer, and the video games. The “box” is everywhere we turn. Why is the “box” a problem? Why limit the “box”? Here are a few reasons worth considering: 1. The “box” is addictive. Billions of dollars and bright human minds diligently work to keep you and your kids tied to the “box”. The more you look, the more you’re going to buy. The nature of an addictive activity means that many children can't limit themselves. They are caught in the “addiction.” As parents, if we fail to recognize that children can't limit themselves, we make a huge mistake. Children who are addicted to the “box” are easily bored, because they depend on the “box” to entertain them. Having learned to be passive, children do not develop their natural abilities. 2. The “box” limits creativity. A child's ability to be creative depends upon having opportunities to reach “inside” and work that creative muscle. Unfettered access to the “box” is a sure-fire way to starve your child’s creativity and limit the imagination. “When the kids get bored of the box, they'll walk away.” At least…that’s what many parents think. (A few kids will, but many will not.) But this thinking takes us done a dangerous path. Why? Because children (and adults…at times) tend to choose the path that’s easiest…rather than the path that brings growth. Watching and engaging the “box” usually is the easier path. 3. The “box” may contribute to attention-deficit disorder (ADD). Recent, groundbreaking research has found that watching the “box” may be more destructive than previously thought. For children ages one to three, extended hours in front of the “box” has been correlated with a substantial increase in problems with attentiveness. Researchers noted that children’s programming rarely mimics what a child actually experiences in daily life – swinging a bat, going on a walk with Mom or Dad, or playing with a sibling. Instead, rapid-fire scene changes fragments the child’s attention, with no effort or mastery. This type of continuous distraction may significantly contribute to a fundamental learning deficit in the ability to focus for an extended period of time. There is now serious speculation that this may be a factor in the rise of ADD in recent years. 4. The “box” puts children in an altered state of mind. Have you ever observed your children as they play with the “box” or they watch their favorite show? Their pupils dilate. Oblivious to everything around them, their attention is hard to get. And you know what happens when you try to pull them away from it. They often get upset. This is an altered state of mind where they are not filtering the information that comes into their brains. This state of mind is not so problematic…if it weren’t for the messages that they receive. More than ever, the “box” is shaping our children’s thinking, with layers of programming designed to pull kids deeper and deeper into the layers of the program. Some programs have violent content, while others have a strong anti-social flavor. Others are just focused on nurturing the “addiction” to the program. Am I overstating this issue? I don’t think so. Subliminal advertising became illegal over 60 years ago, because it so deeply influences the viewer. Studies on subliminal influences overwhelmingly show how powerfully visual images influence our experience and actions (read the book, “Blink,” by Malcolm Gladwell to learn more). The seductive images work on our deepest emotions, and keep us glued. An inviting commercial can move us to buy a soda, because it sells us something more than a product. But let’s not overstate this…because… 6. The influence happens slowly…and that may be what makes it so dangerous. Data suggest that the “box” won’t turn a “good” kid into a “bad” kid. But obsession with the “box” influences a child's perceptions – over time. Continual exposure to, and engagement in aggressive fantasy and play… through the “box”...influences children’s perceptions, values, and actions – over time. And the influence, of course, is in the direction of more violence, lower frustration tolerance, and greater tendency to provoke aggression. None of this is good for our kids! What can you do? First, consider going “unplugged.” At least during the week, consider unplugging all the boxes. Setting limits on the box can only benefit your children. Secondly, be discerning and discriminating about content. When your children are using a box, be selective. Yes, the kids will complain. They will say they are bored. They won’t know what to do, but that’s because they’ve become addicted to the “box”. Next, let them be unhappy with your choices. Gently push them out the door, and into real-life activities, like walking, or reading, riding a bike, or building a fort. They will learn…if you give them the opportunity. In fact, they need to learn that they are responsible for finding solutions to their “boredom” in ways that don’t involve the passive addiction to the box. Get them involved in real life…just as long as it’s outside the “box.” Your children will develop more personal skill and creativity.
Article Source: http://www.ApprovedArticles.com
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
