Kids and TV – How Much is too Much?

There are quite a number of reasons why watching too much television isn’t good for kids. While it’s probably unrealistic to expect kids not to watch any television at all, limiting the time spent watching can be very helpful on a number of levels.

Detrimental Health Effects

Research has shown a number of issues that can be caused by too much television. Television watching is a very sedentary type of activity, which can contribute to obesity. However, further studies have also shown that there is a connection between watching too much television and high blood pressure in children. The reasons aren’t completely clear why watching television has more of an effect on blood pressure than other types of sedentary activities. Watching television also encourages the consumption of junk food, which can also contribute to obesity and high blood pressure.

Over-stimulation and Lack of Communication

There are other types of problems that can be caused by watching television. Watching television too close to bedtime can be too stimulating for children, and can keep them awake, cutting the hours of sleep they get at night. Proper sleep is very important to children, because not getting enough sleep can cause metabolism problems that can lead to hypertension and weight gain. There have also been studies that show that television watching is so sedentary that a person’s metabolic rate can fall even lower than what it does when sleeping, producing an almost hypnotic state. Even worse, television tends to be used as sort of a “pacifier”, because it sometimes results in this type of almost hypnotic state. As a result, family communication can suffer, and kids don’t learn how to share their feelings and relate to others as well. This sort of effect is why some have suggested that television is actually somewhat addictive, not only to children, but to people of all ages. It can be used as a diversion from problems, stress or other negative feelings in a person’s life. However, the problems aren’t solved by television watching, only suppressed.

Emotional Problems?

There have also been studies which suggest that children who watch too much television tend to develop attention problems as adolescents. However, studies haven’t actually proven why this seems to be the case. It has been suggested that perhaps kids become accustomed to the high amount of stimulation that television shows provide. As a result, ordinary day-to-day situations, such as school, might seem boring by comparison. Watching television also precludes other types of activities, such as playing games and reading, which help a child build their concentration skills and attention span.

Where to Draw the Line

So, how much television is too much? Most studies seem to indicate that children under the age of 2 are too young for any television viewing. After age 2, television viewing should be limited to 2 hours per day, or preferably less. The television shows that are watched should also be appropriate for the child’s age group, because another problem with television can be the subject matter of the shows that are viewed. Also, if your child has been watching more than 2 hours of television a day, and you are trying to cut it back, make sure that some of the previous sedentary time that was used watching television is replaced with more active behavior, and not just more sedentary activities.

Writer/Designer, Veronica Smith, writes for AmericanArtisanArt.com and has many ideas for bringing the beauty of wood wall sculptures and copper wall sculptures to your interiors.