The Media and Our Children

My final presentation, and the notes for it. I worked very hard on this one, and wanted to share it with all.

Our Children and the Media

By: Ilse Louise Meyer

According to A.C. Nielsen of the American Medical Association, the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube. Some Interesting statistics include the following:

• A TV is turned on in an average U.S. home for an average of 6 hours and 47 minutes per day.
• 66 Percent of Americans regularly watch television while eating dinner.
• 6 Million Videos are rented daily in the U.S.
• 3 Million Public library items are checked out daily in the U.S.
• 4,000 studies examining TV's effects on children have been conducted.
• 70 Percent of day care centers use TV during a typical day.
• Parents only spend 3.5 minutes in meaningful conversation with their children.
• 8,000 murders are seen of TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school.
• Food products/fast-food restaurants are ranked number 1 among TV advertisements to kids.

On another note biologists have found that watching television inhibits the production of the hormone melatonin, which affects the immune system, sleep cycle and the onset of puberty. Lower levels of melatonin may also make it more likely that cell DNA will produce cancer-causing mutations.

Obesity is another big problem, and after some intensive research I have found out that approximately 30.3% of children (ages 6 to 11) are overweight and 15.3% are obese. For teens (12 to 19) the rate is almost identical: 33.4% overweight and 15.5% obese (American Obesity Association, 2006). Further the incidence of Type II diabetes in children, the diabetes linked with obesity has increased significantly in the past few decades. Early childhood is a time of tremendous growth for children and the amount of physical activity positively affects the strength and amount of bone mass developed. Some facts everyone might want to know is that:

• Obesity in children increases the more hours they watch television
• More than 60% of overweight incidents can be linked to excess TV viewing
• Children who watch a lot of TV, Video’s and play computer games have a lower activity level which is linked to a higher rate of obesity
• Obesity puts children at risk for a variety of health problems.

Understanding the technological world we live in today I thought of why parents are prone to choose TV to entertain their children. It seems that working Parents just need some “alone” time to unwind, after a long day at the office. Some families have no funds for full-time childcare, resulting in the TV becoming the “babysitter”. Parents think that interactive TV, and other programs are educationally good for their kids. Time is needed to cook food, do laundry, etc. It seems that some children only eat when they are distracted by watching TV. Parents say that they turned out ok by watching TV, so why can’t their kids do the same?

If parents are using the television as an entertainer, a babysitter, or an educator, they might want to know that there are 4 TV channels totally dedicated to children, and these do not even include the satellite options. Some reasons to turn of the television are to reduce exposure to undesirable images, to increase “Face Time”, to help prevent obesity, and to improve sleep habits.
If or when you choose to turn off your TV, be sure to include the children in the decision making. Reducing TV time encourages kids to be more creative, healthier, more curios, and smarter, more social, and better decision-makers.

Some Ideas on what to do instead of watching TV are:

1. Go Outside – We have so many great trails here that are both safe and fun.

2. Read – The libraries have a fast variety of book choices, all kids I’ve seen there love it.

3. Meditate – Taking time to relax, and share what you are grateful for.

4. Get Crafty – Who does not like to receive a homemade card or a scrapbook of photo’s?

5. Make a home video – In this blog crazy world, it is great to incorporate videos with photo’s to share with family and grandparents, who might live further away.

6. Play a Game – A Card Game, Chess, Cranium is great fun, and have you tried playing scrabble again?

7. Cook – Choose a recipe everybody will enjoy. Anything from Cookies, Smoothies, or a home made Pizza.

8. Write a letter – A simple letter, or a story your child invented, is a wonderful gift to let somebody dear to you know that you are thinking of them

9. Dance – Let go of all ambitions, and let the rhythm guide you.

10. Talk – Choose a topic like a vacation spot, and sit down together to make a plan on what everybody would like to do there.

Other Alternative Ideas I found include The Switch Program - Switch™ active lifestyles from Media wise makes it easier for parents and kids to choose healthy and active lifestyles. Switch promotes increased physical activity, sound nutritional choices, and moderated screen time which will increase the physical fitness and overall health of children. Books - 365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do with Your Child (Paperback) by Steve Bennett and Ruth Bennett. Also 365 Outdoor Activities You Can Do With Your Child (Paperback) by the same Authors.

The Buddy Program - Since 1973 The Buddy Program has been pairing screened and trained adult volunteer mentors with young people, ages 6-18, from Aspen to El Jebel, Colorado. Children are paired with an adult Big Buddy in either the Community program, School-based program, or with a high school student in the Peer-to-Peer program. With supervision and support from Buddy Program staff, Big Buddies provide encouragement, guidance, and coaching as Little Buddies face new challenges and decisions, build new friendships, and develop a sense of responsibility.

“Raising a Reader” Program - The Raising A Reader mission is to foster healthy brain development, parent-child bonding and early literacy skills critical for school success by engaging parents in a routine of daily “book cuddling” with their children from birth to age five. This mission addresses a national need for effective early literacy programs. One in three children entering kindergarten lacks basic pre-reading skills, which are proven to be a key factor in determining high-school graduation and lifelong success.

From my own experiences I have learned that by spending 5 minutes setting up an activity, you’ll be amazed how children take it further. Take time reading to children, they start to love reading too, and later they will read book, after book in self-entertainment. To overcome some eating problems, when the children will only eat in front of the tube, I suggest starting a good routine of family sit-down dinners. Conversation games are great too, so it’s not just about eating. There might be a show that the kids feel they absolutely have to watch to “fit” in at school. Allow them this, but only this (i.e. set limits, and stick to it).

Increased Physical Activity is another very important factor, and I wanted to touch base on this again. The Centers for Disease Control outline the benefits of regular physical activity for children:

• Reduces anxiety and stress, increases self-esteem
• and overall energy level
• Helps control weight, build lean muscle, and
• reduce fat
• May improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Helps build healthy bones, muscles, and joints
• Prevents disease and promotes health
• Improves strength and endurance

Time spent watching television takes away from important activities such as reading, school work, playing, exercise, family interaction, and social development. Children also learn information from television that may be inappropriate or incorrect. They often can not tell the difference between the fantasies presented on television versus reality. They are influenced by the thousands of commercials seen each year, many of which are for alcohol, junk food, fast foods, and toys. Let’s make a difference for a better future, and start to reduce the time spent with all forms of Media.

My Resource list includes:

• http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.

• http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_tvandobchild.shtml

• Mountain Parent Articles – Top 10 TV-Free Activities by Megan Currier, and Prime Time by Karen Shaver.

• http://www.buddyprogram.org

• http://www.raisingareader.org