1) What did the AAP have to say about television watching? Why? 2) TV is passive, not interactive. I think kids are better off with interactive activities, like playing non-violent video games or using a computer (with proper adult supervision is assumed for this and each of the following). 3) TV brings to the child situations, like sex, that should be introduced when the parent and child are ready to have this introduced, not when the TV is ready. In addition,other things which adults might not realize may be harmful to the child, may be seen by the child without the proper parent guidance. 4) Kids who watch violent TV have more violent behavior. I do not blame Columbine on TV. However, things like going after other players instead of the soccer ball, I believe, are influenced by TV. 5) Kid have sleep disturbances after watching TV before bed (see the electronic Sept. 1999 edition of Pediatrics, #e27. Jeff Utz > -----Original Message----- > From: [mailto:]On Behalf Of > > Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 1999 7:41 PM > To: > Subject: RE: Kids TV > > > I think the whole TV experience and opinions of > pediatricians has to be > relooked at. Forget what the AAP say about TV. Ask yourself the > question > -What exactly is the damage television do to children, especially young > children. I have really never heard convincing arguments by > pediatricians > and others alike. "oh, don't let little johnny watch TV, he's > too little and > it's bad for him." Well, what exactly is bad? > I can tell you one thing, for folks who didn't have English > as a second > Language, the TV was the best Language teacher anyone can have, it's as > passive a form of learning we as people do. What kind of learning does a > child less than 1 year old do inbetween the sleeping and eating > and crying > times. I'm sure the parent isn't playing actively with the child during > every single second of the awake times. Turn on the radio, turn > on the TV, > add some audio, visual stimlus. Let him do some passive during > turning those > dead, awake times. Better than leaving an awake child sitting > their in the > rocker or car seat staring at space and hearing nothing. I > really doubt that > your 1 year old will be a TV junkie. If she is a TV junkie, then > turn it > off. > I KNOW that there are much more benefits with television > than negatives. > Again, the television is a tool. Like all tools it can be > abused. It's a > great form of passive learning, assuming you as a parent are > doing quite a > bit of active teaching and playing for your child. > Now for older children, it's a different story. They got legs, a > functional brain and arms that can climb. Kick them out of the > house and off > the Playstation and do something productive. TV can only offer > so much for > older children. > Luckily we aren't talking about computer usage...yet... > > Scott Yang, MD > Okinawa, JP > > discussion group. >