Hello Everyone,

If you are like me, then you must appreciate gardening. I love my garden. While doing some gardening today I was able to reflect on how gardening is very much like nurturing a child.

The garden needs to have the soil prepared and then to sow the seed and water it and nurture it. Much care is needed to have a beautiful garden. A child is also like that garden in that they need care, love, and training to grow to maturity.

Proverbs 22:6 Says: ““Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.”

No doubt you all would agree that a major factor in a well rounded and mature adult is the training that adult receives as a child.

Having said this, what is your opinion of allowing children to watch television?

Can television have any long term effect on our children?

What do you feel about children who watch television because parents use it as a babysitter?

Can this also effect a child spiritual well being and growth?

What is you opinion about this?

Take care,
Hope12

RickJ

Depends on what the kids are watching. Thankfully there's lots of good stuff out there like E.W.T.N. and other religious networks that include programming for kids.

J_9

I agree with Rick on this one. There is also another new one on our satellite, although it is not religious in nature, it is educational. It is called Babies First. As a mother of four (19, 18, 12 & 4), and as a nursing student focusing on psychology, I find this to be very educational to both children and parents. There are no commercials and they even give pointers to the parents on how to interact with the kids about what they are seeing.

My husband and children love this channel.

orange

My kids are only allowed to watch CBC Kids, is a series of educational programs from Canada, the US and the UK, which airs in the mornings on CBC Television from about 7 am - 11 am. There are no commercials on the station during that time, and I approve of all the shows. I often record the shows so that I can play them back to the kids later. I don't allow them to watch more than an hour a day (unless we've rented a movie), and they watch even less than that in the summer when the weather is nice.

I'm not a big fan of TV in general because I think it prevents people from reading (remember reading??? lol), doing sports, interacting with others, being creative, etc. It's a very solitary activity. I grew up watching a lot of TV, but I was also alone a lot as a kid. I saw a lot of things I probably shouldn't have seen. I'm not sure if it had a horribly adverse affect on me or not, but I certainly could have been interacting with others more, using my imagination, being creative and having some "real" fun.

aqua@home

I think that a little TV is okay. I think if you restrict the type of shows and the length of time they are watching them then it should be fine.

I am guilty of telling my kids to go do something, watch tv, or whatever. I don't think my kids watch too much though. They get plenty of outside time and just because the TV is on, doesn't mean it is being watched.

I think the most damaging part of kids watching TV is WHAT they are watching. I was allowed to watch whatever I wanted and I got to see some horrific, sex-filled, killing, etc shows when I was young. Not good for a person.

Every child is different.

NeedKarma

Totally agree with Orange. My mantra is 'everything in moderation'.

Starman

As parents we have the responsibility of safeguarding our kids from bad influences. At one time you couldn't limit what your kids could see. But today those who subscribe to cable are given the option of locking certain channels so that they can only be accessed by adults. But keep in mind that if we prohibit an activity and engage in it ourselves then we are setting a bad example.


Romans 2:20-22 (KJV)


21Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

talaniman

Except for Saturday morning cartoons we all watched, my kids kept the wife and I trim by wanting to be outside running around chasing balls and butterflies and there was no cable or internet just Cosby and Hill Street Blues. Now my grand babies are trying to do the same, I wish they would sit down and watch TV and let my old butt rest for a few minutes. TV babysitting kids...? yeah right tell me another one!!

valinors_sorrow

For what its worth, my parents (who were pretty progressive thinkers) thought much of tv was terrible from the beginning. They restricted it much like Orange is - with a shift in focus on other activities. As a result, all three children in my family grew up to have many varied interests - for me, reading is a big one. To this day I watch very little of it. I think what is on these days (at least in the US) makes it really necessary to weed through it. What I have seen at friend's houses often makes me cringe either emotionally or spiritually so I shake my head in wonder at what its doing to kids. I think you are on to something here Hope and good for you.

lutheranmom

We had the TV on like most Americans, about 5 hours a day.

My children hated reading, they vegitated in front of the tube and did not want to go outside much.

When the TV left the house, they began reading, going outside, talking, experimenting etc.

The dynamics in our house totally changed!!