Children's Television Influencing Health

It's amazing how these days children spend more time in front of the television than the generations before them. Children are less likely to indulge in the fresh outdoors for their much-needed exercise and movement. As a result, the stillness and passivity of watching television can influence both mental, emotional and physical health.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics and researchers from Victoria and South Australia (Sunday Herald Sun, 2001) claim that 40% of children participated in three or more extra-curricular sports in 1985, while today, only 11% of children play those same sports. This staggering figure has now led to a community of overweight children, which has increased by 60% since 1985. Current affairs programs and Australian reporters re-state this same issue.

Melbourne researchers found that primary students' lack of movement enhanced the likelihood of heart disease (Sunday Herald Sun, 2001). The fact that blood doesn't circulate properly because of immobility, leads to a blockage in the heart.

A project co-ordinator of Deakin University's Department of Health Sciences claims that 11-12 year olds need to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes per day (Sunday Herald Sun, 2001). This is crucial to their physical, emotional and mental development.

In Melbourne, television programs that begin from morning until late afternoon, heavily influence children. This means that during school holidays, children are likely to watch a lot of TV if parents allow them to. It may be a way of keeping them busy or quiet when adults wish to get things done. However, at what cost? Aren't children the ones who'll pay that heavy price? Aren't they the ones who'll become lethargic, less agile and passive; their brains wasting away because they're unchallenged to think? Aren't they the ones whose legs, arms and hands will stiffen when they need to be mobile; as nature intended?

Watching television affects social and communication skills, as children aren't out there participating in society or in activities essential for their growth and maturity.

Maria Montessori believed that 'movement/activity' creates active minds, self-discipline, an interest in 'life' itself, the freedom to overcome obstacles, and independence. Movement/activity allows children to participate in the community by taking responsibility for positive actions by adhering to rules and regulations (internal and external).

According to Montessori, movement is liberty and liberty is self-discipline. This creates a well-adjusted adult who can become an important member of society.

At the other end of the scale, children's television can also be useful for language, entertainment, humour, rest, and information-gathering (documentaries or real-life dramas), provided there is a limit to the amount of hours spent watching TV.

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