Television Viewing for Children Ages 3 and up Can Be Beneficial

Television Viewing for Children Ages 3 and Up can be Beneficial

For years, parents have been placing their children in front of that black box sitting in the living room. Is it really helping the kids? Do they really process the information shown? These are some questions that many parents ask themselves when they place their child in the hands of the almighty television.

Children who are ages 3 and up usually process the information which helps them gain vast knowledge which can be used in the future. Studies show that children ages 3 and up tend to learn at a faster rate than teenagers. Researchers have concluded that children are faster at learning a foreign language than teenagers. Scientists call it a type of switch that turns off when children get older.

On television, there are specific channels targeted at children. For example, channels like PBS and the Discovery Channel target children by teaching them information that will be valuable in the future. PBS teaches the values of daily life and the morals one needs to know in life while the Discovery Channel discusses relevant knowledge like space, animals, jobs, etc.

Some people may say that television is bad for kids because of the things shown which can influence bad behavior. While that may be true, those people ignore the fact that there are shows that are beneficial and crucial to a child's life. Television is beneficial to the lives of children and adults if used in the correct way. It is up to the parents to keep their children in check, that is why things like the V-chip, a device made to monitor what children view on television, were created.

Of course, television, in moderation, can be a good thing. Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet and math on public television, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news, that is why TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer to people of all ages.