Television and kids

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Television and kids

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In my book, "Parenting for Peace," I really come at the television issue, more as the process it engages brain. Again, looking to foster the optimal development of these social intelligence centers. A long time ago, producers realized that to corral a child's attention, they had to include many more novelty incidents, than for adult programs. There are many more violent incidents in children's programming, because that's the best kind of thing to snap your attention back. Saturday morning cartoons are the worst. There is up to 25 violent incidents an hour. What happens is, these novelty incidents -- and even the cuts, the pans, the zooms; the things that make children continue watching -- it engages the brain's fight or flight process. It actually is constantly triggering their fight or flight and their adrenaline. This is not an unintended consequence. This is a consciously planned thing in children's programming. Many people are worried about violence in media, engendering violence. David Elkind, who studies children for his whole life's work at Tufts University; he raises a chilling question, "What better way to engender violence or precipitate violence, than to keep people feeling always scared?" Research shows, that children who watch more television are more fearful. For all those reasons, I really recommend keeping it out of your child's diet.

Watch Video: Television and kids by Marcy Axness, PhD, ...

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Marcy Axness, PhD

Childhood Development Specialist

Marcy Axness, PhD, is an early development specialist, popular international speaker, and author of Parenting for Peace: Raising the Next Generation of Peacemakers. She is a top blogger at Mothering.com and a member of their expert panel. Featured in several documentary films as an expert in adoption, prenatal development and Waldorf education, Dr. Axness has a private practice coaching parents-in-progress. She considers as one of her most important credentials that she raised two peacemakers to share with the world -- Ian and Eve, both in their 20s. 

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