Media: The Most Dominant Force in Children’s Lives
Several decades back, Dr. David Hamburg, an astute psychiatrist, gave a talk on the new health problems that our nation was starting to face. In contrast to the problems that earlier generations had to deal with (such as infectious epidemics), he pointed out that the new health problems were the result of “having too much”—too much food, too much alcohol, too much stimulation.
Now a detailed study of 173 research efforts carried out by the National Institutes of Health and Yale University shows how on target he was.
Examining nearly 30 years of research, they found that television, music, movies and other media has significant negative health effects on children and adolescents. The effects cover an array of problems including obesity, tobacco use, sexual behavior, drug use, alcohol use, low academic achievement and attention deficit disorder. About 80 percent of the studies showed a link between a negative health outcome and media hours or content.
The results, while disturbing, are not all that surprising—once you take into account the fact that the average modern child spends nearly 45 hours a week with television, movies, magazines, music, the Internet, cellphones and video games. By comparison, children on average spend 17 hours a week with their parents and 30 hours a week in school. Put simply, media is the most dominant and pervasive force in their lives.
As Dr. Hamburg also pointed out, the handling of these types of problems is difficult because they don’t lend themselves to injections or any of the usual actions that we think of when tackling disease. Instead, they require that we impose on ourselves, and our children, control. The many failed diet programs illustrate just how difficult it is to “just say no.”
The situation is serious. But that does not mean it is hopeless. If we give it the consideration it deserves, we can get ourselves and our children into a far better place. The key is to consciously change the patterns that have become such an accepted part of our lives. For example, it is amazing how many children have TVs in their bedrooms. That is like having chocolates constantly at the side of a “chocoholic.” So simply eliminating TVs from children’s bedrooms is one place to start.
Another might be to change movie watching into a much more interactive experience. For example, parents and children could regularly set aside one evening a week to watch a film that they then discuss. Films such as Bridge of the River Kwai, To Kill a Mockingbird, Empire of the Sun, Heat of the Night are fabulous films that are not only intriguing but also conducive to discussions of history, values, and social movements. Kids generally love the opportunity to talk with their parents about issues that go above and beyond daily life. Family members begin to see each other in totally new ways.
As you begin to think about this area, you are bound to come up with a range of interesting possibilities. And generally, relative to dieting, they are far less difficult. At the same time, they offer you the opportunity to bring better health to your children—at no cost. Hopefully, more and more families will take this turn in the road.
For more information, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/01/AR2008120102920.html
