The Screen And The Confident Child

WHAT can we do without the television? Little, it seems; from keeping us up to date on information to entertaining us, the tube is arguably a household essential.

Besides, parents, especially mothers not only see it as an aid to house chores by making the young ones look at it while they cook or clean undisturbed, some see it as the teacher who can fill in those details that that they have not the time to teach the young ones.

However, just as we know that some programmes are suitable for child development, but equally harmful is it to a child who have found watching it for a long period of time as this habit could lead to the making an adult who cannot enjoy good not to talk of one who can make sound relationships judgment. These are the adverse effect we dug up from the archives.

Ill Health
He may put on excess weight; because he sits for so long, he may have low metabolism which makes it difficult to burn excess calorie he consumes. Too much fat may also equal high cholesterol in the blood stream. He may look attractive with the weight as a child, but it may become a problem for him later as an adult who suffers heart diseases, arthritis and back pain.

Sleep Disorder
The lit screen may disturb the production of the hormone that controls sleep in human beings. If he cannot sleep, he wants to watch more TV; when PHCN goes on strike, he becomes the restless child. If he lacks adequate sleep, he would not develop well because he does not take enough exercise to enhance growth.

Poor Sense Of Self
They have poor self image and may have inferiority complex. A child who is glued to the screen may not know how to interact socially. They lack social skills and withdraw into themselves. Getting on in other areas of life may become difficult because they do not know how to make friends or build relationships.

Hormonal Imbalance
The child who stays glued to the box may reach puberty before her time because they may have a low level of melatonin which causes premature puberty.

There are also the problems of headaches and migraines from staring at it for so long. In the very young however, they can lead to serious eye problems. There is epilepsy as some types are said to be caused by flickering lights.

Delay in Speech
A child would not learn to talk by watching TV; he enjoys the moving picture but may not hear the words which are spoken with them. Help your child to be the confident child; help him form healthy habits which include his choice of likes and dislike; TV habit is part of it. Select the programme that you know will suit your child’s age and which you can watch.

Allow him to choose so he understands that he can make his own decisions himself. Take note of the date and time that of the shows. Tell the children that they are allowed to see that programme for just as many times in one week. The sanction makes them to look forward to it. If it is particularly good for their development, they will want to assimilate all it has to give them because they know that they cannot watch as often as they would wish.

But you can allow them to savour the world cup tournaments as other sports and festivals. If you control what he sees, he will learn to be selective of what he sees on the TV and the result is that you have a confident child who is responsible.

He will know that although he would like to sit down and look at all that is being aired, but that he could let some things go. In making him see that he should not see all, you have equipped him with a sense of judgment and value. He will become more loving, morally responsible and socially acceptable.
You will do as well by sifting through their video games as such games help a child’s development.

Children as young as three years old want to know numbers, letters, colours and patterns; they should be exposed to games that make them learn about these. They can learn to read because they can retell stories they find interesting. They will enjoy reading because the computer brings to life characters in a book.

Developmental games help children of six to nine years to develop their intellect. They also learn how to work in groups and are interested to know what is happening around them. Children, ages 10-12 will learn to read well. They learn the various meanings of words.

Games As Child’s Relationship Tool
Children can learn how to mould their feelings through the characters because they experience emotions as human beings do. When your child plays games based on history, use the opportunity to teach a wider knowledge in the form of books.

Make sure though that it is difficult to get them to do other things; that they are not seeing for too long. TV should not make them sick or anxious.