Does television have a negative effect on children?

Television, like anything else, can have a negative effect upon children when the watching of TV is not regulated by their parents.

TV watching is a form of passive entertainment. Unlike a book, you don't need to use your imagination to enjoy television because it is such a visual medium. If a child watches too much television each day they may become sedentary and not play sports, play games that need their imaginations or read books. This means the child may become more anti-social, overweight or not improve upon their reading.

While most children's programming is aimed at certain age groups so parents and kids know the programs are appropriate for those age groups, some parents don't monitor their children's viewing so kids may end up watching programming meant for adults with adult themes (like sex and violence, the news) that the children may not fully understand. It may be confusing or upsetting to the child, so it's important for parents to discuss the programs their child has watched to talk about what the child saw and what it means.

If a parent is careful to make sure their child reads, plays with others, and is active, a moderate amount of TV viewing is perfectly healthy and fun. Plus it keeps the kids current with their peers on popular culture which is important. Children need to feel like they fit in and having common information about popular culture helps children find reasons to bond.