TV, Video Games, and Your Kids
There's been a great debate in our country for the last number
of years concerning violent TV and video games.
There are thousands of studies indicating that there's a link
between violent video images and increased aggressiveness and
violence in children.
There are also studies that say there's little relationship
between the two, and that there may even be some visual/spatial
benefits that kids receive from video games.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the average
child in this country will see 200,000 acts of violence by the
time they're eighteen.
Common sense tells me this is probably not benefiting them.
But the truth is that it's difficult to prove the exact impact
that these images have on kids.
For parents, this may be the wrong question to be asking.
Perhaps there are other issues here that would be useful to
consider.
As a coach who works with parents, I see the frequent power
struggles that come up around video games and TV watching. When
I see young kids in front of a screen, I wonder about all of the
other things those kids might be doing.
But it's extremely difficult to be a parent without the
"electric babysitter" these days, especially considering how
busy parents are today. There is also the added complication of
other parents who allow greater access to video games and TV to
their kids.
So what do you do about this issue?
How about using your gut instinct and taking a firm stand?
A while back my wife and I decided that when our kids were young
we'd like them to spend the large majority of their time
interacting with other human beings, not screens. We also
realized that at some point in the future this may change. But
because of this decision, we're sometimes looked at as peculiar
by people we know.
And while it does cause some hardship, we haven't regretted it
for a moment.
It simply seemed like the right thing to do.
I would challenge all parents to look at this issue and to make
a decision about what kind of family culture you want. And don't
base it on what the Jones' are doing across the street or what
popular culture tells you to do.
Make your decision, set your limits, and do your kids an
enormous service by standing by your limits, no matter what.
Firmly and respectfully state that, "this is what we do in our
house" and then stand by it.
I don't know if video games and violent TV make kids more
violent. And I don't think TV or video games are inherently evil.
I just want the best for my kids, because they'll only be kids
once in their life.