Is having a TV in the house (with a child) around a good or bad thing? Is it better to have a TV around for their entertainment purposes, or no? Or is technology so advanced that a TV has become pointless?
FOR- Helps a kids development.
AGAINST- They spend less time interacting and socializing with each other and spend most of their time staring at a screen.
Thoughts.
Your against point is a lot more stronger than the for-point and it's true. During all that time when they watch the same sort of episodes over and over again, they could've spent it talking to their siblings and parents. People living in the same house are more responsible than a TV for assisting with the kids development and I think they can learn a lot more sense through humans than cartoon characters. Keep kids away from TV's. They become too dependent on it and cry as soon as its switched off. No good.
It comes down to control. You can have a TV and it can help a kids development whilst being in charge of it at the same time. It doesn't have to become a source of attatchment or control itself.
Some say watching TV also helps develop a child's english language as they learn to have stronger listening/speaking skills through picking up words.
I don't believe it's should be simply yes or no. I think there should be a limit, depending on their age, but even an adult shouldn't watch tv for hours.
When 2 of my cousins come down my house they like watching tv esp tom and jerry and scooby doo which come on channels they don't have at home. They also like playing on the ipad/phones. I limit them and tell them to switch the tv off or take the devices off them if I feel like they've been using them for too long.
However, I dunno maybe I'm "extreme" but some off these programmes that are targetted at children are still showing them things that we, as Muslims, disagree with. You know like the little bear or girl or whatever having a little boy friend and whatnot. I just don't think that's what children should grow up with, it just makes it worse.
And I definitely don't think children should just be made to sit in front of the tv for ages just so the adults can get on with whatever they're doing...but I totally understand when adults do that, gosh kids are hard to handle!
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
You find educational programmes too which teach them how to count and learn simple phrases such as 'please' and 'thankyou'.
I don't think TV is ALL bad. I agree it comes down to limits and the choices parents make.
But it can so easily become a source of attachment, even without realising.
It's also used as: 'If you listen to me now and eat all of your dinner, you can watch some TV' What sort of reward is that? I've done that myself a couple of times and I shouldn't have really.
Kids pick up words from absolutely everywhere. They can gain stronger listening/speaking skills by making frequent visits to the local library and bringing home interactive books. Then all you have to do is read to the kid, then they pick up words from the stories you read to them.
Aaaaah, there is a tinchy fly on my screen.
It can be, but as Hummus said there are other places too. My nephew says thank you (mashaAllah
) and he hasn't been watching any of those programmes.
Again, I still think it's about limits. Going to extremes on either side, i.e. letting kids watching too much or not at all is bad imo, they're going to be exposed to it at some point, and probably sooner rather than later. My cousins tell me they watch tv/films at school and they're only little. Not sure how much or when they watch it though, I don't remember watching normal cartoons etc on tv when I was in reception!
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
If parents worked less and actually found a time to take their kid to the library everyday and read a book then good for them. There are other places too, but having a Television or some sort of technology around has made it more convenient to learn.
PC - can get the same stuff that's on tv, more control, no adverts. ADVERTS ARE FRIKKING EVIL. you choose teh programmes they watch and when they watch. and how much they watch and then you can make them play educational games and then no so educational games then you chuck them outside so they remember what colour teh sky is and what real sunlight feels like.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
MashaAllah. You don't need a TV to teach your kid manners. If at all anything, they'll learn bad manners. Manners come from within the home first. If we used please and thank you more often, they'll pick it up in no time.
True.
So to conclude, TV isn't all that bad if there's a control on the amount of hours spent watching. There is nothing wrong in having one as long as it's not used as a tool to your advantage. There are other means of learning, but in an advancing/working society a TV/PC seems to be a more convenient approach.