Finishing Up

As I wrap up my blog, I wanted to mention a few things that I think are important to keep in mind regarding children and cartoons. As I read and studied for this blog I realized that I, as a parent, wasn’t as concerned about pacing, setting or even violence in the cartoons that my children watched. Although these three things do play an important role in what I allow my children to watch, what I feel is the MOST important thing is HOW MUCH and HOW OFTEN they watch. I feel this is by far the most important aspect of television in my household. I know that my child can sit there and watch show after show if I let him. It is even worse if his sister is there to keep him company. This can be a show that he has seen over and over but it doesn’t matter. I know that we have to limit the amount of television that is watched and after a show (recorded on the DVR) we go in and tell him that it’s time to turn it off. I try to get my kids riding bikes, helping in the garden, jumping on the trampoline, and playing basketball. The best way for them to be excited about these activities is for me to do it with them. I can see why many parents let their children watch so much TV. It’s easier. It is a free babysitter and we know this because statistics prove that children are watching more TV at a younger age. I know that many parents are busy; working, housekeeping, raising other kids, cooking, and even going to school and this makes it difficult to have the time to do different activities with their kids.

I have enjoyed reading about children’s cartoons and I am glad I have a better understanding of the issues that surround them. I think it is time for me to be more involved in what my children are viewing and make decisions that are beneficial for them, not convenient for me.

Attached are a couple of articles mentioning important aspects of television watching.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html

http://www.livescience.com/8855-preschoolers-watching-tv.html