A happy medium with satellite television
Most children love television. This is a commonly known fact and is a problem that parents can struggle with. While many people enjoy television, many negative things are said about the damaging effects that too much television viewing can have on the brain, especially in developing children. Fortunately, many television programs have accommodated this concern, and more educational programs are available than ever before, especially for people with satellite television. The wide variety of channels means that parents and children can watch programs together, bonding and learning at the same time.
Channels like Disney and Nickelodeon have cartoons that teach children to count, read, and even learn Spanish. Even shows that don’t have blatantly obvious lessons like addition and subtraction try to teach kids a lesson. Many programs are full of entertaining stories that revolve around a moral that they want to convey to the children’s audience. Having a giant purple dinosaur that they love to tell you to be nice to other kids in high definition will get the message across much better than having a parent or teacher lecture you on right and wrong.
In addition to cartoons, there are many educational channels that both children and adults can benefit from. Watching the “Planet Earth” series together could open everyone’s eyes in the family to different parts of the world and animals they never knew existed. The variety of programs offered by satellite television can make a whole family travel through time, learn about the constructions of the city and the social practices of 15th century England or take a virtual tour of the Roman Colosseum. Television has the unique ability to make learning more fun and interesting than your average everyday textbook.
Watching cooking shows, music videos, and travel shows can expose children to different cultures around the world. While this is all good, not all material on television is suitable for children, but luckily parents can block children’s access to certain channels. Being able to control which parts of satellite television a child has access to increases the chances that her relationship with television will be educational. Just like adults, kids can travel the world from the comfort of their home using nothing more than their remote control.
While it’s still not a good idea to leave a child in front of the TV for hours on end every day, letting them watch some truly educational shows might inspire them to get out there and do something. Watching a great soccer game might motivate a child to get out there and kick a ball, or listening to the announcer in another language might pique their interest in learning a second language. The wide variety of programs offered by satellite television means that there are multiple lessons to be learned and a wealth of information for children to absorb. Television does not have to be seen as the enemy of a developing child’s mind.