Television at Its Worst

    Mr. Stevenson has just come home from an extremely tiring day at work. The first thing he does, after taking off his tie and shoes, is fall backward onto the couch and turn on the television. Does this sound like a normal routine? It should because Mr. Stevenson’s actions are repeated by millions around the world. People use television to relax and to forget about their daily troubles. However, what started out decades ago as an exciting, new type of family entertainment is currently being blamed for serious problems, especially in children. Many researchers now claim that too much television is not good for kids. They have a point; watching too much TV often does have negative effects on children and adolescents. One negative effect of TV on children is laziness. Another problem children have when they watch too much TV is difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is not. Finally, television may lead children to Television has undergone major changes over the years and now includes more and more programs that are inappropriate for children. However, there is also a lot of high-quality educational content available, especially on public television channels. These shows can be compelling teaching tools. It is up to parents to familiarize themselves with the options and monitor their children’s viewing choices