Positive Effects of Media on Children Essay

Many people argue that the media only brings negative effects on children, forcing the parents to constantly say â€Å"no† to their children’s requests. Parents argue that the media repetitively advertises junk food and things that may damage a child’s health; and they are forced to â€Å"counter the culture†, which means to stop the messages that the media is trying to deliver to their children. Although it may be true that some of what the media advertises is not good on big quantities for the children’s health, I believe that not everything the media presents is bad, as it has plenty of positive sides. Much of the kids’ programming shown on TV is meant to be educational, and teach the children different aspects of the world. By watching television and the media, the children discover what they truly like, what sports they’re interested in, what instruments they want to play, etc. Furthermore, the television advertisements can bring positive effects on the kids’ knowledge about everyday lives, and different aspects of such influence children positively. The use of social media and television has more positive effects than what it has negative, it is a key part of our current society and the minds of the children. Television acts as a meaningful teacher for children, as many programs that the kids watch are educational and cover aspects of the world in a way that it is understandable by children. Sesame Street has been one of the most influential TV show on children for over 35 years now, and it has shown to have positive results in the viewer’s learning skills and developing character. By watching Sesame Street, toddlers can learn much about cultural diversity, racial harmony, cooperation, kindness, and how to manage feelings and emotions. This show also teaches basic simple arithmetic and the alphabet to children, in such way that is easily understandable by the kids with no further explanation. Another show that has been greatly influential now is Curios George, which has been a PBS classic in the most recent years, and teaches viewers about problem solving skills. The monkey fellow encourages children to ask questions about the world, and find solutions through questioning. A study conducted by PBS shows that watching the episodes of Curious George boosts the knowledge of the young children about science and math. The children that are watching television today at their homes will eventually become the celebrities, stars and athletes of tomorrow. Every passion starts with a kid saying â€Å"I want to be like him when I grow up†, after watching the stars on TV. Kids watch sports, and decide what attracts them the most, and they discover their passion as they practice it. Currently the best basketball player in the world is Lebron James, who also had an idol as a kid: Michael Jordan. James says that his mom told him that you always want to be better than your idol, not like him; he watched Michael Jordan play with the bulls on TV, and he practiced basketball to discover his passion. Through this, Lebron James is already being compared with Michael Jordan and his ultimate goal is to be better than him but he explains that their aim is for children to be better than them when they grow up. Pop idol celebrities, like Justin Bieber also had idols when they were kids, who inspired them to grow towards their passion. Justin Bieber’s idol was Michael Jackson, who inspired him to become one of the most influential teen celebrities in the current world. The children of today might tomorrow be celebrities and may say they were inspired by Justin Bieber, or other current celebrities. One of the most controversial aspects of social media is the advertisement, as parents claim that too much junk food is advertised, forcing parents to say â€Å"no† to their children. However, advertisements are also one of the positive aspects of television, as it promotes general knowledge about decision making to children. It is shown that some alcohol manufacturers spend about 10% of their budget advertising the dangers of drinking. These include drinking and driving, excess drinking of alcohol, and alcohol related sicknesses and diseases. By watching these advertisements, the children are able to make the decisions of not drinking, or not drinking and driving; this can eventually reduce the dangers that the children are exposed to, and may even reduce the deaths of people. The tobacco companies also spend a good amount of money on advertisements about the dangers of smoking, and the possible consequences. Television often also advertises products that are good for the children’s health and development. Studies show that milk consumption has significantly increased since the implementation of broadcast advertisements on television. Milk and other essential dieting products are shown attractive to children to increase their consumption, and improve their growth and health. There are three types of people: the ones who think that every aspect of the social media is bad for our children; the ones who think that social media may have some positive aspects; and then there are the people who follow the studies and base their opinions on facts, who believe that the social media is good for our children. Various TV programs such as Sesame Street and Curious George engage the kids in entertaining knowledge, through which they are able to learn about diverse topics. The stars and idols of tomorrow are the children watching TV today, the kids who are inspired by that athlete, by that celebrity, or that scientist; restricting television for kids would mean prevailing them from growing their passions and becoming who they want to be. Advertising companies spend huge amounts of money on creating conscience among kids about the problems related to drugs, alcohol, social problems, and bad nutrition. Through TV ads the children are able to make the right decisions in life, and are being informed about the problems they may face in their future lives. The television has a huge positive influence on children, as it promotes education, making right decisions, and finding their passion. Times have changed; we are in the 21st century, which is prevailed by technology and the social media. Television is now a common part of our children’s lives, and it makes positive changes in them, on the education, and their lives. Social media has an infinite amount of positive effects on children, and its growth must be encouraged, as those positive aspects will also grow with it. References Paulsen, Christine, Ph. D. â€Å"Evaluation of Curious George. † PBS. Concord Evaluation Group, May 2012. Web. 19 Aug. 2013. Anthony, Ford-Jones, Ph. D. â€Å"Impact of Media Use on Children and Youth. † National Center for Biotechnology Information. Canadian Paediatric Society, May-June 2003. Web. 19 Aug. 2013.