According to KidsHealth, October 2008, two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch a screen 2 hours a day on average. Kids under age 6 also watch an average of 2 hours of screen media a day, mostly TV and videos or DVDs. Kids and teens ages 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV and almost 2 additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games.
Television’s Negative Influences
Violence:Almost any study on the effects of television highlights violence. The number of violent acts children see on TV each year varies depending on the study, but all agree that it’s way too many. Conservative statistics put the number of violent acts kids see before age 18 at 200,000. As a result, kids learn to be more physically aggressive. Kids can also become meaner to others by calling them names, making threats, and spreading rumors. The problem of violence on TV is not just a prime-time problem. More violent acts occur on Saturday morning kids’ shows than on prime-time TV.
Advertising: Children are major targets for advertisers. Foreign countries such as Greece, Sweden, and Norway have taken steps to reduce the number of ads aimed at children. American children, on the other hand, can view an average of 20,000 to 40,000 commercials each year. Commercials teach children that more is better and that possessions bring happiness.
Lifestyle habits: The growing number of overweight children has been a hot topic recently. It doesn’t take a scientific study to tell us that hours of television watching is directly linked to unhealthy weight gain. Inactivity along with eating unhealthy snacks while watching TV compromise children’s health. Kids are also influenced by ads for unhealthy foods like candy, soda pop, and chips.
Development: Television steals time from the development of a child. Kids need time to explore, build relationship with siblings and friends, develop their imaginations, read, and use their senses. According the Child Development institute, television can provide children with useful information, but it doesn’t necessarily make them smarter or improve school performance. TV can actually shorten attention spans and reduce language development. Reading and conversation are the ideal ways to develop language skills, as stated by the Department of Education. TV not only hinders intellectual development but also physical development. Kids who watch too much TV are spending less time with sports and other physical pursuits that help develop their muscles and coordination.
Stereotypes: Television gives kids an incomplete view of society. Heroes narrowly miss death while the villain suffers or is destroyed. TV broadcasts subtle messages about race, ethnicity, gender, class, age, and physical beauty. Since TV is second to family in social impact, children are forming the foundation for these attitudes largely based on what they see on TV.
Spiritually and morally: All television programming is value-laden, and the values are not Biblical. Some of the themes on TV shows include sexuality, witchcraft, and new-age teachings. Kids get wrong ideas about God and Heaven from some TV shows. They portray Heaven as boring and filled with fluffy white clouds and angels with harps. If kids get the wrong idea about Heaven, then they are less likely to tell their friends about it. Television shows also teach kids to reject authority and decide for themselves what is right or wrong. Many shows teach that you have to rely on yourself to solve your problems and achieve your goals. Even educational shows and documentaries are not immune to wrong values. Nature television programs often promote evolution and emphasize conservationism to the extreme, leading to the view that the earth and animals are of greater value than people. Writers and producers use television as a tool for social change to make sin appear normal. They give the impression that if it’s on TV, then it must be okay.
Television’s Positive Influences
Learning new things: Television does have some positive effects. For example, TV can provide opportunities to learn about new things and make people aware of problems such as pollution and the needs of the homeless. These positive effects, however, don’t outweigh the negative effects, especially in regard to children.
What Can I Do?
Even though Sunday School is only an hour long, don’t think that you can’t influence a child who is watching many hours of ungodly TV shows every week. You can have an impact. But your impact will increase if your students decrease or eliminate their exposure to TV shows that negatively influence them. Encourage your students to apply what they learn about God and His Word to their TV viewing. Encourage them to see the connection between pleasing God and watching TV. Ask them questions about how the TV shows they watch compare to what God wants them to do and think about. Take time to watch Saturday morning cartoons and other popular kids’ programs so you are aware of what your students may be watching.
Your students may learn many things contrary to Scripture from television shows without even realizing it. Sometimes they may know it’s wrong but are not sure why. You need to connect their Sunday School lessons with their lives outside of church. Show your students how the truths in God’s Word apply to them and the decisions they make today.
Finally, pray for your students that God will make a difference in their lives through your ministry to them.
