Children and Television Watching
Children and Television Watching: The Opinions of Parents in the United States
A Qualitative Study
By: M. Carpenter
Introduction and Literature Review
One concern that parents may have towards their children is whether or not television is good for them. According to The Nielson Company, television viewing among kids is at an eight-year high. Whether it is TV shows or DVDs, American children between the ages of two and eleven are watching more television than ever before. Kids between the ages of two and five are spending more than 32 hours a week, on average, in front of the television screen. The older portion, between the ages of six and eleven, are watching less due to the fact that they are attending school for longer hours in the day.
71% of 8 to 18 year olds have a TV in their bedroom. 54% have a DVD or VCR player in their room. 37% have cable and/or satellite television and 20% have premium channels (KAISER). Not only are children viewing shows and movies through the television screen, but they are also viewing them on the Internet and through cell phones and iPods. Television viewing is playing a very prominent role in children’s lives today.
Additionally to the statistics, there seems to be other hypothesized issues regarding children watching too much television. Television viewing is perhaps replacing certain activities that are more productive and educational. For example, it might be replacing activities such as interacting with friends and family members, doing chores, schoolwork, and even playing outside, causing high inactivity.
There have been countless discussions about too much television causing children to become overweight. According to the University of Michigan, researchers found that just being awake and in the room with the television on more than two hours a day was a risk factor for being overweight at ages three and four. They also furthered their investigation to whether diet, physical activity, or television
A Qualitative Study
By: M. Carpenter
Introduction and Literature Review
One concern that parents may have towards their children is whether or not television is good for them. According to The Nielson Company, television viewing among kids is at an eight-year high. Whether it is TV shows or DVDs, American children between the ages of two and eleven are watching more television than ever before. Kids between the ages of two and five are spending more than 32 hours a week, on average, in front of the television screen. The older portion, between the ages of six and eleven, are watching less due to the fact that they are attending school for longer hours in the day.
71% of 8 to 18 year olds have a TV in their bedroom. 54% have a DVD or VCR player in their room. 37% have cable and/or satellite television and 20% have premium channels (KAISER). Not only are children viewing shows and movies through the television screen, but they are also viewing them on the Internet and through cell phones and iPods. Television viewing is playing a very prominent role in children’s lives today.
Additionally to the statistics, there seems to be other hypothesized issues regarding children watching too much television. Television viewing is perhaps replacing certain activities that are more productive and educational. For example, it might be replacing activities such as interacting with friends and family members, doing chores, schoolwork, and even playing outside, causing high inactivity.
There have been countless discussions about too much television causing children to become overweight. According to the University of Michigan, researchers found that just being awake and in the room with the television on more than two hours a day was a risk factor for being overweight at ages three and four. They also furthered their investigation to whether diet, physical activity, or television
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