08.08.07
Television and Young Minds
So many people pontificate on the evils of television. Behavioral psychologists are concerned about teens and pre-teens learning violence and inappropriate sexuality from television. Health researchers tell us that people eat more when the TV is on, contributing to obesity. Educators worry that excessive TV viewing cuts into study time. Why so much fuss? Television is intended as mindless entertainment, no more. There is a role for escapism, in moderation, but surely nobody would ever confuse it with reality? Or education? Or use it as their primary source for news and knowledge about the world?
Then again, I might be overestimating people. This recent study by pediatric researchers from the University of Washington analyzes the viewing habits of children ages 2 to 24 months. A surprising 29% of parents feel the most important reason for their children watching the babble box is that it “teaches my child something” or “is good for their brain”. Another 9% believe that they benefit because “it is time spent with another sibling”. More than a third of parents believe the viewing is beneficial for the child.
There is no question that children can learn from watching television and videos. Young children learn naturally in any environment, processing new information far more naturally and rapidly than any adult. Yet time spent watching “Baby Einstein” is time taken away from watching their father cook dinner (while fingering and flapping a collards leaf of their own). A child watching the Tele-tubbies frolic is missing an opportunity to watch goldfinches hang upside down while pecking on a sunflower outside. Mesmerizing colors and flashing images cannot teach more than listening to an older brother “read” a picture book. Do we need researchers to tell us the obvious? Infants and toddlers who spend more time watching Baby Einstein videos develop their vocabulary less rapidly than their less-exposed peers. They may learn from passively viewing these videos, but they learn more by actively exploring their world.
Television is not inherently evil. It is an excellent tool for marketing toys and junk food to children. It can effectively hypnotize children into a stupor while parents complete their housework. It serves as a perfect excuse for children to avoid looking at or talking to their friends. Put simply, it is a terrific vehicle for the delivery of mindless entertainment — the pinnacle achievement of American culture. But education? There are superior alternatives, especially for the very young.
Put some pots and pans on the floor to support experimentation in sound and rhythm. Give a toddler a cardboard box and some toys that can be placed into, then extracted from said box. Hold your infant on one arm (or in a sling) so he can hear your speech and observe your activities. Finger. Feel. Laugh. Splash. Young children are naturally wired to learn from everyday objects and explorations. There is little need for structured “learning activities” and no value in passive, solitary observation of a canned, never-changing video.