With increased burden of studies, children
look for various options to entertain and relax themselves. In many homes,
watching television is the most preferred leisure activity, which even makes
children drop activities like reading books. Can television watching be
preferred over the reading habit of children?
No doubt television is an excellent source
of entertainment for children, but how can we shut our eyes to its unhealthy
side-effects! Also, when it is at the expense of a constructive activity like
reading, we need to give it a thought.
There are many shows on TV that are
educational, but there are many shows that are inappropriate too. For example,
even with a very high entertainment value, Shinchan, a very popular animated
character, manifests ill-mannerism. Another example is of one of the most
popular cartoon shows, Tom and Jerry, whose violence is accepted
light-heartedly, being comical. When a child watches TV, all the images and
sounds on screen take over its mind and suppresses its imagination.
When a child reads a book, it uses its
mind’s eye to create images and gives exercise to its imagination muscles.
There is a large variety of books available in the market, but it is important
to decide the right kind of books for a child. Girls are interested in fairy
tales, fantasies, whereas boys prefer adventurous tales, general knowledge
books etc. to encourage them for reading, one has to give them a proper
atmosphere.
First of all, parents themselves should
limit their TV watching and understand that they are wasting an opportunity to
interact with their children by occupying themselves with TV. Every day before
going to bed, if they make it a point to discuss about the book, it will
encourage the child to read more. Reading expands a child’s understanding of
the world, its language skills and makes it more attentive and responsible.
To my view, watching TV can be sacrificed
for reading books in case of a child as at this crucial stage when studies,
enjoyment and imagination building all the three are its priority, reading
serves it better.
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