Luke 11:34 NASB
“The lamp of your body is your eye; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.”
You can make your kids fat and stupid. How? When they ask for a TV set in their room, give them one. It’s that easy!
If you would prefer to assist your children to be healthy and smart, be prepared for an argument. The classic “everyone has one” is simply not true. “By some estimates, half of American children have a television in their bedroom; one study of third graders put the number at 70 percent.”[1] You may have to concede that, while many or even most do, yours will not because…
It’s bad for your health “A study of middle school students found that those with bedroom TVs were twice as likely to start smoking. Among kids who had a TV in their bedroom, 42 percent smoked; among others, the figure was 16 percent.”
It will make you fat “The Journal of Pediatrics reported that preschool children with bedroom TVs were more likely to be overweight.”
You’ll sleep worse “A study in Pediatrics showed that kindergartners with bedroom TVs had more sleep problems.”
It will make you dumber “In a 2005 study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, children with a TV in their bedroom scored significantly and consistently lower on math, reading and language-arts tests.”[2]
Jesus said, “The lamp of your body is your eye”. Parents should limit what goes through their children’s visual portal. Kids need parental protection from unsupervised television watching and internet browsing. Most intelligent parents know that. They don’t need scientific evidence to prove it.
Consider a new household rule: All television, computer games, and internet use happens in public places like the family room or a shared den. Monitor your children’s use of the TV and computer. Limit the scope of their vision. A clear eye, according to Christ, produces a body “full of light”.
If you want your child to develop a strong body and good mind, remove the TV from his or her bedroom.
____________________
[1] This recent Oregonian article credits The New York Times and appears to be based on an article published on March 4, 2008 by an Tara Parker-Pope entitled “A One-Eyed Invader in the Bedroom”. Ms. Parker-Pope’s thesis: “Here’s one simple way to keep your children healthy: Ban the bedroom TV.” You can review the entire article at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/04well.html?_r=1&oref=slogin.
[2] This text and bullet points came from the Oregonian article referenced in the footnote above. It was entitled “Why you don’t want a TV in your kid’s bedroom”.
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UncleChri
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Comments
When we were kids, we had just one little black and white portable TV in the living room. My folks didn't even get a color TV until after we kids were all grown. We all turned out to be voracious readers.
I think it's got to be determined by individuals and never, ever be positioned as "forbidden." What kid doesn't want a piece of that?
Anyhoo, I agree all the way about limiting and supervising what kids watch. Its just good parenting and common sense. I wish more people would do it.
-R-
I didn't have a TV in my room but that was because we were poor and could only afford one TV for the house (in the livingroom).
My cousins who came from more middle -class nuclear families had TVs in their rooms. They were good students, athletes; not dumb or fat.
TVs in bedrooms don't make kids stupid and fat; disengaged parents do.
Patrick ~ My wife is a voracious reader and will almost never watch TV with me. Perhaps there is a connection.
Redstocking ~ TV does have a way of focusing our attention. Sounds like you would have missed some great kid moments if you had one during their formative years.
Sally ~ Most kids (and adults) want a taste of "forbidden" fruit, but making it super available may be as detrimental as forbidding it. Sounds like you have a wonderful son.
Lady ~ Dogs and horses? Sounds like you grew up with a healthy appreciation for the outdoors and had plenty to do other than watch TV.
Eva ~ Agreed, but there may be a connection between child bedroom TV's and disengaged parents. The research in the article I cited showed a trend of poorer dietary habits and school performance for kids with televisions in their bedrooms. Sounds like your cousins were healthy exceptions.