Exposing the Damage: TV and Kids

There are millions of young children in this country who are being terribly mistreated by their parents.

These parents aren't physically abusing their young children, and they may not even know that they're mistreating them.

The mistreatment?

Millions of kids under the age of two are watching TV in this country. In fact, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation of over 1,000 parents, about 65% of kids under age two are watching TV, and they're averaging over two hours of watching a day.

They're watching even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV for kids under age two. They're watching even though this is a crucial period for their cognitive development, at an age when their brains are still being formed.

And the news for these kids just got worse.

Scientists at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Seattle who studied over 2,500 children found a link between early TV watching and attention problems at a later age.

Specifically, the chances of one and three-year-old kids developing attention problems at age seven increased by 10% for every hour of TV watched each day.

The information from these two studies creates a chilling picture of what's happening to millions of toddlers in this country. It's unfair, immoral, and unjust, and it needs to be addressed.

But you won't see an outcry from the mass media giants in this country. You see, we live in the country where "Why TV is Good for Kids" appeared as the cover story in Newsweek Magazine in 2002. The same Newsweek Magazine that's owned by the Washington Post Company, which owns a sprawling cable company and six broadcast stations around the country.

No, you won't hear too much about these important studies from the Time-Warners of the world. Bad for business, you see.

But if you're the parent of a young child, you need to know this information.

There are about nine million children who take prescription medication for ADHD in this country. The number of kids who take ADHD medication has been doubling every two years. And while TV certainly isn't the culprit in all of these cases, the link between the number of attention problems and the amount of TV watched is undeniable.

The days of the "harmless" argument for TV and kids needs to be put to rest. Parents need to be educated about the very real possibility of causing future attention problems with their kids.

And young kids across this country need to be given a fighting chance.

Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC, coaches busy parents by phone to balance their life and improve their family relationships. For a FREE twenty minute sample session by phone; ebooks, courses, articles, and a FREE newsletter, go to http://www.markbrandenburg.com. or email him at mark@markbrandenburg.com.

---

Puberty - Get Ready to Play the Puberty Game

Puberty can be a difficult time for children. Not quite... Read More

Homeschooling ? Is It Worth It?

Suppose that you rearrange your life to homeschool your child... Read More

Back to School Success: The Parents Job and the Students Job

Q. With another school year starting, we are not sure... Read More

My Husband Prioritizes Making Money Above Family Time

"Money is tight, and my husband's obsessed with doing everything... Read More

Because Every Child Is A Born Genuis

Graphology for Child development.:- Graphology is the science of understanding... Read More

Choosing Wooden Toys For Children

Wooden toys are one of the best alternatives for the... Read More

How to Cope With Colic

When my oldest daughter was born, I walked the floor... Read More

Math Facts - Try Some Fun Ways to Learn Them

Memorizing math facts is a necessary part of elementary school.... Read More

Challenges for Our Children

Researchers have estimated that 25-35% of children in the United... Read More

Maximizing Your ADHD Childs Performance in School.

As a parent there are lots of things that you... Read More

Water! Water Everywhere!

What one word best sums up summer fun? Water. I... Read More

Monitoring Your Teens for Drug Use Without Appearing to be Spying

Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still... Read More

The Child Chef

If you really want to get your children to eat... Read More

Raise Awesome Kids! This 4-Point Plan Gets Results

Are your children truthful, kind, and helpful? If so, read... Read More

Real Monsters Under Your Bed

There may really be a real monster under your kidâ??s... Read More

Let?s Google and Yahoo Our Kids? Education

I love Google and Yahoo. With Google and Yahoo I... Read More

The Truth About Motherhood

What is the mystery of motherhood? I know that when... Read More

Adolescence - Clues and Advice

Be sure to respect the intellectual changes that mark adolescence.... Read More

Simple Tricks To Help You And Your Kids To Find Friends

One of the most prevalent problems of the computer age... Read More

The Symtoms Of Meningitis And Septicaemia

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes around the brain... Read More

Who Will Be Their Guardian?

If you are like most people today, you do not... Read More

Unique Baby Names

What's in a name? Er?well, everything, really! Of course your... Read More

PG Rating Isnt What It Used To Be

If there are any parents reading this who are thinking... Read More

Five Ways To Build Super-Strong Relationships With Your Children

One of the questions I ask in parenting presentations is... Read More

Teaching Your Children About the Value of Money

We take it for granted that children know how money... Read More

I WONT DO IT! Tips for Working with the Oppositional Child

"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More

My Sweet Little Valentine

Valentine day has always been a special day in my... Read More

Going Out to a Restaurant with Kids

Dining in a restaurant with kids can be very enervating... Read More

Childrens Safety in Public Places - 10 Useful Tips

My kids ask me all the time to take them... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: 6 Things to Stop Doing Right Away

1. STOP focusing on what you are going to make... Read More

ADHD: A Dialogue With a Non-Believer, part two

Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More

The Seven Keys of Being a Father

Is there a fathering instinct?Celebrated child development expert Erik Erikson... Read More

Should The Dad-To-Be Attend The Birth?

Not so long ago a dad-to-be would pace up and... Read More