Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Angry young KIDS
|
MINU ITTYIPE finds direct links between aggressive behaviour in kids and their exposure to violent video games, Internet and unmonitored TV viewing, as psychiatrists from the city tell her.
|
Photo by Mahesh Harilal
Violence on TV gives kids a kick, egging them on to imitate it though the little ones are sometimes scared.
THE WORDS that you are about to read might hurt your sensibilities, if necessary please skip the next line. Abusive words like `Shit,' `Patti,' `Bastard,' `****' the ubiquitous four letter word are part of the everyday patter of little children today.
"Children as young as three years old mouth the word `patti' and very often their parents and grandparents seek help not knowing how to correct this." Says Dr. Abraham K. Paul, Consultant Paediatrician at Cochin Hospital.
Embarrassing
"Children pick up these words from television and use them without understanding the meaning, embarrassing parents when they use it in public. They tend to imitate the superheroes in the Malayalam Movies." He adds, "A study conducted by the Indian Academy Of Paediatrics, Delhi Chapter, found that children spend on an average about 30 hours in front of the TV per week while they only spend 25 hours per week in school." Television is not the only influence on children today the New Media i.e. computer and Internet are other major influences. Computer games excite children and studies by UNESCO have shown links between exposure to violent video games and aggressive behaviour in SOME children though not all children.
The fastest selling computer games in most shops in Kochi are war games and action games and what comes at the bottom of the list are the educational games. 69 per cent of the computer games sold at a leading CD and Music shop in the city are war, action and strategic games. Another book and CD outlet sells about 250 pieces of such games per month while they sell only about 10 learning pieces in the same period. While Pokemon and Harry Potter Games played by children of seven years and above are hottest selling items says the proprietor of CD Shopee. Recently in one of the schools, a nine-year-old child caught hold of another child's neck and squeezed it. When questioned the child said he was unaware he was doing anything harmful. Psychiatrists would consider it as "Magical Thinking" if this child's behaviour is linked to TV violence without any basis. However, Dr. Philip John, Child Psychiatrist does agree that violence in Television and Computer games can increase aggressive behaviour and also contribute to desensitisation to real life violence. "Some children who have learning problems have a propensity to get addicted to video games and TV because of the intrinsic reasons of the brain and this can create problems and they can become aggressive."
Violence glorified
What the media is propagating is that violence is fun and violence is acceptable and children become victims of such deviant ideas. Dr.C. J. John, Psychiatrist at the Medical Trust Hospital points out, "Today there is increased anger in children and teenagers due to exposure to violence in the media. They are in an evolution stage and they tend to imbibe what they see on TV and imitate this without any logic by what is known as the Copy Cat syndrome. It has become a dangerous situation because in the present age there is more tele-visual company than human company. There seems to be more media socialisation with exclusion of other activities like sports and reading.
TV exposure
Children are also exposed to sexual themes much before they can handle such issues. They have an adult or an adolescent mind groomed through media socialisation that makes them more vulnerable to exploitation if the umbrella value or correction is not given. Says Jeena, mother of two "My children spend most of the time either in front of the TV or computer when they are not studying."
Tackling TV watching
Another mother Rani, says, "I cannot police my child all the time and every time he found that he did not have any one to tell him what to do, he would be at the TV or the computer and neglect his studies totally. So I have to constantly watch over him when he is at home."
When asked how this should be handled, Dr. Philip John advises, "Media is here to stay. Television is multi sensory and creates the best learning experience and it leaves very indelible impressions on the child's mind. Even good computer games improves the speed of thinking and fine motor co-ordination. But unfortunately there are no limit settings on TV time and there is no monitoring of what the child should watch. Programme producers use easily target emotions like sex and violence to capture audiences.
Basically the inappropriateness of the programme should be monitored. The tragedy of excessive TV viewing is the loss of home rules and loss of time structure. This impedes into interpersonal communication within the family and creates barriers. Parents should set limits for the child in consultation with the child and everyone should follow the rules that are set down. Limit setting involves a certain amount of marginal deprivations in terms of gratification." "It is not only the mental health but the physical aspect also sees a decline with excessive TV watching," says Dr. Abraham Paul.
Obesity
"The number of children who are obese is on the rise and this is a direct fallout of slumping in front of the TV and constantly munching."
Dr. C.J. John points out "Parents should become vigilant and should participate in what channels show. Movies shown at the family hour on Sunday evening is very often adult movies. The sad part is that even if the population of children are very high, there are few movies and serials catering to them. And not all cartoons are child friendly some of them are adult oriented."
As a parting shot Dr. C. J. John asks "Will the parent leave the child alone with strangers? Remember the TV is full of strangers imparting alien cultures and alien ideas to the child. And what have these strangers taught your child today?"
(Names have been changed to protect identity)
Photo by Mahesh Harilal
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
