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Smarter Kids, Brought to You By The Letters T & V – By Dimitri A. Christakis, Greece (1937-) – Washington Post, December 2006
The writer talks about American society in which an average child starts watching TV at the age of 9 months. In the past parents were aware of T.V. harmful ray, but today, most of the parents do not think about it. Instead of it, they see other unnecessary bad impact of TV. Firstly, many parents think that TV makes their kids dumb but the writer disagrees with them and thinks that many high quality program and social programs help to develop children’s cognitive power. Secondly, may people also think that children only watch sexual and violent scene, so they become aggressive and vulgar. However, the writer asserts that it depends on what kinds of programs they watch. Similarly, he also believes that good program of TV helps kids to understand the language words, mark etc.
The writer to some extent sees its negative impact as well. He says if the child watches T.V. a lot, he becomes fat because while watching it, they prefer to have more calories giving a snack or junk food. Nevertheless, the writer disagrees with those people who say that T.V. helps their kid to sleep. The writer says that excessive watching T.V. is also of the cause of irregular and short sleep.
In conclusion, he says that problems are not watching it, but what and how kids watch the TV is the real problem. As a solution, he says that family members should watch a single T.V. sitting together so that kids will not get the chance to watch negative programs. Therefore, if T.V. is viewed in a positive way, it can give various benefits to kids and they will be smarter in comparison with other kids who do not watch TV.
It tells us that T.V. itself is not a problem but the problem is what and how kids watch it. If they watch a positive program, it really benefits to them. If they view it properly, they will not be dumb but they will be smarter and they can easily recognize words, number, and sigh. Similarly, many programs really benefit kids and help them to develop their cognitive power. It is also true that if the child watches the violent and sexual scene, he really becomes aggressive, moody and vulgar. To avoid such problem, parents should watch T.V. sitting together with their kids so that due to the shame and fear of their parents, they will not watch negative programs.
I totally agree with the writer’s point of view. However, I disagree with those people who have just accused it. Can T.V. only show nude and violent scene? Do not many T.V. programs really help to develop the kids’ cognitive power? Does it make a kid dumb? Likewise, many people say that T.V. helps kids to sleep on time. Can T.V. help to give regular sleep to kids? Does not T.V. give irregular sleep for those children who watch too much? Similarly, does not TV give the problem to our eyes?
After reading this essay, I also impressed by the writer’s opinion. Last year, I read a book T.V. and its bad impact in which the writer Monoj Khanal who just shows TV’s bad impact for kids. He asserts that T.V. just makes the kids dumb, aggressive, and violent. Therefore, as a solution, he writes, “throw T.V. and buy novels”. While reading the book in that time, I really felt unease but by reading this essay, I really admire with the essayist’s wrong because he did not see many positive sides like it helps to develop the child’s cognitive power, it also shows the many educational programs like quiz contest.
Therefore, I highly praise this essay. Its ideas are truly trustworthy, I am really impressed by its major point that TV itself is not a problem but the problem is that how the people handle it. That idea really strikes my mind and now I guess that Khanal did not understand this point and went on abusing TV. If he had understood it, he would to some extent really appreciate TV.
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