Chapter 10- T.V. & Violence

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry television is influencing and shaping the behavior of children. Studies have shown how children are becoming immune to violence they view on television. They imitate what they see and they demonstrate more aggressive behavior. This behavior can be corrected with the help of parents. They can begin by monitoring what their children are viewing and limit the time they spend watching television.
Explain to the child why behavior like that is not acceptable. They can use that free time instead to bond with their child by reading or playing (Children And TV Violence, 2002).
Other evidence reveals that media violence can lead to bullying. And media is not limited to television but to video games as well. But children can be taught that the real world does not consist of violent behavior (Feldman, 2007).
I have seen this aggressive behavior on my 5 year old nephew. He loves to watch Power Rangers, Spider Man and Ninja Turtles. He loves to reenact what he see’s on television. He plays with guns, swords and pokes people for the fun of it. His behavior was cute at first but when he started hurting other children that is when it became a problem. He could not understand why he could not act like his hero’s.

Children And TV Violence. (2002, November). Retrieved July 16, 2008, from American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry: http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/children_and_tv_violence

Feldman, R. (2007). Child development (4th edition). Pearson Prentice Hall.