By account of thriving advanced technologies, television has become widely accessible to all ages, including children. Hence, many people are concerned about the adverse effects, while others believe that watching TV at an early age is beneficial. To a certain extent, I advocate permitting youth to do so, nonetheless, under adults’ supervision.
On the one hand, the benefits of watching the small screen while young are twofold. Initially, it could function as an entertaining source for children. Many researches indicate that the contrast between colors from TV programs specialized for young individuals, such as cartoons, helps to accelerate the development of their target audiences’ brains by up to 35%. Secondly, watching television is also advantageous educationally, assuming that children are provided with age-appropriate programs. This is true in most countries, as TV channels are strictly censored by the government to ensure that they fit traditional values both visually and conceptually, thus teaching children morality and common sense. Nonetheless, apart from general knowledge, TV channels also provide academic information in specific fields. For instance, some programs encouraging youth to pursue science careers are Fun Science Club (FSC), Stem for Kids, and VTV7 (a Vietnamese educational TV channel). This could also be considered an early orientation for juveniles.
On the other hand, electronic devices such as televisions have been proven to be harmful with prolonged usage; this is much more detrimental considering children’s underdeveloped brains and eyes. Hence, short-sightedness is inevitable, and, according to Yale University’s 2023 research, vision impairment among youth has quadrupled in comparison to 1998 in New York City alone. Besides physical illnesses, watching inappropriate television channels could also affect youngsters mentally. Due to the fact that television aims to approach broad age group audiences, there are several channels which contain both violence and over-intimacy. In addition to this is the susceptibility of children, resulting in unhealthy mindsets among them.
In conclusion, there are several drawbacks to kids watching television at an early age. Notwithstanding, such hindrances are avoidable, providing that children are under adults’ supervision. With that, being able to access the TV is no longer harmful but beneficial.