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MEDIA INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN

BY ANILA MUHAMMAD

Being a parent is a tremendously challenging job to meet child’s basic needs. Parents are responsible for their child’s raring, caring, their growth and development. This will molding child’s Physical, mental, social, psychological, intellectual, cognitive behaviors. Moreover they continue to share their responsibilities of their child’s all activities of daily life. Beside this they are also facing several problems regarding behaviors like more aggressive over years. While there is a widespread concerned of most of the parents is about the influence of media violence on their child’s behavior, has increased day by day because of technology has changed on television program have more violence and this has impact on children aggressive behavior. WHO defines “violence as the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person or against a group or community that either resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal development or deprivation.” (WHO report on violence and health, 2002).

Firstly I would like to rationalize that why I have chosen this topic because I have read article on news paper. After that I have realized as a mother, that I have facing many problems of excess viewing television on my children. It has triggered me to learn more and get information on excess viewing television effects on children. Another appropriate reason for choosing this topic is that now a day we are going in community for home visits. I have seen in many families that their children are not going to school but they are watching television throughout the day. Beside this they are used to singing songs in Hindi, fighting each other, speak abusive langue. Therefore, I have chosen this topic so as a nurse I can explore the management of effects of media in children. However, I want to know about this topic as area of my interest, therefore, it triggered me to write scholarly paper on media influence children.

Television play important role in this scientific world. In addition television channels gives lots of information and interesting news on sports, social issues, political issues and entertainment for all age groups. Besides this many programs on religion and geographical channels are informative and interesting. As far as all benefits, there are lots of disadvantages of viewing television like lots of violence on televisions likewise it effect on children behaviors, cognitive impairment, and intellectual ability, this will lead to aggression and violent behavior among children. There are several studies done on affects of television viewing among children. Thus the American Psychological Association's report on media violence concludes, In Rajani.M.K.,& M. S. Chandio.(2004). "There is absolutely no doubt that those who are heavy viewers of violence demonstrate increased acceptance of aggressive attitudes and increased aggressive behavior."

On the other hand in Pakistan, television is the common entertainment and the viewers are most common are female and children. There are few studies done on effects of excess television viewing on children done in Pakistan. As said by Hancox. R. J, Milne.B.j., & Poulyon. R, (2005). “There are roughly estimate data 45 per cent of the over 12 million 2006 given since future belongs to them, effect of television on Pakistani children seems to be a matter of investigative interest and to a lesser degree, of some genuine concern. Since the advent of TV in Pakistan, no major study has been conducted on TV's effect on children.”

In addition to this those children who are watching more than three hours television become affected by rapidly changing stimulation on television, which don’t put the effort of child to think logically and they take less interest in their studies . Moreover these children having difficulty in concentrate in listening feel board, in reading and writing. As said by Hancox. R. J, Milne.B.j, & Poulyon. R, (2005). “Our findings indicate that youths who frequently watch TV may develop problems such as classroom boredom, ‘hating school’ and difficulty doing homework – all of which may be in part a result of having become habituated to frequently changing and highly stimulating material on the TV.”

Other than this there are several studies also suggested that those children who are under 5years often watch program for no mean for them. They sit alone watched television of any kind of commercial or violent movies. More over children’s program are also not free of violence even most of the cartoons that are display in forms of aggression. Ozmert. E, Toyran M., & Yurdakok K. K.(2002), “Most cartoon shows revolve around the battle between good and evil where the good employs all sorts of aggression to wipe out and rid the world of evil powers. What would child of five or six years of age learn when it watches its favorite characters fighting to gain control?” other than this say Thakkar R. R, Garrison. M. M., & Christakis. D.A. (2006) “children today were more familiar with commercial songs before they could learn nursery rhymes.”

As far as concern of young children who watch television more than 3 hours are most influenced by media violence as their minds are more vulnerable. As said by Thakkar R. R, Garrison. M. M, & Christakis.D.A. (2006) “They have a harder time distinguishing between fantasy and reality and cannot discern motives for violence. They take whatever they see on TV as realistic. They imitate those characters and actions in their plays. Often their role models are superheroes of some violent shows.”As I am given example of my children that they always said that cartoon are real. They them self always called I am superman or batman andsaid I will fly like superman batman.
More over many studies have reported several negative consequences on the health of adolescent. They watched television several hours and eat junk food which leads to obesity or they sit in front of television several hours and not eat according to Fletcher J. 2006 “television causing disorder, symptoms of psychological trauma, social skill difficulties, Anorexia nervosa, nutritional changes, dieting and obesity and substance use and abuse and for negative sexuality and body concept and self image”

It is observed that when children spends more time with their friends they spend less time in viewing television and they are more socialized because peer influenced more in their life Beside this if they are not interacting socially they are more isolated. As said by Bickham.D.S. (2006). “developed anxiety disorder, antisocial behavior for that they are more aggressive not socially accepted. The social interaction is interdepending on with peer influence on their decision making. As said by peer rejection during child hood is linked to serious disorders and behavioral consequences in adolescent to help children succeed socially and to overcome the problem their potential contribution”.

Lastly psychologist suggested that those who exposed to media more extensive are having more violence on violence them .They are less sensitive to pain and suffering for others. As said by Rajani. M. K.,& M. S. Chandio.(2004). “They are less likely to benefit from creative, imaginative play as the normal means to express feeling, over anger and gain self control. They tend to rehears what they see and imitate those behaviors in their real life encounter.” Here I want to give example of my children is that when I have observed them while playing they used called them name of a cartoon or a name of a character of cartoon. They sometime lose their anger and shouted, which make realized after reading articles.
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Finally pediatrician and government should encourage the media literacy will critically projected the health and harmful effect of television on children. Pakistan pediatric association should focus and encourage the society on the harmful effects health and society. Parents should keep eye on their children that do not watching television more than 1 to 2 hours a day. Parents should role model for the children and their future achievements. There are several effective ways to teach your children to be media-wise. This awareness should be given on primary care level in communities and also give awareness session in schools to enhance this new arising burning issue. This awareness should be given on primary care level in communities and also give awareness session in schools to enhance this new arising burning issue. In addition there has to include in their curriculum that they are going to media wise and used some strategies to overcome these problems. The government should design some policy for cable owners to band such violation on media.