There are millions of young children in this country who are being terribly mistreated by their parents.
These parents aren't physically abusing their young children, and they may not even know that they're mistreating them.
The mistreatment?
Millions of kids under the age of two are watching TV in this country. In fact, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation of over 1,000 parents, about 65% of kids under age two are watching TV, and they're averaging over two hours of watching a day.
They're watching even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV for kids under age two. They're watching even though this is a crucial period for their cognitive development, at an age when their brains are still being formed.
And the news for these kids just got worse.
Scientists at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Seattle who studied over 2,500 children found a link between early TV watching and attention problems at a later age.
Specifically, the chances of one and three-year-old kids developing attention problems at age seven increased by 10% for every hour of TV watched each day.
The information from these two studies creates a chilling picture of what's happening to millions of toddlers in this country. It's unfair, immoral, and unjust, and it needs to be addressed.
But you won't see an outcry from the mass media giants in this country. You see, we live in the country where "Why TV is Good for Kids" appeared as the cover story in Newsweek Magazine in 2002. The same Newsweek Magazine that's owned by the Washington Post Company, which owns a sprawling cable company and six broadcast stations around the country.
No, you won't hear too much about these important studies from the Time-Warners of the world. Bad for business, you see.
But if you're the parent of a young child, you need to know this information.
There are about nine million children who take prescription medication for ADHD in this country. The number of kids who take ADHD medication has been doubling every two years. And while TV certainly isn't the culprit in all of these cases, the link between the number of attention problems and the amount of TV watched is undeniable.
The days of the "harmless" argument for TV and kids needs to be put to rest. Parents need to be educated about the very real possibility of causing future attention problems with their kids.
And young kids across this country need to be given a fighting chance.
Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC, coaches busy parents by phone to balance their life and improve their family relationships. For a FREE twenty minute sample session by phone; ebooks, courses, articles, and a FREE newsletter, go to http://www.markbrandenburg.com. or email him at http://www.markbrandenburg.com..
car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareChildren explore the world around them and learn through pretend... Read More
Congratulations on your new baby! You have just brought your... Read More
After giving up my profession to become a wife, a... Read More
Strollers offer a wonderful and convenient service to parents and... Read More
Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell... Read More
Former students would probably attest to the fact that few... Read More
The following spelling games can be used by parents to... Read More
If you ever walk through an orphanage, it will be... Read More
Is your baby approaching his or her first birthday and... Read More
Every week I write something about the stock market -... Read More
You know that children can get into trouble. The older... Read More
In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we... Read More
The subject of competition is one that provokes some pretty... Read More
Maryann is so focused she's blind. She's slipped over the... Read More
Q: Our son has been in honors classes all through... Read More
Q. With the school year just beginning, what can we... Read More
Lead is one of the most dangerous toxins a person... Read More
The children of Baby Boomers, the Echo Generation, are entering... Read More
"I took care of Callie," my three-year-old announced.Callie had been... Read More
The big yellow school bus is coming down my road... Read More
A tall, weary-looking mother with glasses, walked into my counseling... Read More
When you hear the phrase, 'guerrilla parenting techniques', what images... Read More
Your child's leadership skills begin at the family dinner table.... Read More
A common problem many times facing parents is Colic. Estimates... Read More
I could nearly fund my children's future education if I... Read More
Granger limo Chicago ..Suppose that you rearrange your life to homeschool your child... Read More
When my firstborn arrived into this serene and peaceful household,... Read More
At the ADHD Information Library we are big believers that... Read More
When you think about it, probably the one thing that... Read More
Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born. Visions of her... Read More
I am writing this from the beautiful mountains of Western... Read More
1. Create... Read More
Here are fourteen spontaneous time-outs, specially designed to help you... Read More
There is no doubt that the benefits of being a... Read More
The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all... Read More
Vacations are fun ! Weekends with the family are nice.... Read More
This is the third and final article in a series... Read More
Once the newness has worn off a little, you will... Read More
Being a parent is a role that requires a large... Read More
When my oldest boy was really young, he tickled my... Read More
Grandparents, what better way to stay close to your grown... Read More
What would it be like to have a clone? What... Read More
Why are more people, especially parents not outraged?I call it... Read More
A certain educator was once asked at what point should... Read More
Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of... Read More
Those of you that have children know what an excursion... Read More
What's in a name? Er?well, everything, really! Of course your... Read More
Q. My teenage son is turning 16 early next year... Read More
It is extraordinary times that we find ourselves in. Change... Read More
Parenting |