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..
recurring cleaning service Wilmette ..Salon visits can be scary experiences for small children: They... Read More
How well do you really know your child?There is so... Read More
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Results of the Spanking Poll on Rexanne.com: Voters - 233Percentage... Read More
Q. How do I overcome the 16-year-old who does things... Read More
I look out of the window as I am writing... Read More
"What age should my child start school?"This is a common... Read More
A certain educator was once asked at what point should... Read More
Have you ever watched your teenager make a mistake (that... Read More
Gift shops are a kid magnet and often a trip... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
Choosing to leave your child with a caregiver is one... Read More
Not all parents subscribe to the notion of "tough love,"... Read More
As Mother's Day approaches I would like to give a... Read More
My thirteen-year-old daughter recently called me up to say she... Read More
Minus all meningitis thoughts. The flu symptons were strong. Headache,... Read More
Depending on where you live school will be starting this... Read More
In today's busy world, many parents have lost the art... Read More
Oh yes you have! Suddenly, "Where's Bobby?" You instantly realize... Read More
Working with adults (as well as children and teens) for... Read More
The last decade has seen heightened interest in and awareness... Read More
For troubled teens who are struggling with drug abuse, depression... Read More
There are few thoughts as terrifying as the abduction of... Read More
Wooden toys are one of the best alternatives for the... Read More
Family decision-making is an intriguing phenomenon. Many factors become part... Read More
Article based on a friend's experienceI just wanted to share... Read More
reliable maid service Morton Grove ..In his recent newsletter "Happy Kids", parenting expert Michael Grose... Read More
Do you ever wonder what is behind the occasional nasty... Read More
Many children enjoy TV, and they can learn from it.... Read More
If your child or teen has been diagnosed with Attention... Read More
Child Safety Restraints and children in work vehiclesIf you take... Read More
This time, I would like to talk about a subject... Read More
When my son was 18 (and had finished school), he... Read More
Every year over one million parents have to talk to... Read More
Bullies are an ugly but very real part of childhood.... Read More
Loving your step-child can be both simple and hard. It... Read More
For any parent, learning that a convicted sex offender lives... Read More
Predicament:My son is 4 1/2 years old. His younger brother... Read More
There are software programs that you can purchase to keep... Read More
Saturday mornings. Cold cereal and Scooby Doo. How many parents... Read More
I have three children, ages 19 and 16 (yes, the... Read More
In the first premise, some films and video tapes which... Read More
When planning a child birthday party, just a little bit... Read More
Uh oh.Your kids arrive home with their school reports and... Read More
This past holiday season Canadians spent over $45 billion-with parents... Read More
As parents, we love our children and want to do... Read More
As a parent there are lots of things that you... Read More
The public school system in America has become a dismal... Read More
When David was nine and Laura was twelve, the battles... Read More
Wooden toys are one of the best alternatives for the... Read More
As the new school year begins, parents play a pivotal... Read More
Parenting |