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..
apartment cleaning near Highland Park ..Hints from Ruowen Wang? Keep a small basket filled with... Read More
When my firstborn arrived into this serene and peaceful household,... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
Home schooling. What is it? What does it mean to... Read More
Every week I write something about the stock market -... Read More
Dear friends here we will charge up our mind with... Read More
I have always been aware of my number one weakness:... Read More
Economist John Kenneth Galbraith has said that more people die... Read More
At the ADHD Information Library we are big believers that... Read More
As a step daughter and step grand daughter, I followed... Read More
Words are truly powerful things. They are something that becomes... Read More
Thank you for all that you do in the classroom!... Read More
Hey Parents! I hate to tell you, but there is... Read More
Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent more than the... Read More
The first year of a child's life is the most... Read More
1. Create... Read More
The Theme from MASHI flipped the button on the remote... Read More
Most people have more training before they receive their driver's... Read More
Below is a copy of our eating program for Attention... Read More
How on earth can you help your family cope with... Read More
There is nothing quite like hiking with small children. The... Read More
Being a single mother is no easy task. I know.... Read More
Many parents would like to homeschool their children but are... Read More
Q. We just got our daughter's progress report, and it... Read More
I could nearly fund my children's future education if I... Read More
cleaning lady near Arlington Heights ..Not so long ago a dad-to-be would pace up and... Read More
Each child carries a unique picture of the self, shaped... Read More
Levels of SafetyBy teaching our children there are different levels... Read More
1. They are leaders as well as parents. They don't... Read More
It is so important to create an environment that promotes... Read More
First there were Yuppies (Young Urban Professionals). Then came the... Read More
Before going further into choosing computers for children, I believe... Read More
The first year of a child's life is the most... Read More
A friend phoned her neighbor, complaining about the wafts of... Read More
Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down... Read More
Are you glad for the chance to put your child... Read More
Research has shown that the present generation of children worldwide... Read More
As a mom of 4 who's youngest child is about... Read More
In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we... Read More
Checking accounts are an absolute necessity these days. You can... Read More
1. Encourage Questions.Don't answer every question, instead ask what do... Read More
Jason Meridith's two-year old son whines when he wants more... Read More
At first I thought of titling this article "The Lazy... Read More
One of my first memories of childhood is that of... Read More
Coping with a child's bad behavior, perhaps more than any... Read More
This year alone, 1,600 teenagers aged 15 to 19 will... Read More
Here in Kansas, where we live, the leaves are turning... Read More
Emotional OverloadMany single parents say they deal with a variety... Read More
Because most teens have not had the experience of getting... Read More
My name is Duncan and I'm 2 years old. I... Read More
Parenting |