According to a study by the Federal Trade Commision, 65% of children ages 8 and under watch TV at least once a day or more. Of those children, most reported to watch more than two hours a day. The same study goes on to say that excessive TV time, especially in those below 10, can be directly linked to behavioral issues.
“In the past decade or so, I’ve definitely noticed more children throwing tantrums after being separated from devices, and an overall increase of harmful behavior,” preschool teacher Mary Osborn said.
For children 12 and above, controlled television has proven to show minimal harm. However, in children 3 and under, each additional hour of daily screen time increases their chances of developing attention problems, primarily ADHD, by 10 percent, according to the National Library of Medicine.
“For children below toddler age, which is zero to four, they should be exposed to absolutely no screens. Child entertainment should be strictly books, toys, and playtime,” child psychologist Dr. Laurie Darling said.
Despite this, television continues to dominate children’s screen time. The average child spends about double the time watching TV than reading, playing video games, or listening to music, says the same study by the National Library of Medicine.
“What your children watch is about as important as how much time your child spends watching it. For example, fast-paced shows like SpongeBob or other cartoons have been shown to greatly hinder children’s impulse control and creativity. The fast-paced constant stimulation can greatly affect children,” Dr. Darling said.
A study in 2011 published by the National Academy of Sciences collected three sets of children. One group watched Spongebob, one drew, and the third watched PBS Kids. Afterward, the researchers had them perform a series of tasks, and the Spongebob group did notably worse than the other two.
“Working with young children has never been particularly easy, but in recent years it has become worse. I see more and more children with little to no control or aren’t used to being said no to. Of course, this is still a small amount of my classes, but it’s a notable difference. I can’t help but notice that these same children are those that say they watch the most TV,” Osborn said.
Finding high-quality children’s TV isn’t particularly challenging, but finding poor quality television is even easier. Most parents are already stressed with their jobs and kids, and everything else going on in their life. It’s become far too easy to turn on whatever your kid likes and let them watch it. However, this can have dire consequences.
“While it’s still too new to say, I think it doesn’t take a genius to see that shows like Cocomelon or those YouTube compilations are not good for your kids. They don’t provoke any thought, don’t teach your children anything, don’t promote good morals, and all around point to executive dysfunction,” child development professor Dr. Paul Hart said.
While there are no studies showing how TV shows like these affect children, parents and teachers are starting to see children genuinely addicted to them, experiencing symptoms almost similar to withdrawal symptoms, manifesting in displays of not only tantrums but genuine heartbreak and terror.
“I can hardly go a day without one of my students begging me to play one of their YouTube shows, and every time I refuse they either break out into tears or start acting out in hopes of getting their way,” said Osborn. “I’m legally not allowed to do that, we are only allowed to show things approved by the board. It used to break my heart, but I’m now starting to see why.”
Mary Osborn emphasizes to every parent the importance of showing quality television to your children, even when they’re very young.
“Recently, children’s shows are starting to come to a fork in the road,” Hart said. “I get it can be difficult, but the first years of your child’s life are incredibly important. It really makes a difference to look online, look at studies, and find the best one for your child.”
