Pros/Cons of media for older kids

[Jean in Newcastle]

I've heard and read a lot about the benefits of limiting or even eliminating computer/t.v./video/gaming media for younger children. But how about for tweens or teens? Are there pros and cons for limiting or even eliminating those kinds of entertainment for them?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Well, my kids are still little, but I think my teen niece and nephew could use some time away from their media. Dniece is ALWAYS texting someone on her cell phone. Dnephew has his face permanently in a DS or some other video game. They used to be fun and interesting kids, but now it's a miracle if they look up at you while you're talking to them.

[EthiopianFood]

I don't know that studies show this or not, but I think media as entertainment makes other types of entertainment boring in comparison. Think of how many kids are miserable unless there is a tv or gaming system available?

[Peela]

As fas as I am concerned it is unquestionable that everyone needs a balance in their lives and time doing things other than electronic entertainment, whether its teenagers or adults. Teens (and adults) need time outside, doing physical activity, they need to develop their persons in many directions- socially, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually etc. I feel that too much technological entertainment narrows these potentials. It does, at the same time, open up wonderufl potentials in other directions- such as socially, and also creatively (my dd is a whizz with Photoshop and other media programs), but of course there should be balance.

 

I find that computer , PS games etc, are addictive and it is a rare child, teenager OR ADULT who can easily and effortlessly monitor and manage their own use of these things without some serious self discipline and often outside help. For adults, our desire to spend time with our kids and put food on the table act as natural moderators- and we can recognise out own patterns and hopefully kick ourselves in the butt enough to not get too addicted. For our kids, it may not be so easy to self monitor and self moderate. I know my two kids would spend all day some days on electronics, if allowed to. I set boundaries for them because they appear unable to set their own, quite often. Sometimes they will just go off any do something else, but really, not much else except socialising in real life, is exciting enough to get my teens off their electronics. At least they have good social lives so there is a good balance. And they have me..to make them get off their butts and their electronics and DO SOMETHING ELSE for a while.

 

When we were kids..it was the TV. Now, it is so much more! Yes, I think there ae benefits to these things...however, its a slippery slope and I am not sure if it is ultimately more beneficial to go outside and dream in the sunshine, build things, paint, ride bikes etc as predominant forms of entertainment.

 

However, I think the electronic entertainment is here to stay, so we are trying to find a way with it that is healthy and at the same time allows the kids to reap the benefits. Particularly as homeschoolers, - dh and I dont easily restrict their social time online because many days, it is their own social time with kids their own age.

[helena]

We have always limited media, but I have definitely seen some cool stuff come from it. I love the way my kids have been comedically influenced by the handful of SNL clips they've seen. It's like they absorbed the timing, expressions, everything! When I first showed some to them, my 11 yo turned to me and said "So..when we go to bed you like to watch funny stuff like this?" it had never dawned on her that we would want to sit in front of a screen and laugh our behinds off at something so insanely ridiculous.

 

They're also always commenting on the mood of movies now. I think Miyazaki movies were a maturing cross over for them. They understood that the music, the pace, etc was so powerful and emotional. They started looking deeper into movies and the various ways they can move you.

 

Anyways, I guess what I'm saying is for us movies are just as valid as any other art. The more they mature, the deeper their insight. I love seeing that develop.

 

Computer (as entertainment) and video games are kind of a non issue around here, I plan on keeping it that way.

 

Our way of handling media probably works so well because my kids have little to no hunger for it. If I had kids that were burning for those types of things I'd probably be a little more open.

 

If I had boys I would worry a bit about p*rn and violent video games, that just seems so prevalent and ugly. I mean if grown men can't control themselves, how can boys be expected to resist the temptation. A boy can google any messed up thing and find it. The world is just way to nasty to let them loose. Searching the internet is way different than finding your dad's magazines in 1979.

[amy g.]

For me, it depends on the TYPE of media.

 

I want my children to have the ability to really listen to their own hearts and to God and do what what they are meant to do with their own lives. I believe that will be easier for them to achieve if they have not been exposed to a bunch of commercials and pop culture telling them they should be something else.

 

We do not allow any TV at all. I do not want my daughters believing that their worth is based on how they look or my son to believe his is based on how much he earns. They can watch some movies, but I'm still strict that about it if the movie is sexist, not so much about just language or nudity or blood.

 

On the other hand, my son probably listened to 6 hours of technology podcasts and Dragnet radio dramas while he was cleaning house yesterday. He is staying with my sister next week, and will probably spend most of his time on his computer working on an open source computer game.

 

My 15 year old checks FB and email twice a day, and loves using Wikipedia for additional information when she is writing papers. That's it for her media usage.

 

Both of my teens have home businesses. That means they need media for research and advertising. It also means they can not waste the day goofing off, or they won't make any money.

 

We have family activities on the weekends, and school year 'round, so they don't have tons of free time once their daily chores are finished which naturally limits their media consumption.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I think there is a lot of benefit to limiting (or eliminating) them at ANY age, myself included. However, I also believe there is a good deal of benefit in allowing teens to work out what those limits (or elminations) are for themselves.

[MIch elle]

As fas as I am concerned it is unquestionable that everyone needs a balance in their lives and time doing things other than electronic entertainment, whether its teenagers or adults. Teens (and adults) need time outside, doing physical activity, they need to develop their persons in many directions- socially, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually etc. I feel that too much technological entertainment narrows these potentials. It does, at the same time, open up wonderufl potentials in other directions- such as socially, and also creatively (my dd is a whizz with Photoshop and other media programs), but of course there should be balance.

 

I find that computer , PS games etc, are addictive and it is a rare child, teenager OR ADULT who can easily and effortlessly monitor and manage their own use of these things without some serious self discipline and often outside help. For adults, our desire to spend time with our kids and put food on the table act as natural moderators- and we can recognise out own patterns and hopefully kick ourselves in the butt enough to not get too addicted. For our kids, it may not be so easy to self monitor and self moderate. I know my two kids would spend all day some days on electronics, if allowed to. I set boundaries for them because they appear unable to set their own, quite often. Sometimes they will just go off any do something else, but really, not much else except socialising in real life, is exciting enough to get my teens off their electronics. At least they have good social lives so there is a good balance. And they have me..to make them get off their butts and their electronics and DO SOMETHING ELSE for a while.

 

When we were kids..it was the TV. Now, it is so much more! Yes, I think there ae benefits to these things...however, its a slippery slope and I am not sure if it is ultimately more beneficial to go outside and dream in the sunshine, build things, paint, ride bikes etc as predominant forms of entertainment.

 

However, I think the electronic entertainment is here to stay, so we are trying to find a way with it that is healthy and at the same time allows the kids to reap the benefits. Particularly as homeschoolers, - dh and I dont easily restrict their social time online because many days, it is their own social time with kids their own age.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[lllll]

..

[Lolly]

I can tell you some of the pros that I have seen in my kids.

 

1. Their spelling improves. Not sure why.

 

2. They keep up on current events. Yahoo news. Mine spend quite a bit of time reading news clips. They don't just read about the tabloid stuff either. We've had a lot of good discussions during our many car rides to swim practice based on news articles they have read.

 

3. It gives them something to talk about with their friends. You might roll your eyes on this one, but it is actually huge. It can be hard to connect with ps kids sometimes. This gives a little common ground.

 

4. I'm reading a book where the main character discovers the library and that he can LEARN something from a book. This has been the internet for my kids. They can go online and learn all sorts of things. How to do art techniques. How to mod a game controller. How to cut hair properly. What make-up is best for photo shoots. All kinds of things that are important to them. Things that, quite honestly, our library most likely doesn't have books covering. Or, if they do the information in them is outdated.

 

5. My artistic dd's have found a community where they can publish their work and get feedback and advice on how to improve.

 

 

 

Cons.

 

Honestly, this has only been with ds. He tends to get really hooked on xbox games. But, that has really been the only negative.

 

Honestly, overall, the technological age has been a tremendous blessing to our family.

[IsabelC]

Our approach is to try and limit things very strictly to begin with, but with an eye to handing more and more control over to the kids as they get older. We're hoping that if we model moderation and fussiness about what we watch, read or play on the screen as well as teaching them about media, that they won't go too mad with it later on. I think that for a 4yo, it is a reasonable choice to ban or heavily limit electronic entertainment, because at that stage of brain development it is far more important for children to play, talk and learn by interacting with the real world and real life people. Also it has been proven that most young children are not able to make a reasonable judgment about what is objective information, what is propaganda and what is advertising (OK so some adults can't either, but that is 'a whole nother' post!). However for a 14yo, the cons are so much reduced that the pros come into play, so to speak. JMO.

 

ETA - my eldest child is turning 7 soon. We have just started letting him play Timez Attack, and we will soon start a gentle introduction to television with some nature documentaries to tie in with what he's learning about animals. The younger kids are not officially allowed any screen time yet, although they do get a small amount of unavoidable exposure when they see their parents and brother using the computer. (We're not that fanatical about it.)

Edited May 29, 2010 by Hotdrink

[fivetails]

I can tell you some of the pros that I have seen in my kids.

 

1. Their spelling improves. Not sure why.

<snip>

 

 

Haha - Everyone talks about how kids have terrible spelling skills today because of texting (all the short form stuff).. my dd13's spelling actually IMPROVED when she started using my old BB Pearl (which is now hers) to text people, because it has that Suretype technology - if you didn't spell a word properly or tried using text-speak, it got confused. :laugh:

 

Trying to type "hay wut R U doing 2nite?" gave it fits and took forever. It was much easier & quicker to type "Hey, what are you doing tonight?" ;)