Some people say that what children watch influences their behavior. Others believe the amount of time they spend on television influences their behavior most. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

While it is true that watching
TV
affects
children
, it is difficult to determine whether it is the content of the programs or the length of
time
spent watching them that has a more significant impact on
children
. It seems to me that
although
the amount of
time
does affect youngsters, it is the content of the programs that has a more marked influence on them. On the one hand, the consequences of watching
TV
for long periods of
time
can be deleterious.
Firstly
, the longer
children
are exposed to
TV
programs, the more likely it is for them to become addicted to watching television. When
children
become over-reliant on television for entertainment, they might neglect engagement in outdoor activities.
This
may result in a sedentary lifestyle
that is
highly detrimental to their physical health. More importantly, excessive
TV
watching impairs
children
’s communication abilities, so they find it hard to play or live in harmony with others.
As a result
,
children
would feel discouraged from having real interactions with people around them if they spent a huge amount of
time
in front of the screen, which may hinder their development of social skills.
On the other hand
, it is the broadcasted images that have the most direct effects on young viewers.
Firstly
, in most countries the majority of
TV
shows present glamorized depictions of inappropriate materials
such
as violence, drug abuse or casual sex,
thus
youngsters may adopt unhealthy habits and improper
behavior
Change the spelling
behaviour
show examples
.
For example
, they might fall under the impression that the use of alcoholic drinks is fashionable without being aware of the health risks they carry and later end up consuming these substances.
Besides
, in our modern consumer society, commercials
also
affect how
children
behave. Unwary young viewers could be easily swayed by captivating advertisements for junk food or video games, products whose target audience includes
children
, and so may pester their parents to buy these goods impulsively. In conclusion,
although
both factors have their own implications, I believe the element with more considerable impacts on
children
is the content.
Hence
, parental involvement is essential in controlling
children
’s
TV
viewing habits and in shaping a child’s values to help them enter adult life with a healthy mind.
Submitted by zere.lepessova on

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • influence
  • behavior
  • television
  • content
  • violent
  • inappropriate
  • aggressive
  • attitudes
  • imitate
  • actions
  • language
  • amount
  • time
  • screen time
  • sedentary
  • obesity
  • academic performance
  • exposure
  • social interactions
  • creativity
  • monitor
  • control
  • caregivers
  • parents
  • limit
  • engage
  • activities
  • opinion
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