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

While it is true that watching

television

affects

children

's behaviour, there is still a controversy over whether the content of the programs or the length of

time

spent watching these programs has a more significant influence.

Although

the amount of

time

does affect youngsters, I do believe that it is the content that has a more marked significant influence on them. On the one hand, watching

television

for a long period of

time

does have a detrimental effect on youngsters.

Firstly

, the longer the

children

are exposed to

television

, the more likely it is for them to become addicted to watching

television

.

This

might result in their neglecting outdoor activities

such

as playing football or running, which leads to a sedentary lifestyle

that is

highly harmful to their physical condition.

Secondly

, excessive TV watching impairs

children

’s communication abilities, so they find it hard to play or live in harmony with others.

Children

would feel discouraged from having real interactions with people around them if they spent too much

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 effect on

children

.

First

, 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 behaviour.

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, though both factors have their own implications, I believe the element with the more considerable impact 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.