Childhood inactivity: are television and video games to blame?
Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
We live in the age of technology. On all of our devices: computers, laptops, hand-held gaming devices, smart phones, tablets and game consoles we can play games, watch movies, television shows and listen to music.
When I was a kid, (back in the 80′s) we had cable television; I remember enjoying Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and PBS. I had my television-watching times just like any other kid. I didn’t have video games but only because the gaming industry was fairly new and the internet? Well, that was non-existent at the time. Regardless, when I was a kid, what I really wanted was to be outside and play with my friends or ride my bike from sun up to sun down.
That was back then…
Now, we have more cable shows than I personally could have ever imagined when I was a kid. We have more technology devices that keep us tuned in to some things and tuned out to others. My oldest son got a 3DS for Christmas 2011. My husband and I had to make a rule stating that he is not allowed to play his DS before school (because he’ll lollygag upon getting dressed) and that he can only play it once his homework is done, after school.
With that being said — how much is too much when it comes to video games and technology? Can we solely blame McDonald’s or the preprocessed food industry for the obesity/ inactivity epidemic in the United States? Does some of the blame belong to the sedentary lifestyle we have some how come to adopt as a society?
Case in point, a few months ago I brought my youngest son in for his well-child visit. The doctor was amazed at how healthy he was and “on point” weight wise. He said that most kids are somewhat overweight and that parents need to actually push their children to do intentional activity for an hour a day. It never used to be that way.
As a parent, I am worried about something bad happening to my children while they are out of my sight. It seems that there are more creepers out there today than there ever used to be. As a result, I feel much safer when they are within my line of sight. With that said, I find myself advocating that my kids go outside and play anywhere other than the safety of our fenced in backyard. Maybe i’m not the only parent who feels this way?
Fellow parents, chime in: what do you think about television and video games? How do they fit into your kid’s lives?
Parenting 101
Childhood inactivity: are television and video games to blame?
Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net We live in the age of technology. On all of our devices: computers, laptops, hand-held gaming devices, smart phones, tablets and game consoles we can play games, watch movies, television shows and listen to music. When I was a kid, (back in the 80′s) we had cable television; I remember [...]
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