There are millions of young children in this country who are being terribly mistreated by their parents.
These parents aren't physically abusing their young children, and they may not even know that they're mistreating them.
The mistreatment?
Millions of kids under the age of two are watching TV in this country. In fact, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation of over 1,000 parents, about 65% of kids under age two are watching TV, and they're averaging over two hours of watching a day.
They're watching even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV for kids under age two. They're watching even though this is a crucial period for their cognitive development, at an age when their brains are still being formed.
And the news for these kids just got worse.
Scientists at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Seattle who studied over 2,500 children found a link between early TV watching and attention problems at a later age.
Specifically, the chances of one and three-year-old kids developing attention problems at age seven increased by 10% for every hour of TV watched each day.
The information from these two studies creates a chilling picture of what's happening to millions of toddlers in this country. It's unfair, immoral, and unjust, and it needs to be addressed.
But you won't see an outcry from the mass media giants in this country. You see, we live in the country where "Why TV is Good for Kids" appeared as the cover story in Newsweek Magazine in 2002. The same Newsweek Magazine that's owned by the Washington Post Company, which owns a sprawling cable company and six broadcast stations around the country.
No, you won't hear too much about these important studies from the Time-Warners of the world. Bad for business, you see.
But if you're the parent of a young child, you need to know this information.
There are about nine million children who take prescription medication for ADHD in this country. The number of kids who take ADHD medication has been doubling every two years. And while TV certainly isn't the culprit in all of these cases, the link between the number of attention problems and the amount of TV watched is undeniable.
The days of the "harmless" argument for TV and kids needs to be put to rest. Parents need to be educated about the very real possibility of causing future attention problems with their kids.
And young kids across this country need to be given a fighting chance.
Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC, coaches busy parents by phone to balance their life and improve their family relationships. For a FREE twenty minute sample session by phone; ebooks, courses, articles, and a FREE newsletter, go to http://www.markbrandenburg.com. or email him at http://www.markbrandenburg.com..
experienced cleaning professionals Mundelein ...Vouchers, which give tax money to parents to pay for... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
Back to school preparations are in full-swing. Soon, the first... Read More
Child Car Seat Safety:We know you love your children, but... Read More
When I was pregnant, we knew that we had some... Read More
The law of -ing.The law of -ing refers to a... Read More
We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how... Read More
Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists C. Shawn Green... Read More
All of us, including your child, entered this world equipped... Read More
Most of us can agree that there is a lack... Read More
Life is funny.My twenty-year-old daughter, Melanie, has a her new... Read More
The word no is probably the most overused word in... Read More
Discipline is a necessary part of parenting yet it makes... Read More
Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters'... Read More
"I don't know and I don't care."I've heard those words... Read More
In stepfamilies, big holiday expectations can lead to big disappointment--and... Read More
We begin forming healthy habits at a young age. With... Read More
'I felt great until I walked into the classroom -... Read More
Sometimes dreams really can come true! May 8th - 11th,... Read More
Before my daughter was born my house was... Read More
I know as a single parent or even with 2... Read More
Although many children are picky eaters at some stage in... Read More
I am writing this from the beautiful mountains of Western... Read More
Is Homework Really That Important?Dear Friends,I no longer teach in... Read More
When we talk about attention, we are talking about two... Read More
personalized cleaning services Glenview ...Spending quality time with your children doesn't need to cost... Read More
'I felt great until I walked into the classroom -... Read More
When I was pregnant, we knew that we had some... Read More
Researching career education uncovered the following shocking statistic: The average... Read More
There is nothing pleasant about failure, at least not at... Read More
I recently heard a story that has literally changed the... Read More
Does music need to be "dumbed-down" for kids? The answer... Read More
Imagine a child who lacks ownership of his own life,... Read More
To have reasonable expectations of our children is an important... Read More
The following spelling games can be used by parents to... Read More
Potty training fears, often called toilet terrors, are common among... Read More
The Theme from MASHI flipped the button on the remote... Read More
So you're pregnant. Congratulations! Your life is about to change... Read More
Would you hand a child calculus problems once she was... Read More
Valentine day has always been a special day in my... Read More
Do you praise your child when he fulfils a basic... Read More
Most people with children want to be good parents. The... Read More
We need a grass roots campaign targeted towards parents to... Read More
Not too long ago my teenage daughter approached me with... Read More
Every summer our daughter goes to summer camp. She looks... Read More
Did you know that you are the most important person... Read More
What Children Look for in a Friend?Is this child fun... Read More
It used to strike me as odd - but really,... Read More
Information is gold when you are adopted. Every tiny piece... Read More
"It takes a village to raise a child" is more... Read More
Parenting |