# Kids and TV



## OldFashionedGirl (Jul 21, 2013)

The program from kids are lacking content. Programs directed to kids, treated them like no thinking zombies. In spain there was a program who teached the kids about classical music, culture, art, etc. They teach them to think. We don't see this kind of programs these days. A lot of programs for kids are really dumb. For me a TV has never to replace a book in the education of a child, but if a kid will watch TV, is better for them to watch quality programs. This kids are the future. What do you think about this?


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Several children's television shows today are mere marketing ploys, and certainly not too intelligent; but I can't say I don't see any virtues in them. What I see in those shows, and consequently in the children that watch it, is true enthusiasm and wonder. The world the characters inhabit inspire them; and often they want to go outside to emulate it. Mencken stated that what he admired most in the world was craftsmanship, but I have no such lofty ideals: for me it is enthusiasm, and at the very least these shows give much of it.

That is a great difference when compared to much of television produced for teenagers and adults, which are often but a neat way of draining away time. I surely should add that I detest television, and have not turned to a channel in nearly three years. Television is the surest way for a bored, inactive teenager to avoid cultivating himself; for an unhappily married couple to waste away the remaining years of their life; for parents who hate their family to remove themselves from that awful reality for a few more hours; for unambitious philanderers or bachelors to spend their time alone without undue sorrow - in brief, it is the most effective way to speed up the process of time. Children's shows I don't mind, but to cultivate the habit of watching television early is certainly dangerous.

My parents have long been addicted to television. The message I send them is clear: when they put on the television, I leave the room. I can simply converse, or participate in some other, two-sided event; but I will not sit there as they watch television to share occasional comments. Nevertheless my parents invariably have the television on when they're home. After talking for a brief while they will apologize but say they'd rather watch television anyway. _That_ message is also a clear one.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Who needs TV anyway when you can find pretty much everything online, and you can have the freedom to choose what you want to watch and when, instead of passively consuming whatever the government (in case of state-owned TV) wants to feed you? 

As for kids and TV, I don't own a TV set, and I would not get one for them to watch. There is nothing useful on there anyway, and even if there is a good program or two, it is nothing compared to the endless stream of smut and advertising. There are so many things a good parent can do for and together with her kids instead of landing them in front of TV and allowing them to draw their ideas about life from it. I would show them DVDs of good movies, cartoons and educational programs, but I would also encourage them to read books and engage in physical activities (sport or simply playing outside) more than spend their time in front of a screen.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

I don't remember it being an awful lot better for children in the 1960s when I was a kid - OK, for my generation, wearing rose-tinted nostalgic glasses, we can hum and smile, but you can have a look for yourself on you-tube - Woodentops, Andy Pandy, Bill and Ben, the Pogles ...... that dreadful BBC accent .... I'd much sooner have Sponge Bob anyday!


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

There is too much TV for children, far too many channels and far too much chaff ... in fact there's too much TV for us all BUT children are more prone to get 'glued to their sets' which makes the whole multi-channel thing like drug to them. 

In 'the good old days' we had a single channel in the UK which stopped broadcasting at midnight and the national anthem 'played it out', ahead of a diminishing white dot 'finishing the broadcast', whilst some people actually stood up in their own homes as this played back then. A second channel of 'commercially breaked', initially 'more rubbishy', stuff had joined this when I was a small child followed by a 'minimalist' channel around the time I started school and a second 'commercial' one by the time I was in my teens. 

When I first went to 'The States', as teenager, I was stunned by the 24/7 'loadsa channels' culture and a capability of watching 'I love Lucy' 24/7. 

In the late 90's Sky invaded and by the 'noughties' Digital TV saw everyone with a bundle of channels many of which were 24/7 along with 24/7 shopping etc etc not to mention the internet 'killing libraries' etc etc etc.

As most children have TVs in their rooms these days 'policing' what is watched is harder ... 'save the children' someone, anyone, everyone.


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

I enjoy Shaun the Sheep. :lol:


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I think children's programmes are often much better today than they were in the 50s & 60s. That is part of the problem - they must be very addictive & what with that & the computer, it's no wonder children don't read. There are also some very trashy programmes today, though, which foster shallow values & a lack of concentration. 

Good thread. :tiphat:

One of the saving graces of TV in my childhood is that it wasn't on for much of the day. There was a slot for 'Watch with Mother' in the early afternoon, and then 'Children's Hour' from five till six, which often featured the 'improving' Blue Peter. 

But of course there were lots of adult programmes that children could watch then, such as The Man from Uncle, the Dick Van **** Show, & endless Western series - oh, hang on, did I say 'adult' programmes?


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I think letting toddlers watch television should be regarded as irresponsible as letting them inhale your cigarette smoke.

However, I must admit I had a television of my own pretty early on. I must have been nine years old or something. (Oh and my parents were smokers, too.)

But there is a positive thing about television in general, which is this: while flipping channels, you can come across things by chance that might spark an interest. With the internet, one usually has to look for things to find them. When I was a young teenager, I had no internet connection, DVDs didn't exist yet, and I had no money to spend on video tapes. But thanks to television, I got to know a couple of classic Kubrick films, which made a profound impression on me (and also, in a way, laid the foundation for my interest in classical music).

But as far as childen, say, between 1 and 6 years old, I'd keep them away from television as much as possible. Between 6 and 10, I'd let them watch with their parents, but not on their own. From then on, peer pressure will become impossible to resist.

If all children's programs were like Sesame Street, of which I have the fondest memories, I'd perhaps see it differently.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

Difficult subject. Personally I pretty much dislike television, except for some BBC2 programmes and the occasional movie.
I agree with Andreas to keep young children away from teevee as much as possible. Television on; child off. 
When our children were young we restricted and guided their televisiontime, now they are teenagers and watch programmes I really can't bear to see. Thank God they don't watch tv all day and we have a separate room in our house for television so I can play my records in the livingroom undisturbed. Obviously my children think their dad is a bit weird, no teevee but lots of classical music on these strange big black discs....
My second daughter started again on the piano the last few weeks !! Hurray, not all is lost!!

Cheers,
Jos


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

My antipathy for television still stands, but I did want to add that, between, say, ages 6 to 10, it inspired a great many things in me which I think not at all negative. The shows intrigued, inspired and captivated me in ways that literature, cinema and music do today. I loved watching my favorite shows with friends, and afterwards we'd often go outside for hours to reenact them. One of those shows taught me English single-handedly, because it did not air on Dutch television: I sought for it online, and started watching even though I couldn't comprehend a word. By the time I had gone through the 100 or so episodes, I could understand everything the characters were saying. 

Just make sure, make absolutely sure, these kids are not watching it as a way to simply pass time when they are bored; they have to actively crave it, not look for it as a lost resort to spent time.


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## Katie (Dec 13, 2013)

OldFashionedGirl said:


> In spain there was a program that taught kids about classical music, culture, art, etc.


We had that growing up in the Good Ole' US of A, too!!!











And this one must surely make the Liszt...


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## OldFashionedGirl (Jul 21, 2013)

I feel although some people says otherwise, today there are few good programs for kids. Many of them are plain stupid. My generation was the last generation who watched intelligent kids programs, like old nickelodeon cartoons like Hey Arnold!, Rocko's modern life, Ginger and Doug. All great cartoons, with well developed stories, well developed characters, references to cultural issues and some of them contained satires on society. In Hey Arnold! is when I discovered opera for the first time. Now you tune that channel, and the programs are lacking in content. It transmits a lot of stupid programs for pre-teenagers, in a MTV style, but more suited to a younger audience. And how about classics cartoon like Tom and Jerry and Bugs Bunny?, there are many people who have know classical music through this programs. Today programs for kids, pre-teens and teens are a ode to mass culture.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

My kids never watched TV. We haven't had TV in my house since 1989. We did watch select videos on special occasions, and they watched a lot of Bob the Builder videos in Spanish when they were learning Spanish. I would not have a TV ever and do not recommend it. Even the "good" programs are not as good as a book. Books are conducive to critical thinking. Video images coming at you the way they do with TV, even the "good" programs, does not leave sufficient time for reflection and thought, and so much information passes through, maybe accepted uncritically. When you read a book you are doing the work. When you watch TV you just sit back and absorb what the TV spews out: Good Song About TV.


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## mirepoix (Feb 1, 2014)

I think there's a risk here of demonising technology. 
Any medium could have the same accusatory finger pointed at it. The biggest difference I can see as far as television is concerned, is that on a daily basis some parents will leave their children in front of it and then turn away for an extended period of time.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

Absolutely. These days, just substitute the computer and its myriad games etc., etc. for the television, which was ubiquitous when many of us were growing up. The medium--whichever it is--still needs to be monitored by responsible parents for their children, until they are old enough to do so for themselves.


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

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Most cartoons are for entertainment not learning even though the cartoons do have lessons in them but the truth is it is just commercialism.The kids see the anime then later want to buy it from the store.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I don't know about the cartoons; if it's not 1940's-1960's Warner Bros then I'm not really interested. However with regard to live action, I do see a subtle but important change in the way children's TV in the UK is produced. It seems that the young people are inevitably the ones in charge, with stupid or (at best) inept parents/carers, and absolutely no sanction for any wrongdoing. We have a strange attitude to childhood in this country; we worship childhood but are fearful of children. As a society we proffer children with a wisdom and knowledge way beyond their capacity, but individually dare not speak to them.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

samurai said:


> Absolutely. These days, just substitute the computer and its myriad games etc., etc. for the television, which was ubiquitous when many of us were growing up. The medium--whichever it is--still needs to be monitored by responsible parents for their children, until they are old enough to do so for themselves.


My kids never used a computer until they were in their late teens. Funny how schools rely on computers so much. I think it is another crutch for the teachers to avoid teaching. Didn't hurt my kids one bit, they are doing college online now (much more economical if you are in a field that can be done online) and doing quite well. Neither of them likes to play computer games, nor do I. We have control over our internet activites (given good antivirus protection and an ad-blocking program) and don't go to bad sites. I limit my video activities to qualty material such as Beethoven's Fidelio opera.


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## Levanda (Feb 3, 2014)

When I was little my mum only allowed weekend TV for few hours, I felt so special, I have to sit quite and watch it and blame for not having so much because cost of electricity builds.


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Another intriguing facet of those cartoons - the voice acting. A strangely under appreciated part of acting, I must say. I've long valued voices, and dubbed cartoons started all that. I considered it an undervalued aspect of people. If you like a person, and expect to share a lot of time with him or her, wouldn't it be nice if their voice was agreeable, pleasant to listen to? I found many of the voices in cartoons enchanting, and they even inspired me to work on my own voice.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

^^ Agreed, and (imho) one of the very best pieces of voice acting ever put to a cartoon was George Sanders as Sher Khan the tiger in Disney's "Jungle Book". Also Peter Ustinov as King John in Disney's "Robin Hood".


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Yeah, those are great. Even minor cartoons frequently have some very interesting voice actors. Many of them are simply low-profile actors, who also do commercials and theater.

Edit: I just read that a new documentary was made on the subject last year: _I know that voice_. I'll watch it when I have the time - it seems interesting.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Admittedly, I let my son pick from some approved choices and don't worry too much about educational programming. My husband and I pretty strictly monitor electronics usage, he gets a set block of TV time (during little sister's nap, so she really doesn't watch TV) and then the set goes off. Occasionally my husband or I may put on a hockey game or sitcom in the evening in the background, but that's probably less than once per week. His education comes from preschool and from day to day life with us, he loves storytime with me. We have my music player on much more frequently than the TV. And on days he misbehaves, TV priveleges are the first thing to go.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

TV is absolutely toxic. of course, nowadays it is rapidly being replaced in children's affections by social media. I'm not sure this is an improvement.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

I grew up when television "in everyone's home" was relatively new. Initially, there was no programming specifically for little for children, and but a bit later, there was still very little. 

By the time I was in primary school, Disney did have a weekly hour-long program, varied subjects, which I was allowed to watch. TV time in my home was extremely limited by 'allowance,' so I never grew too attached to it.

In later middle school, my brother and I had a ritual couple of hours of Saturday morning 'kids shows' which had re-runs of Flash Gordon serials, and cartoon shows (the family's one television was in his room); at that time the films were already 'vintage' and the cartoons were all of the older studio hand-drawn animation type, with all their goofy potpourri accompanying music played by actual musicians. 

By the time I was in high school, the sib was in college and the television was in my room; I watched little, if any, of the more popular weekly half-hour shows, those which most of my peers would be talking about the following day. I watched a fair amount of late-night ('bedtime') old movies, which is where I was first exposed to some great vintage black and white films. Color television had arrived by then, but that set in my home was the older and smaller black and white job which had been around a long time, (first with the sib, then in my room) which got relatively very little use. My parents hardly watched any at all.

College /conservatory years, I lived without one, except seeing a bit of this or that in a commons room on campus, and when I moved in to my own place during those same years, I never got around to acquiring one. Entertainment was all piano practice or playing, playing recorded music, and books. Movies, I'd go to a theater.

I think much more than a very little television does not fuel but actually depresses the creative imagination, so I would, if managing children, limit what and how much they watch rather severely.

Some private primary and grade schools have it in their contract that the parents only allow their children to watch television on Friday, after school, and require too that there be no television the day prior school starting -- i.e. no Sunday television (Friday and Saturday, then, the only time the students can watch.) Whether it has been found true in studies or is just a belief, it is strongly thought it blows the young people's ability to think and concentrate, so no television during the school day, or even one day prior Monday.

My sibling is television addicted, and over the years has continually offered me a free used television (he always has a small collection of extras) and I have as often as offered politely refused the offer. There is always a bit of wonderment on his part that I do not want one. I've lived without one in my surroundings for over forty years now, and have never missed it, even in the pre-internet days. (News can be had via radio or reading.) I advocate no television, period, the more interesting shows and films are usually available via some online service without resorting to cable TV, etc.

Basically, other than a miniscule percent of what is available, commercial or network, I think television programs, including the viewing of many films, are major creativity suckers, and that turns a lot of otherwise perfectly good brains, in both thought and emotional responses, to mush.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

We have a show called The Music Box in its 8th season. The host will choose a theme and walk the kids through it with an ensemble. This link will give you an idea of the size of the audience. He's a popular guy :lol:

http://www.medici.tv/#!/la-musique-classique-expliquee-aux-enfants


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Cheyenne said:


> I considered it an undervalued aspect of people. If you like a person, and expect to share a lot of time with him or her, wouldn't it be nice if their voice was agreeable, pleasant to listen to? I found many of the voices in cartoons enchanting, and they even inspired me to work on my own voice.


ditto. It's interesting listening to people speak for sound as much as for content - some people get very animated, others talk in monotone, some seem to shout all the time, others speak so softly as if talking to themselves, some enunciate and take their time, others have words tumbling out in a storm, some don't even speak in sentences, some repeat words for emphasis, some talk in a sing-song voice etc.


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