Influence Of TV

TVs are everywhere. Nowadays, we even have LCD, LED and 3D TVs. Not to mention those that are HDs ready and IPTV. With so many TVs and choices around us, we can't help ourselves but to watch them at least once a day. Both adults and children are glued to the TV no matter what it is showing. We have to be wise in making choices of the program that we watch, because like it or not, whatever we watch will influence us in a way or other.

The current generation start watching TV when they are only a few months old. Parents/guardians get to choose the program that the children watch, be it adult program or children program. Toddlers are familiar with characters like Chuggington, Thomas, Big Bird, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, while those of Ben Ten, Spiderman, Superman, Teen Titans are more popular with pre-schoolers. Our daily lives revolve around those characters. Children wants clothes, bags, stationeries, cutleries and toys relating to their favourite characters. Adults have to be familiar with those characters in order to communicate well with the children.

What happen to reading books? Are they out of fashion already? Well, in order to keep up with what is on TV, publishers need to publish books/comics that are adapted from TV or movies. This will ensure brisk sales of the books. Some even have the cheek to publish books that do not add value to children. Most important criteria is to publish books that sell!

How about our classics? Books by famous authors that were read by generations? Authors like Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl? Whenever we go to bookshop, our boys will ignore endless call for them to even have a glance at books written by all these authors. They will immediately search for the latest books that are adapted from the latest movies, like Shrek and Prince of Persia. The only thing that stop them from buying is their father's condition of buying a book not of comic nature.

At the end of the day, it is up to the parents to control what the children watch or read. At the very most, parents need to teach and guide their children to make wise choices when watching TV or reading books. I'm glad that my boys are starting to learn to choose books outside of the TV circle, even though they are not classics. Books like Geronimo Stilton and Mr. Midnight sure are a step away from TV related books. The only setback is I need to read them too because they want to discuss their readings. Hmm, guess my reading list is growing longer....