Media and Entertainment - Is Indulging in Entertainment Bad for Children ?
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Is Indulging in Entertainment Bad for Children ?

Entertainment is any activity that offers a diversion or encourages people to have fun in their spare time, and can also provide entertainment, enjoyment and laughter.

In our society it is regarded entertainment as very significant. It is important because much of what people want to do is to be entertained-watching television, movies and sports, playing games, having fun online, going out to eat, drink and party. In that sense, while we are unlikely to put it that way, entertainment seems to act as the very meaning of life for many of us.

However, can entertainment be categorized as ‘good’ and ‘bad’? Entertainment varies from each of us’s perspectives, who’s to say watching Netflix all day or indulging in theater is ‘bad’ entertainment while reading a book is ‘good’ entertainment. In reality, they’re all just the same.

Jack Musik - Is Indulging in Entertainment Bad for Children ?
Source : Event Manager Blog

Children and teenagers today grow up surrounded in digital media. We are exposed to all types of media like television, computers, smartphones and other displays. Media may have an effect on how children and adolescents feel, read, perceive and act.

The media’s impact on children’s psychosocial growth is strong. Therefore, it is necessary for physicians to address media consumption with parents of their child and to provide advice on age-appropriate use of all media, including television, radio , music, video games and the Internet.

Some might even get influence by the dangerous type of entertainment like pornography, cyber-bullying and even malaysia betting sites.

Thus, what are there to explore on the beneficial and harmful effects of media on the mental and physical health of children?

Obesity 

Excessive use of the screen time, and having a TV in the bedroom, may increase the risk of obesity. Teens watching more than 5 hours of television per day are 5 times more likely to be overweight than teens watching 0 to 2 hours. Watching television for more than 1.5 hours per day is a risk factor for obesity among children aged 4 to 9.

Hence why it is crucial for parents to monitor closely what is exposed to your child and limit the total hours of screen time for them.  

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has never been made easier since the evolution of today’s technology. 

Bullying on social media platforms is easier, in the form of threatening messages or subtle posts with offensive content directed at a particular individual. This is due to the individuals knowing the fact that there are little to none consequences of their actions hence why the increasing matter of cyberbullying continues to grow rapidly. 

Cyberbullying can lead to social, academic and health problems for both the bully and the target in both short and the long term. 

Sexual Predators 

Younger children who have easy access to the internet especially makes it’s much easier for sexual predators to prey on them. Sex offenders could use social networking, chat rooms, e-mail and online games to reach out to children and manipulate them.

This is specifically a concern towards young teenagers because they are of that age that might have a sexual related curiosity that can easily be used against them.

Furthermore, the appearances of teenagers on social media often indicate harmful habits such as drug use, sexual abuse, self-injury or eating disorders. Teenage exposure to alcohol, tobacco use, or sexual activities through the media is correlated with greater initiation of these behaviours.

Detached From Reality

Screen relationships also detract from real-life relationships and from social skills among children and adolescents. This is because they grow up without learning how to read people’s non-verbal hints and facial gestures. 

Social interaction is critical to the development of skills required to understand the moods and emotions of other people around them. As a result, children who grow up communicating primarily with social media will turn out to be non-empathic and often become weak in verbal and non-verbal communication.

Sleep Problems

Young social media addicts end up spending hours each day by being on the phone only. This addiction interferes with other activities, such as school work, sport, study and other productive routines.

This affects so much especially their sleep schedule. Light exposure  and screen-stimulating content can delay or disrupt sleep, and have a negative effect on school.