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Do DVDs harm kids development?

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If a primary school kid watched DVDs of classic and offbeat cartoons but did not watch broadcast television then is it likely to harm their development? Think of the situation in the school playground where kids discuss television and they talk about DVDs that very few of their classmates have even heard of whilst they haven't watched the TV programmes that 4 out of 5 of their classmates have watched.

 

Kids television was simple back in the 80s and early 90s but now the situation is more complex with all the satellite channels, DVDs, and YouTube.

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Some programmes are educational for kids, and broadcast television can be quite depressing. I don't watch the news, it triggers me but I watch tracy beaker yes and im 24 but its a child in care home and if can feel like I relate I feel it helps

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I'm 25, and my husband's 28. The majority of our DVD collection is made up of cartoons, and it's all I personally watch on television with the exception of some dramas and comedies. Personally, I don't think there's anything harmful about regularly watching them; in fact, it's fueled a lot of my creative hobbies, and it gave my husband the unusual taste for fiction and writing fiction stories, which I've read recently is more uncommon in those with Aspergers/Autism. I can understand where you're coming from in terms of the other children having separate interests that coincide better with mainstream television... But unless that's something which the child in question is upset or worried about, I don't really think their development will suffer. There are other interests that children can share common ground with.

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Without doubt learned behavior is soaked up like a sponge. Swtich it all off and nurture the child in a real world.

I agree sitting them in front of a pulsating screen does afford one freedom to do nothing.

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I can understand where you're coming from in terms of the other children having separate interests that coincide better with mainstream television... But unless that's something which the child in question is upset or worried about, I don't really think their development will suffer. There are other interests that children can share common ground with.

I don't think it is a subject that has been well researched. Most of the research into kids and TV viewing might as well have been written 20 years ago in the era of terrestrial analogue channels and fails to effectively account for more recent developments. I have thought that demographics of the school might play a large part. For example, if there are lots of kids of foreign origin they could gravitate towards their cultural satellite channels or DVDs and rarely watch any of the British terrestrial channels.

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I don't think it is a subject that has been well researched. Most of the research into kids and TV viewing might as well have been written 20 years ago in the era of terrestrial analogue channels and fails to effectively account for more recent developments. I have thought that demographics of the school might play a large part. For example, if there are lots of kids of foreign origin they could gravitate towards their cultural satellite channels or DVDs and rarely watch any of the British terrestrial channels.

 

I agree that it probably hasn't been very well researched. It's a difficult subject though because technology is changing so rapidly, and it's difficult to keep pace with it. Even if a study was conducted this year, it'd probably already be out of date in no time at all. As you mentioned, there are also overarching factors like ethnicity, religion, etc to keep in mind as well.

 

My own opinion is that DVDs and television aren't inherently harmful, but just like anything else, they need to be used in moderation - which I know is easier said than done these days.

Edited by BelLocke

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A survey was carried out in primary schools in West Yorkshire a few years ago that revealed:

 

BBC1 was the only traditional terrestrial channel remaining in the top 10 most popular channels. In 2001 the top 10 most popular channels also included BBC2, ITV1, and Channel 4.

 

More than one Islamic satellite channel made it into the top 25 and Channel 5 wasn't even in the top 30. This is despite Ofcom not including cultural and religious TV channels in their viewing figures but they do include Channel 5.

 

YouTube was in the top 10. Internet television was not even recorded in 2001.

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I think it depends a lot on the children in question. For a child with issues with social skills, or lacking self confidence, I think it can be a problem if they are not able to participate in current discussions, Much though we may dislike the current trends with children I think we may do damage to their social development if they are prevented from getting involved.

 

However I am not sure to what extent primary school culture revolves around TV. As it happens our sons have watched very little broadcast TV and that has not seemed to be an issue.

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