Television: Helps And Hinders

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Television is a drug. Although when first invented it was used as a family entertaining device, its purpose has been greatly altered. Now with over sixty channels to choose from, people of all ages can easily find a show that will grab their attention. This, however, is not the problem. The problem is caused when the person starts to change their daily routine in order to tune in to their favorite programs. Television acts as a drug in that it can help or hinder an individual based on their needs.

Un fortunaltely, a person may become so addicted to a television show that they put everything going on around them on hold. One example of this would be when Amy, a friend, told me about a bad experience she had gone through while being baby sat. The babysitter was watching her one afternoon, when the time came for the sitter’s soap to come on. The sitter immediately picked her up, put her in the crib, and dashed out of the room so no part of her show would be missed. This was nothing new to Amy; it was actually part of her daily routine.

As the daily practice seemed to be going along as scheduled, a rude awakening was lurking around the corner. As a matter of fact it wasn’t usual at all...it was life threatening. Amy started to choke on a piece of plastic that broke off a toy she had put in her mouth. The baby-sitter left about and inch of the door open, so she could sort of see what was going on in the room. Amy was standing over the side of her crib when she started to choke. With one hand on a bottle, and the other shoving the toy in her mouth, the bottle dropped. If the television had been turned up much louder, the baby sitter never would of heard the thump of the bottle fall. If the thump of the bottle never had been heard, Amy would not be here today. An addiction to a television show is repulsive when it jeopardizes the life of a human being.

In contrast, television programming geared toward kids such as Sesame Street and Blues Clues spark a child’s ability to learn at a young age. Both are good predecessors to pre-school and kindergarten. Sesame Street helps kids prepare to learn while keeping its award-winning traditions it is known for.

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