The Effect of Screen Media on Children

Based on my own beliefs and the Digital Beginnings report, screen media has a positive effect on children. I do not think that children should spend multiple hours watching TV or DVDs, but I do not believe that watching television is bad for children. There is so much that can be learned from television, and as long as parents have control of what their children are watching and how much time they watch television, I do not see a negative effect on the children.

The Digital Beginnings report provided parent comments about what their children were watching. Except for a few negative comments, most of the findings were positive. Children were learning social skills, language skills, thinking skills, academic content, and countless other lessons. Many times, if a young child is the oldest, or an only child, he may not have much interaction with other children. Many children’s television programs allow children to play along with them and children often talk back to the screen and do as the characters are doing. This, believe it or not, is social interaction. Screen media does not negatively affect children. It actually assists in their learning.