Media's Ubiquitous Presence in Children's Lives: Impact and Transformation - Essay Sample

Introduction

The presence of media in the lives of children is ubiquitous. The expansion of screen in the lives of human beings especially the teenagers and children and the amount of time they spend on screens reveals an expansive impact in their lives. The more time they spend on media sources such as digitals games, movies, and internet browsing. Notably, modern technology has led to a massive transformation in the way in which children interact and learn with their environment. The most common media platform that affects the consumption habit of children is television. However, computers, cellphones, video game players and other connected devices have adversely grown and spread as other sources of media. As a result, the immersion in the media experiences among children at their young ages has ultimately impacted their growth as well as development. Regulating the effect of these experiences on children has been a severe challenge for both the parents and policymakers. This paper focuses on examining the Influence of media on the development of children.

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Television is an excellent education and entertainment tool for children if they are exposed to the right programmes. Studies show that video and other media platforms can have a massive negative influence on the development of children (Lauricella, Alexis, Ellen, and Victoria 14). Additional studies reveal that exposure of children to social media can shorten their attention span as well as distort body image especially in conjunction with several factors which escalates obesity, increase antisocial behavior and aggression, and create fear if not adequately monitored by seniors. Lack of necessary cognitive experiences and skills among children who are essential for learning different aspects of media has forced parents to ensure a comprehensive lesson for their development process. Children who began viewing television at a very young age encounter advertising messages more comfortable and sooner as compared to their development ability for adequate recognition of such contents. Notably, extensive exposure of children to television increases their general vocabulary especially if they are involved in terms which require outer space references. Similarly, TV provides several opportunities to children in their development processes especially by increasing their levels of knowledge in learning different things. This depends on the types of program which they are exposed to in their development processes.

Several development theories stress that social media improves the interactive processes that children go through with their immediate environment. Similarly, social media enhances brain development especially at the early stages of their development life as they experience tremendous changes with things which are around them. Notably, environmental interactions which children encounter in social media strengthens the brain neural connections. The amount of time which children spend glued to the different press displaces several critical social experiences and interactions (Chassiakos et al. 134). However, displacement usually occurs if media disrupts or replaces the amount of time which children spend in activities which are not related to media. Media displacement is the most severe adverse event that children are exposed to while interacting with different sources of media in their development stages. The event displaces valuable opportunities and interactions which are necessary for healthy development. Besides, media displacement can be neutral if the time children spend watching television is replaced by the time they spend playing video games.

Additionally, television as the most common media platform increases the range of interest among children in their development stages. They are exposed to a variety of topics and activities which shapes their focus on issues which they might have presumed as less critical especially the ones which are related to science, music, and art. Similarly, in the development processes television help children in enhancing their awareness in a wide range of human problems which are pertinent in their lives. Television further increases acceptance and knowledge of various kinds of illness, mental and physical. However, in some cases, social media makes children more critical in their perception and analysis of things which they can see or handle. For instance, most children can learn various media professions such as photo editing, costuming, camera work, make up among others.

Conversely, television exposes children to obesity. Spending more time a day in watching TV by children is likely to make them have increased weight. Similarly, spending more than four hours a day by children encourages inactive lifestyle due to lack of exercise and focus on the same position. Chances of violence among children as they grow are shared if they are exposed to watching specific programmes on television (Bickham, David, Jill, and Michael 196). The consumption of certain aspects of television programmes renders children violent and feared by many within a specific jurisdiction. Some experience massive aggression towards each other as well as mounts to unrealistic sense in the manner in which they handle issues which are around them. Most children become much aggressive as they grow due to specific television which they are exposed to in their development stages which in turn lead them to crime incidences as they grow. Most TV characters usually describe risky behaviors among children as they grow such as smoking and drinking as well as reinforce racial discrimination and gender-role. As a result, the world of children becomes full of imaginations, dangers and uncertain realities (Lauricella, Alexi, Ellen, and Victoria 14). Although some fears are rational, outgrown or temporary, the correlation of these factors in the development stages of the child's life make them have experienced a growth which is full of disturbances and anxiety.

Moreover, in terms of identity development, mass media exposes children to influential imageries which kill their self-esteem. The construction of identity becomes a stiff challenge among children regardless of the nature of the social setup and location (Chassiakos et al. 134). For instance, images from movies, cellphones and computers create an unattainable replication in their minds as they fathom their original appearance. The common problems which are associated with these media exonerations include low self-esteem, bulimia, and anexoria. Similarly, these images can also affect the likelihood of good or bad morals among children in their behavior and outlook. Children's attitude and perception towards specific issues are also hindered due to too much time which is spent on media sources.

Furthermore, teenagers can use cultural insights which are provided by media to see the construction or reconstructions which people have gone through in their development stages. The time which the adolescent spent in different popular media platforms, such as magazines, internet, music, television, and advertising portrays a marked effect on the construction of such people in terms of their social identity. This is because media is more concerned with the idea of self and identity; self-understanding, self-celebration, and self-preservation (Bickham, David, Jill, and Michael 196). The influence extends to the children's perception of self and others. For instance, most television programme portrays women differently as compared to the male counterpart. Most media platforms focus on their attractiveness as opposed to other vital issues which can be of importance in a social setting. As a result, most children tend to copy these attributes while others regard them as less critical leading to redundancy in their growth and development process.Interestingly, the bombarded music sounds which children are subjected improve their tastes towards specific tunes. Children naturally love music with energetic beats which boost their identity. Music shapes their feelings towards and acts as a therapy to their lives.

Conclusion

In conclusion, media improves the critical analysis among children in their development stages. Television, magazine, computers, and cellphones equip children with vast information and knowledge of issues which are crucial in their lives. For instance, most media sources have an extensive explanation of topics which children are can be used to boost their knowledge. Conversely, the time which children take viewing television exposes them to diseases such as obesity which hinders their development. Media presents children to activities which not only jeopardizes their growth but also lowers their perception of relevant issues which are essential for their development. Music, television, magazines, and film acts as a platform in which children can learn different information and questions which are pertinent in their lives. For instance, sex education is a critical issue that all children require in their development process. The form of opinions and judgment on specific issues which may affect the life of a child is adequately handled based on the information which they carry. As a result, as children grow, they are aware of all issues which are both critical and less relevant based on the nature of their life and environment.

Works Cited

Bickham, David S., Jill R. Kavanaugh, and Michael Rich. "Media effects as health research: how pediatricians have changed the study of media and child development." Journal of Children and Media 10.2 (2016): 191-199.

Chassiakos, Yolanda Linda Reid, et al. "Children and adolescents and digital media." Pediatrics 138.5 (2016): e20162593.

Lauricella, Alexis R., Ellen Wartella, and Victoria J. Rideout. "Young children's screen time: The complex role of parent and child factors." Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology36 (2015): 11-17.