Wie lange darf ein Kind fernsehen? Tipps für Eltern

Television is part of everyday life for most children and it is hard to imagine life without it. Some parents are concerned that television has a negative effect on their child's development. Other parents, on the other hand, do not see any danger and let the children watch television for hours. The topic "How long can a child watch television" is often hotly debated.

It depends on how long a child watches television and what programmes they watch. Even if some parents find it difficult, they can and should positively influence their children's television consumption.

What fascinates children about television?

Films and series offer constant variety and excitement and make children laugh. With one click, children can bring a "dream world" home to them. They do not have to exert themselves at all. In addition children often look for role models in the individual transmissions, all the same whether it is them only fantasy beings or whether it it really gives them. They often identify the children with these role models.

Television programmes generate emotions in children that also affect their everyday lives. Children who frequently watch action series, for example, often feel anxiety and aggression in everyday life. This can be dangerous, at least if there is no balance between joy, love and happiness. It is therefore important to avoid one-sided television consumption.

How does television affect infants?

Toddlers cannot distinguish between the television world and the real world. But they can only grasp and grasp things correctly that they can grasp and grasp with their hands. All environmental experiences in the first 4 years of life are tangible for the children. However, they cannot make the tangible experiences while watching television. In an apartment, for example, small children can search through all corners, sample everything with their eyes and feel objects with all their senses. Children cannot crawl into a television set. It is often observed that children try to touch figures shown on the television. Moreover, the television world does not correspond to the children's world of experience. For example, a child sees aerial photographs of a big city and seconds later a chocolate advertisement and a white beach. They are unable to grasp and grasp the relevant interrelationships. Adults can distinguish between television and the real world. Children, on the other hand, know only one world, that of body experience. And this is suspended in television.

Children who sit in front of the television for a long time are severely restricted in their movement. This is problematic because movement is the life element of children. All body and brain functions can only develop with sufficient exercise. Television suppresses the children's urge to move. This can result in obesity, among other things.

Children see differently

Children between the ages of 4 and 10 still see what they see as reality. When children at this age watch television, parents should be aware that their children's senses are wide open to all external influences. This means that the children are open to good impressions - but also to bad ones. Nowadays, children see more and more acts of violence on television. This can be in the form of news, animated films with violent elements (e.g. "Powerranger") but also in shows like "Upps die Pannenshow".

The depiction of violence burdens children and leads to fears. The images of violence are memorized and can sometimes trigger nightmares. Children do not independently switch the television to another channel when violent images are visible, because they cannot keep their distance. The book author Patzlaff said the following about "distance": "The children cannot yet critically question what is coming to them, they cannot and do not want to distance themselves from what the world has to offer them, on the contrary, they want to connect vividly with it". (Patzlaff, p. 82)

Do not leave children alone in front of the TV!

Children first need orientation towards adults and cannot acquire media competence alone. Parents should therefore always keep in mind: "The offers that parents regard and see as information are also seen by children" (cf. Patzlaff, p. 84).

Parents should not even offer or allow broadcasts that exceed the child's constitutional capacity. Many films are simply too complex, too drastic or too banal for children. News for children is incomprehensible and incomprehensible. It would be better if parents would only watch the news when the child is already in bed. Children up to the age of 10 *** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***

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