Titus 2 Men And Women

Are Cartoons Affecting America?
by Chrissie Cannon

Few people could seriously argue that America is not obsessed with entertainment. Blockbuster favorites yield millions of dollars each year, and advertisers pay thousands to network television stations for seconds of airspace strategically placed throughout popular television shows. From drama to comedy, soap operas to sitcoms, television seems to offer something for everyone-including our kids. Statistics indicate that children watch up to 30 hours of television each week, almost equivalent to the time spent in a full-time job. For younger viewers, one type of program seems to have a special attraction: cartoons. In view of the fact that many children spend so much time viewing these programs, some concerned individuals have raised a very serious question: "Do these cartoons affect my child?" Unfortunately, the answer is yes.

One problem with cartoons is that they do not challenge children's minds. When a child watches television, the screen is doing all of the thinking for him, leaving nothing up to the child's imagination. As a result of this lack of stimulation, only minimal brain activity occurs, thus depriving the child's mind of growth and development. When one considers mental development, cartoons are essentially useless.

A second and more serious problem with cartoons is that they often hinder proper moral development. Unfortunately, too often cartoons display improper behavior, morals, and actions. Many times, the characters in cartoons may yell at each other, telling the other person to "Shut up!" Other times, the cartoon may show hatred and violence, with fighting occurring between the characters. Just as seriously, the characters in cartoons are frequently disrespectful towards parents and other authority figures as well. Clearly, these programs are not promoting or reinforcing the values that most parents teach their children.

As can be expected, the programming that a child watches does affect his behavior. As a teacher who works with young children, I have the opportunity to observe their conduct and to discover what influences their actions. I was amazed to find that almost 90% of the time they misbehave, they are imitating something they saw on TV. In one instance, two young boys in my class were fighting; they were punching, calling each other stupid, and yelling at each other to shut up. After separating them, I asked each boy where he had learned to act the way he did. They both gave me the same response: They saw it on TV. I then asked them where they had learned to fight the way they were, and again, each boy gave the same answer: WWF wrestling. What they had seen on TV affected these boys' behavior.

Although television and cartoons affect children by impeding proper mental and moral development, parents are not helpless against the negative impact of these programs. A simple, 3-part solution exists for this problem.

First, as parents, we must develop the proper perspective concerning our children. Scripture indicates that children are gifts from God, and thus we should regard them as such. Joseph recognized this fact when he said of his two sons, "They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place" (Genesis 48:9). In the same way, God Himself takes the credit for bestowing children when He says, "And I took your father Abraham […] and gave him Isaac" (Joshua 24:3). Certainly, God's gifts are not trivial blessings. Psalm 127:3 says, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Clearly, children are gifts of God, and they are to be cherished as such, not just tolerated.

Perhaps the best example is Hannah in chapter one of 1 Samuel. She had been without a child and desperately wanted a son. While praying for a child, she promised God, "I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life" (1 Samuel 1:11). Hannah understood that a child is an incredible blessing from the Lord, and she knew that the only proper response would be to offer him back to God. In the same way, we must recognize the value of children and be willing to dedicate them to the Lord. However, we do not accomplish this task by leaving children at church, but instead Scripture tells us to "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).

After determining to raise our children in a godly manner, the second step is to promote other activities besides cartoons. Reading is an excellent alternative, particularly because it develops such a vital skill. Take the time to find books that are suitable for your child's reading level, and if he is too young to read by himself, then read the books to him. Doing so will not only strengthen the bond between parent and child, but will also instill a love for books in your child at an early age.

In addition to reading, consider promoting games. Many games exist which you can easily substitute for cartoons or television, and practically all of them are better for your child. Board games, card games, and physical activities (such as sports, tag, etc.) stimulate the mind and cause children to think. The resultant higher brain activity means that children will use and develop a larger percentage of their brain than if they merely watched television or cartoons most of the time.

A third activity to promote is dramatic play. This type of activity is also considered role-playing and occurs when children act out life or imitate what they see their mom and dad do. An example is when two young girls dress up in "mommy's clothes" and play as if they were grown women with their own babies. Essentially, the children are imitating what they see and hear. Although many parents may not give much thought to dramatic play, this type of activity actually helps children to develop social skills and a unique personality.

As the final step in dealing with the effects of cartoons, parents must monitor what their children watch. Take the time to learn what your child is actually seeing. Many parents simply use the television as a pseudo-babysitter for their child. Avoid this mistake and watch the cartoons with your children. In doing so, evaluate the programs from a biblical viewpoint. Ask questions, such as "What does the Bible say about this type of behavior?" and, "Do I want my child acting this way?" Be sure to eliminate harmful programs. If a cartoon promotes or displays behavior that the Bible says is inappropriate, you should not allow your child to be influenced by that program. Take a stand for what is right, despite whatever society may be saying.

In response to the question of whether or not cartoons affect our children, we have seen that cartoons hamper mental development and promote improper attitudes and behavior. However, parents are not helpless in this matter; they can and should act by developing the right attitude toward their child, promoting other activities, and eliminating harmful content. Scripture has given parents a challenge to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6), and we must be determined to meet this responsibility at any cost. Although we have the answer to the original question of whether or not cartoons have an effect on our children, a far greater question is whether or not parents will make the effort to protect their child from these effects. Unlike the answer to the first issue, the answer to this question lies only with you.

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