Crabby Patties Health Warning: Fast paced TV affects performance in children

Crabby Patties Health Warning: Fast paced TV impedes performance in children 

It’s hard to have to fight with your child everytime a particular programme comes on the television and according to recent research even the most seemingly innocent cartoon can deplete a child’s ability to perform on cognitive tasks immediately afterwards.

Below is a link to a piece from the Irish Times about the effects of watching 9 minutes of “Spongebob Squarepants”.  It seems even this little guy good guy is bad for you!

The other problem with many of these popular cartoons is that they are rolled out for hours each day on many of the kids channels but it is recommended that kids watch no more than 30 minutes of television per day. It’s worth regularly recording some programmes that your children like and you are happy with so that you don’t have to have a row every time the television goes on.  Children do get used to things that become regular rules and will find other ways to entertain themselves.  Sometimes giving in to their pleas and sometimes not gives them mixed messages and encourages them to try to get around you resulting in whining and arguments.   A trampoline suddenly seems fantastic value!

Here’s the link;

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0912/breaking25.html#.Tm47a9LBMqs.email