Post by Little Owl on Jul 31, 2011 14:24:07 GMT
I have been reading "The Optimistic Child" by Martin E.P.Seligman, pH.D. He is a serious psychologist and the book appears to be rated well by experts. In it he says a little about whether TV and computer games harm your child. Even "normal" adults are concerned about this issue. As an ADHD adult prone to co-morbid anxiety and depression, such issues worry me highly.
Also, I know ADHD adults can get "addicted" to the adrenaline rush provided by computer games. In depression, being a couch potato can be a problem.
Martin Seligman (not surprisingly) talks about raising children to be optimistic so that they can learn skills that fight depression. Depression is an oft found co--morbid condition which complicates both the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD adults.
He says TV is bad for children. I guess it's okay in small doses, whatever small may be. Martin Seligman does not touch on the issue of how much TV is okay.
What knocked me down with a feather was that he said interactive computer games were OK, even for a baby. Again, he did not say how much computer you should let your child to play. I restrict video games so that my children also do other games; I don't want to encourage addiction in later life so learning to enjoy non-computer games is as well is important.
Martin Seligman's reasoning was this...
To be optimistic, a child must learn he has some "mastery" or control of things that happen in life. Not everything, but many things. Otherwise he learn to feel helpless; feeling helpless and therefore hopeless is bad news. "Mastery" means if he does something, a result will occur. It does not mean that the result will be good, just that his actions will have an effect. Some Computer games teach and give practice in "mastery"
If a baby is playing a baby game, he learns hitting the keyboard (use an old keyboard) will bring up a picture or make the computer makes a sound that amuses him. He learns that he is master of the computer game.
An older child learns on say "Club Penguin" Say that If he plays the penguin games, wins and saves his virtual money then he can "buy things" for his penguin's igloo. Club Penguin is a safe game as it is run by Disney and thus I trust it to be well monitored against the creeps out there. Computer games are fun, require work to get good at them and are often frustrating; as is life. Again "mastery" is taught because the child is in "charge" of his penguin's actions.
Shoot 'em up games for even older children also practice "mastery" as he has to works at his gaming skills or he will keep losing.
Anyway, I'm going to be a little more relaxed about the PS3. I don't know what I am going to do about restriction the TV, but with Martin Seligman's advice in mind I'm certainly going to think about it.
How do you restrict the TV?
How much time do you let your own children have on the TV and video games?
How do you restrict the video game time?
Any other advice or comments?
Regards Little Owl
Also, I know ADHD adults can get "addicted" to the adrenaline rush provided by computer games. In depression, being a couch potato can be a problem.
Martin Seligman (not surprisingly) talks about raising children to be optimistic so that they can learn skills that fight depression. Depression is an oft found co--morbid condition which complicates both the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD adults.
He says TV is bad for children. I guess it's okay in small doses, whatever small may be. Martin Seligman does not touch on the issue of how much TV is okay.
What knocked me down with a feather was that he said interactive computer games were OK, even for a baby. Again, he did not say how much computer you should let your child to play. I restrict video games so that my children also do other games; I don't want to encourage addiction in later life so learning to enjoy non-computer games is as well is important.
Martin Seligman's reasoning was this...
To be optimistic, a child must learn he has some "mastery" or control of things that happen in life. Not everything, but many things. Otherwise he learn to feel helpless; feeling helpless and therefore hopeless is bad news. "Mastery" means if he does something, a result will occur. It does not mean that the result will be good, just that his actions will have an effect. Some Computer games teach and give practice in "mastery"
If a baby is playing a baby game, he learns hitting the keyboard (use an old keyboard) will bring up a picture or make the computer makes a sound that amuses him. He learns that he is master of the computer game.
An older child learns on say "Club Penguin" Say that If he plays the penguin games, wins and saves his virtual money then he can "buy things" for his penguin's igloo. Club Penguin is a safe game as it is run by Disney and thus I trust it to be well monitored against the creeps out there. Computer games are fun, require work to get good at them and are often frustrating; as is life. Again "mastery" is taught because the child is in "charge" of his penguin's actions.
Shoot 'em up games for even older children also practice "mastery" as he has to works at his gaming skills or he will keep losing.
Anyway, I'm going to be a little more relaxed about the PS3. I don't know what I am going to do about restriction the TV, but with Martin Seligman's advice in mind I'm certainly going to think about it.
How do you restrict the TV?
How much time do you let your own children have on the TV and video games?
How do you restrict the video game time?
Any other advice or comments?
Regards Little Owl