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EFFECTS OF MOVIES ON CHILDREN

Movies are an important part of every child’s life. From witnessing the magic of superheroes to tuning into horror weekends and many more different episodes that every child experiences. Children go through an immersive experience through television and through movies. They live in the bubble of their own fantasy world. Although this very same bubble becomes a reason for concerns depending on the types of genres are being watched by a child. Children learn from what they see and hear, from parents’ and peers’ behavior, reading books, or watching movies. Parents and their children often share the unspoken goal to live a good life in a state of well-being. It is important to note that a passive lifestyle that consists of spending large amounts of time watching movies and television can influence a child’s thoughts and behaviors. If a child watches violent, sexual, and/or unrealistic child-based movies and cartoons, he or she may internalize these images and concepts, which can cause him to act out in school or at home. Emotions from movies and music may affect the mental state of mind of a child.

Movies set up characters and personalities in our minds, movies have the power to change attitudes and perspectives towards life. Children and teenagers derive their values and beliefs from shows and movies, especially in the absence of an already established belief system. A considerable portion of children’s time is spent in front of the TV, and it definitely shapes their personality, behavior, and attitude. The right kind of television programs should be social and environmental awareness in kids and even promote social, emotional, and cognitive development holistically.

However, movies may have both positive and negative effects on the cognitive development and behavior of a child. Some positive effects of movies on a child could be “Helps Children Get an Early Start on Learning” the positive influence of movies on children can be seen especially in the case of educational cartoons that teach shapes, numbers, and colors. Such cartoons can teach basic things to children in a fun and interactive way, thus making learning an enjoyable activity. The moving, talking pictures and colorful visuals make learning interesting for children. “Helps in the Cognitive Development Watching” movies can help develop your child’s cognitive skills. It can help develop logic and reasoning ability, visual and auditory processing, and sustained and selective attention of a child. “Helps in the Language Development” movies can exposure to your children to learn different languages it can also help in developing their linguistic abilities. Allowing them to watch cartoons in your native tongue, for example, can help them learn the language better. Children can improve their verbal skills by watching different cartoons. “Enhances Creativity Watching” movies help increase children’s imagination and creativity. Your child will be able to think of new ideas inspired by certain cartoons and come up with new stories or artwork based on the cartoons he watches.

“Promotes Laughter and Relieves Stress” Children find cartoons amusing and often laugh out loud at the antics of the cartoon characters. Laughter is a good stress buster and a confidence builder for children. It also boosts immunity and causes the release of endorphins which is called the happy chemical which makes us feel positive. “Helps Kids Learn about Different Things”. Watching cartoons is a great way to teach your kids about local customs, traditions, history, and mythology. For example, watching animated versions of the Ramayana or Mahabharata can teach kids about Indian mythology.

Negative effects of movies on a child could be “Encourages Violence” watching movies that depict violence can encourage children to become violent in real life. Also, kids may remain strange to the feeling of pain since movies escape unscathed after experiencing violence or an accident. “Promotes Behavior which is unruly and keeps us from being empathetic.” There are several cartoons that show characters displaying rude or disobedient behavior towards their teachers and elders. Children may imitate this behavior to challenge their parents or teachers whenever they are disciplined for bad behavior. “Promotes the Use of Foul Language” movies often include language that is unfit for children. Children are highly impressionable, and they may find abusive words that they learn from cartoons as something normal and include them in their vocabulary. “Encourages Unsocial Behavior” There are several cartoons that encourage antisocial behavior and give wrong messages to children. Then there are some cartoons that contain sexual innuendos, encourage aggression, and promote bratty behavior. These can affect your child’s behavior on a subconscious level and make them think it is normal to be aggressive, spoiled, or violent. Movies can have both positive and negative effects on children depending on what kind of genre of the movie the child is watching. By placing a time limit on child's screen time and encouraging them to go outside and play instead, you can ensure that your children are
healthier and happier.