Introduction
The era in which we are living has increased the importance of media in many different ways. Most of the organizatons, individuals like celebrities are heavily dependent on the media. Effective use of media, like analyzing, evaluating, and organizing the message that is being delivered, can change many things in a positive manner.
Today, media has a great influence on the psychological,physiological and pshychosocial development of the children. Thus it is important for all the physicians out there to discuss with the parents proper use of the media in accordance with the age of their child. The purpose of this is to identify that the effects that media is givng to the children are either harmful or beneficial for the children’s physical & mental health.
Nowadays a teen’s life in hugely impacted by the media whether it is computer games, social media, video games or any other medium. But above all, nothing is bad with the media if we use it properly, it can change our lives in a positive way.
Discussion
Before getting to anything, there rises a question that why media is so much important? Why our youth has become so much addicted to the media ? Because if we talk about the time 20 years ago, people were also living their lives but at that time media was not much important to anyone. Then why it has gained so much importance now ?
The answer to all the questions written above is that the media today has spread in so many ways that within minutes, your news can be spread all across the globe. The moment you upload anything on social media, it gets hits from your social circle, and within a few minutes, it makes you a star. Exposure to different types of media is not bad, but the main thing is how to make it useful for your child. How do you tell your children what is good for him/her and what is not?
According to recent research, an average teenager in the US spends almost 294 minutes of his/her daily life utilizing media. 75 minutes out of 294 are spent on smartphones, while they spend 62 minutes on music and radio (Gwenn Schurgin O’Keeffe, 2011).
There are many ways in which the media has influenced children in positive and negative ways. Let’s talk first about the positive side. The media has given a sense of awareness to the youth. Most of the teens in the US live a sheltered life. With the help of media, they are aware of what is good for them in this society and what is not. It helps the children to groom themselves. To enter a new social circle, make new friends, and learn some skills so that they can earn by themselves through any online medium.
It looks like we are being overloaded by the information that we are getting, but for the children, excess information can cause some serious issues (Strasburger). Thanks to social media, which has caused so much concern about their beauty, it is almost impossible to achieve because the pictures they see are mostly photoshopped, which raises the standard of beauty. Risky sexual behavior is also a serious issue in our youth that is penetrated due to the excessive use of sex in the media. Our youth is going towards sex without responsibility, which is causing many mental issues along with unwanted pregnancies.
Conclusions
The era today is the era of mass media and the era of mass communication. Media is now a necessity for everyone, whether it is youth, Generation X, or baby boomers. Usage of media is not wrong, but as someone said, excessive use of anything can bring disaster. It’s up to the parents how they teach their children to use the media in a creative manner because positive use of media can change their lives in a good manner and can make your child a person who is useful to society.
References
O’Keeffe, G. S., & Clarke-Pearson, K. (2011). The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Pediatrics, 127(4), 800-804.
O’Keeffe, G. S., & Clarke-Pearson, K. (2011). The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Pediatrics, 127(4), 800-804.
