By Dhara Thakar Meghani
There’s no doubt that Sponge-Bob Squarepants increased his already expansive reach when he landed in an article published in Pediatrics this past October – researchers found that preschoolers who watched the cartoon demonstrated worse executive functioning than their peers who watched an educational show and those who simply drew for the same amount of time (nine minutes, to be precise).
You might be thinking, “English, please?”
Here’s the 101 on Executive Functioning (EF) and why it’s important for development:
Simply put, EF allows us to think ahead, sustain our focus, and inhibit impulsive behavior. Because it is related to attention, it’s partly what allows you to resist the ad on the side of your screen and read this article instead.
If you’ve spent a couple hours with a preschooler, you’ll probably remember that you needed to repeat yourself, repeat yourself, repeat yourself. As hard as it is to believe, she wasn’t testing your patience on purpose. Rather, she’s at an age where her ability to remember instructions, be patient, and make wise decisions is limited compared to an 8-year-old, let alone an adult. The good news is that she’s getting closer to making that leap.
Interferences with the development of EF may result in attentional and/or behavioral hurdles down the road. These challenges often manifest in the classroom, and are concerning for parents who have high achievement expectations for their child no matter how young–an ever-so-common phenomenon in the South Asian community. It’s natural to want to switch off the boob tube indefinitely if you think it might put your child’s academic success at risk, but slow down just a minute.
The study published in Pediatrics suggests that it is fast-paced content–rapid scene shifts and overwhelming sensory information–that overstimulates the young mind to the extent that it cannot function at its best immediately following such exposure. The idea that TV affects attention isn’t new; this study just highlights that it doesn’t take long for performance to drop – and the jury is still out as to whether there are long-lasting effects. The take-home: parents should be more mindful of the quality, content, and age-appropriateness of TV programs that their children watch–clearly not a novel idea, but one that can easily fall by the wayside.
After all, parents are busy creatures, and it can be so helpful to turn on the television for the kiddos and let it work its magic. What can you do to find a balance?
Here are a few suggestions:
• If subtracting TV time isn’t your thing, add enriching activities that balance your child’s TV exposure. Outdoor play, gardening, cooking together, and reading ye old-fashioned book are all good ideas, but you probably have some great alternatives up your sleeve too.
• Watch programs you approve of with your child. A child will be more likely to watch these shows alone later if they’re associated with the fond memory of watching them with you.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends little to no television for the first two years of life–if you can pull this off, you’re pretty amazing; but even if you try, it will help create good habits for the future.
• Set a good example by being thoughtful about the content and timing of the programming you and other adults in your home watch.
• Finally, don’t beat yourself up for allowing your child to sneak in a good round of Saturday morning cartoons once in a blue moon–it’s likely that you had a healthy dose in your younger days and turned out alright just the same.
**If you have serious concerns about your child’s cognitive abilities and/or behavior, consult a psychologist or pediatrician for a thorough assessment**
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Dhara Thakar Meghani grew up watching endless episodes of Tom & Jerry, Felix the Cat, and Chilly Willy–more than often, with mom alongside. As an adult, she’s never seen an episode of Spongebob Squarepants, but will certainly flip to a Tom & Jerry re-run in the rare chance that it’s on.
Notes:
¹Lillard, A. S., & Peterson, J. (2011). The Immediate Impact of Different Types of Television on Young Children’s Executive Function.Pediatrics, 128(4), 644-649.
