TV Can Be A Good Parent Ariel Gore

TV Can Be A Good Parent

Ariel Gore, USA(1970-)

The writer never supports the idea of sticking to TV. It's a blessing to single woman and without economic support and child care assistant stop watching television is impossible. So TV programs can't be avoided unless $75 per month and assistant to look after children are managed.

b. write the four levels of interacting with the text to "TV Can Be A Good  Parent".

Literal comprehension: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is giving guidelines for parents telling that letting kids under 2 years old to watch TV is harmful. Writer defends this idea telling that television set can be a good parent to single parent family where the parent has to go job leaving children at home. There is no one taking care of children. In 1970s, the writer's mother called TV as "boob tubes" when she was small. She herself now has become mother and has to go to job leaving her daughter with TV. That has become an injustice according to AAP. No doubt, small kids should have lost of direct interactions with their parents and caregivers. The children should be discouraged from watching much TV. She says direct interactions with people is far better than anything. Her daughter Maca is let in front of various TV programs because she has to go for job. Some programs like “Blues clues” make interactive kids not passive ones. A survey shows that parents having direct interaction and more time spending with their children is better than anything to them. Through direct interaction with people is better TV set can be like parent in special condition where parent can’t give time to children. Better nurturing (care) of children can’t give with direct care, interactions with someone but all single parents can’t give so much time to their children due to difficult economic problems. What is needed is providing much more educational programs and ending of culture of war and violence. For this, the government should provide salaries to all housewives. So, they can spend maximum time with their children and can give them lot of love, care, interactions, etc. until such management is provided TV set is by compulsion becomes of parent or co-parent.

Interpretation: This essay is trying to tell us about the condition when TV becomes like co-parent. AAP has blamed the parents letting their children hanging over TV set. But the government has not paid any attention on what are the economic problems and compulsion single mothers/single parents facing. Despite of AAP's blame, the writer defends that watching TV is not  going to   kill them or make them dumb. All the TV programs are not harmful. Everything is relative so , TV is neither hundred percent good nor bad either. Educational and creative programs become productive and play the role like of parents to those children's parents who have to go for work. This creative solution of providing salary for housewife is the special condition of single mother.

Critical Thinking:  The writer's presentation in this essay is very much creative. She is not telling that TV is the best tool for children. She is also telling that direct interaction and attachment of parents is better to their children. Her logic is totally acceptable. AAP blames against children's right can be implemented only when the government has provided salary to those single mothers. TV can't be banned soon because TV has become parent to such children. TV channels must be educational, unbiased and should always not be used for commercial purpose. Can we manage a TV set for every child? Is it good always letting children in front of TV set? Can we really replace TV set in place of parents? Can TV provide love affection, attachment and support as parents do? Even then the logic of writer about economic problem and her solution is not questionable.

Assimilation: This essay touched me a lot. Before reading this text I didn't know at all about what is the meaning of direct interaction with people. Sitting with TV and with real human being was same to me. But after reading this essay, I knew that watching TV carelessly and too much is harmful. We must be careful while watching TV. Again we should give maximum time to our children The best investment we can do with children is to spend as much time as we can with them.

c. How can a TV be a good parent?

Parent is a person who takes care of us. He loves us and fulfills our desires and always tries to keep us satisfied. Living with our parents we feel happy and safe. parents teach us what is good and what is bad. They also guide us what to do and what not to do. They hope on us to make a famous person and make a dream on us. Their every time prayer becomes how to make their children successful, happy talented and on the right track. Parents become ready to do any hard work to give us good question, clothes and quality life. Again, there is a question How can a TV be a good parents? TV can never be purely just like real parents. No doubt TV programs may keep the children happy and satisfied for sometimes. Children spend their time sitting in front of TV. They can be lulled by various activities done on the TV screen. But parental love, care talks, supports like things cannot be compared with TV shows. Even than we can't reject that some of the TV programs are educational and more creative. Sometimes, the TV looking children become more talented than others. In case of writer of this essay "TV can be a good parent" TV plays an important role. In a family of single parent who has to go for work then TV must be in place of parent by compulsion. It is compulsion of single parents' children to spend their maximum time in front of TV instead of with real parent. According to the situation TV can be like a good parent but not like the real or biological parent as a whole.