Trends of Today

One trend that has gained a huge amount of popularity since its invention is the television. Statistics have shown that an average person watches about 7 hours of television on a daily basis. Even more surprising, children between the ages of two and five watch about 28 hours of television ever week. The television has been called a "babysitter" in some households with toddler aged children.

People, especially young children, who watch television in great quantities, tend to take in some of what is seen on television into the brain as part of a daily way of life. It has been said that individual personalities and the way a person acts can sometimes be contributed to what has been absorbed from the excessive amounts of television watching. People who are raised in an environment with TV shows that belittle others or have low morals may grow up to be selfish or just overall disrespectful of others.

Television is not a fad or trend that is going to diminish any time soon. The shows on television used to be of certain genres (comedy, soap opera, and cartoon). Lately, however, there are a lot more reality based television shows, which draws viewers of many different age groups, depending on the type of reality show. This is just one example that shows a trend that is growing more and more, not diminishing.

Excess television watching, especially shows containing a lot of drama or violence, can cause children to be more prone to drug and alcohol use in later years, as well as bad behavior in school. This is not always the case for every situation. If children are old enough to have a good sense of morals or having a good upbringing in to what is instilled the life of the child, a TV show may not affect the upbringing in a negative way.

The majority of children who watch television are usually introduced to it by the parents. In quite a few families, television is a very important part of family routine. Children who have bad viewing habits may have such a pattern due to lack of discipline or attention from parents. If it is regulated and a set routine is implemented, it can have a positive impact instead of a negative one. Television will still be around for years to come, and be a good ice breaker for discussion if it is watched together as a family instead of used as a babysitter or to take place of communication.