KOCHI: “Mommy! Mommy! See, I am Superman!” yelled five-year-old Bharath, and before his horrified mother could do anything, he took off from the balcony of their first floor apartment in Pune.Call it luck or God’s grace, the child landed on some bushes in the garden below and escaped with just a fractured hand. Bharath is just one among the increasing number of children who are getting addicted to cartoons and think of themselves as a part of the show. Priya Venugopal, Bharath’s mother, says that even thinking about the incident makes her shiver. “I just cannot forgive myself for being so careless that day. I am grateful to God that nothing serious happened to him. I’ve been careful about his TV viewing ever since.”Experts feel that such a trend could lead to an increase in developmental issues among children.“During their early years, children tend to ape whatever they see. Imitating things and people they see around themselves is a part of growing up,” says peadiatrician Dr N Ramachandran. “But, if they are stuck in front of the TV for the major part of the day that becomes reality to them. It could also lead to various health problems as TV time deprives them of the much-needed exercise,” he says.One such child is six-year-old Arpith who lives with his grandparents. “My grandson was a die-hard Spiderman fan. He was completely addicted to cartoons,” says his grandmother Meera Jayaprakash. “Whenever we went out shopping, Arpith would throw tantrums and we would be forced to bring him back home. Once home, he would not stop his tantrums. To pacify him, I would turn on the TV.""It was much later that I found out that he was purposely doing this in order to watch cartoons,” she says.Dr Mable Davis, a clinical psychologist, notes, “Nowadays, portrayal of violence and use of foul language have increased in cartoons. When children are used to such ‘life’, they become increasingly insensitive to the world around them and think of violence as the solution to all the problems in life.”Before we blame this entirely on the cartoon channels or on children, let us dig a little deeper. Do parents even realise that TV addiction could hamper their child’s development? Sadly, the answer is no.“I considered TV as a means of keeping my grandson occupied so that he would not disturb me while I am working or when guests are home. That proved to be a grave mistake on my part. He understood that if he threw tantrums, I would allow him to watch TV,” says Meera.“With parents becoming increasingly time-bound, they think of cartoons as a ‘safe’ means to keep their child distracted while they are busy. This is what leads to TV addiction which in turn leads to issues like attention deficit hyperactive disorder and anger management problems,” says Dr Mable.Dr Ramachandran, agrees, “Parents should also keep track on what their kids are watching. They should decide which cartoons are suitable for their children to watch. Kids should not be allowed to watch cartoons for more than an hour a day. This way they will understand that it is not a part of real life.”Here are a few things you can do to save your child from become a cartoon-addict.Set limits: Limit your child’s use of TV to no more than 1 or 2 hours per day. Keep an eye: Always remember, you must know what your child is watching.Give other options: Watching TV can become a habit for your child. Help him/her find other things to do like playing; reading; learning a hobby, a sport, an instrument, or an art; or spending time with family, friends, or neighbours. Read and exercise with your child regularly.Set a good example: As a role model, limit your own TV viewing. Show them the fun that exists beyond the ‘idiot box’!
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