TV makes your kids grow up faster

[Pooeypants]

Too TV equals early puberty, is this a good or bad thing? Anyway, the excerpt;

Television watching may hasten puberty 16:51 28 June 04 NewScientist.com news service Children who watch a lot of television produce less melatonin, new research suggests - the "sleep hormone" has been linked to timing of puberty. Scientists at the University of Florence in Italy found that when youngsters were deprived of their TV sets, computers and video games, their melatonin production increased by an average 30 per cent. “Girls are reaching puberty much earlier than in the 1950s. One reason is due to their average increase in weight; but another may be due to reduced levels of melatonin,” suggests Roberto Salti, who led the study. “Animal studies have shown that low melatonin levels have an important role in promoting an early onset of puberty.”

Is it time we reduced our children's TV time? Already we're facing an obesity epidemic amongst the youngster, surely this is another reason to turn off that bot?

[G. Adams]

This isn't the article I was expecting. I read a study a few years back suggesting British children socially grow up faster than American children on average because we are introduced to adult themes much earlier through programmes like Eastenders, Brookside, Hollyoaks and even that bloody Byker Grove. In the UK these programmes all present themes like homosexuality, aids, adultery, a little fetishism sometimes, murder, hard drugs use etc at child friendly time slots. Whereas, the study argued, in the US, these themes are usually avoided and when touched upon usually lightly. The effect of which is that British children are usually less ignorant of wider social issues that American children.

But coming back to your points, why would children hitting puberty earlier be a problem in itself? Thinking of a playground situation, the sooner you hit that growth spurt the better, for your self confidence and for looking out for yourself. I know this guy who lives at the end of my road five years younger than me, yet because of his condition (precautious puberty, spelling could be wrong) he has been bigger than me since he was nine, hitting six foot at 12, and starting his bloody beard a year later. Thick as a brick mind. But I doubt he ever got bullied.

[Pooeypants]

Point 1, if these kids will be infertile earlier, Point 2, if everyone watched the same amount of TV, it could mean same time for early puberty and thus negating the advantage of size (unless you're small when younger but turn out to be a giant once you grow up). Not to mention the mood swings the children would experience but at an earlier age.

[Suburbanite]

I watched a lot of TV and I'm still waiting!

[rlwinton]

But coming back to your points, why would children hitting puberty earlier be a problem in itself? Thinking of a playground situation, the sooner you hit that growth spurt the better, for your self confidence and for looking out for yourself.

I think our kids need to "cherish" or at least relish in their childhood as long as possible. If it is natural for a 13 year old to not be out of that training bra, I think that's the way it should be. Growing up, I was the last of my peers to reach puberty and I'm glad--training bras are way more comfy and I got to hold off on the whole period thing. I know girls and boys are all different in when they reach puberty, but if TV is accelerating that pace, turn it off. It's just one more negative thing!
The electronic babysitter has got to go, or at least more moderated. I'm not saying turn the TV off completely...but less than what is going on now.

[rlwinton]

Plus, it is really hard to explain to a 10 year old why there's blood coming out of the place she pees from...take it from me...

[Ralph38449]

IMO you CAN learn more from TV than anything, yet of course there are exceptions and consequences, it takes you outside the box that is your average lifestyle and it allows you to see the world.

Another thing when did we go from worrying about people being too skinny to people being too fat?

[Pooeypants]

Originally posted by rlwinton, Plus, it is really hard to explain to a 10 year old why there's blood coming out of the place she pees from...take it from me...

She's having her period that early?

[rlwinton]

nowadays its quite common to get your period that young...lots of my friends got theirs from 9-14, that's a normal range nowadays...and if this scientific discovery is correct, looks like TV could be one responsible factor.

[waterfalllife]

Diet may also play a large role in this. Kids these days are becoming more dependant on sugar and sweets and sodas. I know this cause I was a part of the beginning of that, but have since changed my lifestyle. But, in the meantime, we need to get parents to get these kids to eat right, get their parents to stop throwing chips and sodas in their lunches and replace them with vegetables and milk. Im not saying cut out these foods completely, but I think the best way to word it is "everything in moderation".

[Cathy]

I'm shocked at how precocious children are these days - they are like mini-adults. I'm not speaking simply in terms of when they hit puberty (although I will assume for now that puberty hits earlier than when I was a child) but I'm also referring to their manner and how worldly they are.

It worries me because I'm not convinced that a 12 year old is equipped to take in all of the media to which they are exposed to courtesy of the internet and TV. What I do see is 12 year old girls dressed in provocative adult clothing, and speaking as though they are adults. It concerns me a lot.

In contrast when I was 12 I dressed in ratty jeans and ran around the backyard - not dress like I'm mid 20s and hang out at shopping complexes or at the movies.

Speaking of which last weekend I went to see a movie. Here in Australia it is rated "Parental Guidance" which essentially means that kids under 15 may see it without an adult present. I asked for a ticket and the woman asked me "Adult or child?". That question would be perfectly reasonable, if I weren't 26 years old! I must acknowledge that I look very young, but as I said to a friend, I speak like an adult. And then I was reminded how adult children sound these days.

Absolutely freaks me out. Added to that, the thought of 10 years old being a usual age for a girl to start her period is astounding.

[Pooeypants]

You should be happy you're being mistaken for 15 year olds

On a serious note, it's even more worrying that some of these kids of engaged in underaged sex, early puberty means more chance of pregnancy ofc.

[atheist]

kids should be exercising their brains nonetheless...brain!

[Rave7pt0]

That is my main issue... my half sister began her period at 8, and my sister at 9. They were both out of control teens, despite my parents' best efforts (and my parents aren't the slothful, push over types either). A girl's hormones cause a lot of trouble -- enough as it is with them hitting during teenage years -- but give a child those same hormones that go totally off the deep end.