*How does television affect children?

【子どもとテレビ】（アメリカ。ＯＨＩＯ州、ＡＲＫＯＮ　子ども病院・ＨＰより）

　アメリカの子どもたちは、平均して１日、４時間、テレビを見ている。この時間は、アメリカ小児科医学会（ＡＡＰ）が提唱している、最大時間の２時間の２倍である。平均的な子どもは、学校で９００時間を過ごすが、一方、テレビの前で、１０２３時間を過ごしている。
Most children plug into the world of television long before they enter school: 70% of child-care centers use TV during a typical day. In a year, the average child spends 900 hours in school and nearly 1,023 hours in front of a TV.

ＡＡＰによれば、合衆国の子どもたちは、１日平均、４時間のテレビを見ている。ＡＡＰの示したガイドラインによれば、質のよいテレビ番組にしても、１～２時間ということになっている。
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), kids in the United States watch about 4 hours of TV a day - even though the AAP guidelines say children older than 2 should watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.

同じガイドラインによれば、２歳以下の子どもは、ＴＶ、ＤＶＤ、ビデオ、コンピュータ、ビデオゲームも含めて、「画面時間（Screen time）」をもつべきではないとなっている。最初の２年間というのは、脳の発育に関して、たいへん重要な時期なのだが、テレビは、探索したり、学んだり、両親と交流したり遊んだりすることにじゃまになる。こうしたことを通して、認識力や、体力、社会性、情緒を発達させる。
And, according to the guidelines, children under age 2 should have no "screen time" (TV, DVDs or videotapes, computers, or video games) at all. During the first 2 years, a critical time for brain development, TV can get in the way of exploring, learning, and spending time interacting and playing with parents and others, which helps young children develop the skills they need to grow cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally.

もちろんテレビは、適度であれば、よいものである。就学前の子どもたちは、公共のテレビを通して、学ぶ助けを得る。あるいは就学後は、自然番組を通して、野生生活を学ぶことができる。あるいは親たちは、夕方のニュースで最近のできごとを知ることができる。テレビは、疑いもなく、すばらしい教育者であり、娯楽者である。
Of course, television, in moderation, can be a good thing: Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet on public television, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt about it - TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.

これらの利点にもかかわらず、テレビの見過ぎは、有害である。
But despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental:

●たとえば常に１日４時間以上テレビを見ている子どもは、肥満傾向が見られる。
●誘拐番組や殺人などの暴力番組を見ている子どもは、世界とは恐ろしいところであり、何か悪いことが起きるのではないかと考える傾向が強くなる。
●テレビは、ジェンダー（性差別）や人種偏見を助長する。

Research has shown that children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight.
Kids who view violent events, such as a kidnapping or murder, are also more likely to believe that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.
Research also indicates that TV consistently reinforces gender-role and racial stereotypes.

こうした中、子どもの保護者たちは、解決策を求めて、二分される。もっと教育的な番組をふやせと考える人がいる一方で、テレビがないのが、いちばんよいと考える人もいる。また両親がテレビをコントロールして、子どもにテレビとは、娯楽のためのものであり、現実逃避のためのものではないと教えるのがよいと言う人もいる。
Children's advocates are divided when it comes to solutions. Although many urge for more hours per week of educational programming, others assert that no TV is the best solution. And some say it's better for parents to control the use of TV and to teach children that it's for occasional entertainment, not for constant escapism.

それ故に、あなたが（親として）、子どもが見ているテレビ番組をモニターし、視聴時間を制限し、そのことによって、ほかの子どもとの活動や遊び、運動や読書に過ごされるべき時間を、テレビを見ることによって過ごさせないようにすることが重要である。
That's why it's so important for you to monitor the content of TV programming and set viewing limits to ensure that your child doesn't spend time watching TV that should be spent on other activities, such as playing with friends, exercising, and reading.

Violence（暴力）

アメリカの子どもたちが、どれだけ暴力番組を見ているかについてだが、平均的なアメリカの子どもたちは、１８歳までに、テレビで、２０万の暴力シーンを見るだろうということ。テレビの暴力は、ときとして、子どもたちによって模倣される。なぜなら、そうしたしーんは、しばしば、おもしろく、かつあなたがしたいことをするための効果的な方法として示されるからである。
To give you perspective on just how much violence kids see on TV, consider this: The average American child will witness 200,000 violent acts on television by age 18. TV violence sometimes begs for imitation because violence is often demonstrated and promoted as a fun and effective way to get what you want.

ＡＡＰが指摘するように、多くの暴力行為は、「善人」によって、なされるということ。そのため、子どもはそれを競うように教えられる。いくら親が、他人を殴る権利はないと教えても、テレビは、あなたが善人なら、かみついたり、殴ったり、蹴ったりしてもＯＫと教える。「悪人」は、そうされてもしかたないと教えられる。
And as the AAP points out, many violent acts are perpetrated by the "good guys," whom children have been taught to emulate. Even though children are taught by their parents that it's not right to hit, television says it's OK to bite, hit, or kick if you're the good guy. And even the "bad guys" on TV aren't always held responsible or punished for their actions.

子どもたちが吸収するイメージは、トラウマ化され、心のキズとなる。研究によれば、２～７歳の子どもは、グロテスクなこわく見えるものに対して、とくにおぼえるということがわかっている。この年齢の子どもに、「これは作り物である」と教えても、なぐさめにはならない。なぜなら、この時期の子どもは、（現実）と（ファンタジー）の区別がつかないからである。
The images children absorb can also leave them traumatized and vulnerable. According to research, children ages 2 to 7 are particularly frightened by scary-looking things like grotesque monsters. Simply telling children that those images aren't real won't console them, because they can't yet distinguish between fantasy and reality.

８～１２歳の子どもは、それがフィクションであれ、ニュースであれ、現実に起きたことであれ、暴力、自然災害、子どもが犠牲になる事件によって、おびえる。この年齢の子どもには、理由づけが大切である。つまり、子どもたちのおそれをやわらげるため、再検討してみたり、正直な情報を与えることが大切である。が、あなたは、子どもたちがおびえるよな番組を見るのを避けたいと願っているかもしれない。
Kids ages 8 to 12 are frightened by the threat of violence, natural disasters, and the victimization of children, whether those images appear on fictional shows, the news, or reality-based shows. Reasoning with children this age will help them, so it's important to provide reassuring and honest information to help ease your child's fears. However, you may want to avoid letting your child view programs that he or she may find frightening.

Risky Behaviors（危険な行為）

テレビには、セックスや薬物乱用などのような危険な行為を、楽しく、エキサイティングなものと描写する番組やコマーシャルが満ちている。そしてアルコールを飲むことの結果、薬物やタバコを使用することの結果、あるいは婚前セックスの結果について、議論がなされない。
TV is chock full of programs and commercials that often depict risky behaviors such as sex and substance abuse as cool, fun, and exciting. And often, there's no discussion about the consequences of drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking cigarettes, and having premarital sex.

たとえば、性的な番組をたくさん見ている１０代の子どもたちは、そうした番組を見ない子どもたちよりも、性交を主導し、他の性的行為に参加する傾向が見られる。
For example, studies have shown that teens who watch lots of sexual content on TV are more likely to initiate intercourse or participate in other sexual activities earlier than peers who don't watch sexually explicit shows.

テレビでのアルコールの宣伝は、過去数年間、増えつづけ、未成年の子どもたちは、それらにより、さらされている。the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY＝アルコール・マーケティングと若者センター・ジョージタウン大学)の調査によれば、１０代の子どもたちが見る番組の上位１５の番組は、アルコールのコマーシャルを流していた（２００３年）。
Alcohol ads on TV have actually increased over the last few years and more underage children are being exposed to them than ever. A recent study conducted by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University found that the top 15 teen-oriented programs in 2003 had alcohol ads.

テレビでのタバコの宣伝は禁止されているが、子どもや１０代の子どもたちは、テレビで流される映画番組の中で、たくさんの人たちがタバコを吸っているシーンを見ている。こうした番組を見ることによって、子どもたちは、タバコを吸ったり、アルコールを飲むことは、許される行為だと知る。事実、１日に５時間以上テレビを見る子どもは、推奨される２時間以下しかテレビを見ない子どもたちより、ずっとタバコを吸う傾向が強いことがわかっている。
And although they've banned cigarette ads on television, kids and teens can still see plenty of people smoking on programs and movies airing on TV. This kind of "product placement" makes behaviors like smoking and drinking alcohol seem acceptable. In fact, kids who watch 5 or more hours of TV per day are far more likely to begin smoking cigarettes than those who watch less than the recommended 2 hours a day.

Obesity（肥満）

専門家たちは、テレビの見過ぎと肥満の関係を指摘している。これが今日、もっとも重要な健康上の問題である。テレビを見ている間、子どもたちは不活発になり、その間、スナック類を食べる。そしてその間、たとえばポテトチップスや、スナックを求めるようなソフトドリンクなどのような不健康な食品を食べるようにしむける、宣伝メッセージを爆弾のように見せられる。
Health experts have long linked excessive TV-watching to obesity - a significant health problem today. While watching TV, children are inactive and tend to snack. They're also bombarded with advertising messages that encourage them to eat unhealthy foods such as potato chips and empty-calorie soft drinks that often become preferred snack foods.

多くの教育的な番組ですら、子どもの健康に、間接的な影響を与える。１日に、質のよいテレビ番組を４時間、見ている子どもにしても、その間、そういう子どもたちは、運動もせず、社会活動もせず、かつ野外活動もしない。
Too much educational TV has the same indirect effect on children's health. Even if children are watching 4 hours of quality educational television, that still means they're not exercising, reading, socializing, or spending time outside.

研究によれば、テレビを見る時間を減らすことによって、体重を減らし、ＢＭＩ値を低くすることがわかっている。
But studies have shown that decreasing the amount of TV children watched led to less weight gain and lower body mass index (BMI - a measurement derived from someone's weight and height).

Commercials（コマーシャル）

ＡＡＰによれば、子どもたちは、１年間に４万ものコマーシャルを見ている。土曜日の朝のマンガの中の、ジャンクフードからおもちゃのコマーシャルにはじまって、小麦食品の宣伝まで、あらゆる年齢の子どもたちを、宣伝が子どもたちを水漬けにする。そして子どもたちにとっては、それを食べなければならないかのようなものとして、そうしたものをとらえる。それらはすべて、それが実際そうであるよりも、ずっと、魅力的なものであるというふうに、聞こえる。
According to the AAP, children in the United States see 40,000 commercials each year. From the junk food and toy advertisements during Saturday morning cartoons to the appealing promos on the backs of cereal boxes, marketing messages inundate kids of all ages. And to them, everything looks ideal - like something they simply have to have. It all sounds so appealing - often, so much better than it really is.

８歳以下の子どもにとっては、コマーシャルが、ものを売るための方法であるということが理解できない。６歳以下の子どもたちは、番組と、コマーシャルの区別すらできない。とくに子どもたちが好きなキャラクターが、その製品の販売促進をしているようなときは、そうである。それ以上の年齢の子どもにしても、宣伝の意味を教える必要がある。
Under the age of 8 years, most children don't understand that commercials are for selling a product. Children 6 years and under are unable to distinguish program content from commercials, especially if their favorite character is promoting the product. Even older children may need to be reminded of the purpose of advertising.

こうしたコマーシャルを、子どもの前から消すのは、不可能である。子どもがそれを見る間、テレビを消すことはできる。しかしチャンネルをかえるたびに、子どもたちは、それを見たり聞いたりする。
Of course, it's nearly impossible to eliminate all exposure to marketing messages. You can certainly turn off the TV or at least limit kids' watching time, but they'll still see and hear advertisements for the latest gizmos and must-haves at every turn.

あなたができることは、子どもがテレビを見ている間、子どもたちがそれについてどう思い、考えているかについて、教えることはできる。「あれをあなたはどう思うか」「あの宣伝ほど、あれはほんとうによいものだと思うか」「あれは健康によいものだと思うか」とかなど、考えることを刺激することはできる。
But what you can do is teach your child to be a savvy consumer by talking about what he or she thinks about the products being advertised as you're watching TV together. Ask thought-provoking questions like, "What do you like about that?," "Do you think it's really as good as it looks in that ad?," and "Do you think that's a healthy choice?"

子どもがその宣伝されたものについて質問をしたときには、人々がかならずしも必要としないものをほしがらせるようにするものだということを、子どもに説明する。そしてこうしたコマーシャルが、こうしたものが、私たちを幸福に思わせるように作られているということを説明する。現実にはどうであるかを子どもたちに説明することは、子どもに、それがそういうものであることを教えるのに役立つ。
Explain, when your child asks for products he or she sees advertised, that commercials and other ads are designed to make people want things they don't necessarily need. And these ads are often meant to make us think that these products will make us happier somehow. Talking to kids about what things are like in reality can help put things into perspective.

子どもたちの世界から、テレビコマーシャルを制限するため、ＡＡＰは、つぎのように推奨する。
To limit your child's exposure to TV commercials, the AAP recommends that you:

●子どもには、コマーシャルがほとんどない、公共放送を見せる。
●コマーシャルのない、テープ番組を見せる。
●子ども向けのビデオやＤＶＤを見せる。
Have your kids watch public television stations (some programs are sponsored - or "brought to you" - by various companies, although the products they sell are rarely shown).
Tape programs - without the commercials.
Buy or rent children's videos or DVDs.

Understanding TV Ratings and the V-Chip（テレビ評価と、Ｖ－チップス）

Two ways you can help monitor what your child watches are:

TV Parental Guidelines. （テレビのガイドライン）。Modeled after the movie rating system, this is an age-group rating system developed for TV programs. These ratings are listed in television guides, TV listings in your local newspaper, and on the screen in your cable program guide. They also appear in the upper left-hand corner of the screen during the first 15 seconds of TV programs. But not all channels offer the rating system. For those that do, the ratings are:
TV-Y: suitable for all children
TV-Y7: directed toward kids 7 years and older (children who are able to distinguish between make-believe and reality); may contain "mild fantasy violence or comedic violence" that may scare younger kids
TV-Y7-FV: fantasy violence may be more intense in these programs than others in the TV-Y7 rating
TVG: suitable for a general audience; not directed specifically toward children, but contains little to no violence, sexual dialogue or content, or strong language
TV-PG: parental guidance suggested; may contain an inappropriate theme for younger children and contains one or more of the following: moderate violence (V), some sexual situations (S), occasional strong language (L), and some suggestive dialogue (D)
TV-14: parents strongly cautioned - suitable for only children over the age of 14; contains one or more of the following: intense violence (V), intense sexual situations (S), strong language (L), and intensely suggestive dialogue
TV-MA: designed for adults and may be unsuitable for kids under 17; contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), strong sexual activity (S), and/and crude language (L)

V-chip (V is for "violence"). This technology was designed to enable you to block television programs and movies you don't want your child to see. All new TV sets that have screens of 13" or more now have internal V-chips, but set-top boxes are available for TVs made before 2000. So how exactly does the V-chip work? It allows you to program your TV to display only the appropriately-rated shows - blocking out any other, more mature shows.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that V-chips in new TVs recognize the TV Parental Guidelines and the age-group rating system and block those programs that don't adhere to these standards.
For many, the rating system and V-chip may be valuable tools. But there is some concern that the system may be worse than no system at all. For example, research shows that preteen and teen boys are more likely to want to see a program if it's rated MA (mature audience) than if it's PG (parental guidance suggested). And parents may rely too heavily on these tools and stop monitoring what their children are watching.
Also, broadcast news, sports, and commercials aren't rated, although they often present depictions of violence and sexuality. The rating system also doesn't satisfy some family advocates who complain that they fail to give enough information about a program's content to allow parents to make informed decisions about whether a show is appropriate for their child.
So even if you've used the V-chip to program your TV or a show features the age-group ratings, it's still important to preview shows to determine whether they're appropriate for your child and turn off the TV if the content becomes inappropriate for your child.

Teaching Your Child Good TV Habits（子どもに、よいテレビ習慣を教える）

家庭で応用できる、よいテレビの見せ方
Here are some practical ways you can make TV-viewing more productive in your home:

Limit the number of TV-watching hours: （時間制限）

○テレビのある部屋に、テレビ以外のたくさんのものを置く。（本、子ども雑誌、おもちゃ、パズル、ボードゲームなど。）テレビを見ること以外に、子どもができることを、多く用意する。

○子どものベッドルームからテレビを除く。

○食事中は、テレビを消す。

○宿題をしているときは、テレビを消す。

○テレビを見るのは、何かの作業をしたあとの特権であるというように扱う。たとえば、雑用や宿題をしたあとにだけ見られるようにする。

Stock the room in which you have your TV with plenty of other non-screen entertainment (books, kids' magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, etc.) to encourage your child to do something other than watch the tube.
Keep TVs out of your child's bedroom.
Turn the TV off during meals.
Don't allow your child to watch TV while doing homework.
Treat TV as a privilege that your child needs to earn - not a right to which he or she is entitled. Tell your child that TV-viewing is allowed only after chores and homework are completed.

Try a weekday ban. （終日の禁止）Schoolwork, sports activities, and job responsibilities make it tough to find extra family time during the week. Record weekday shows or save TV time for weekends, and you'll have more family togetherness time to spend on meals, games, physical activity, and reading during the week.

Set a good example by limiting your own television viewing.


Check the TV listings and program reviews ahead of time（あらかじめ、テレビ番組をチェックする）for programs your family can watch together (i.e., developmentally appropriate and nonviolent programs that reinforce your family's values). Choose shows, says the AAP, that foster interest and learning in hobbies and education (reading, science, etc.).

Preview programs （番組を前もって見る）before your child watches them.


Come up with a family TV schedule（見てよい番組を、あらかじめ選ぶ） that you all agree upon each week. Then, post the schedule in a visible area (i.e., on the refrigerator) somewhere around the house so that everyone knows which programs are OK to watch and when. And make sure to turn off the TV when the "scheduled" program is over, instead of channel surfing until something gets your or your child's interest.

Watch TV with your child. （子どもといっしょにテレビを見る）If you can't sit through the whole program, at least watch the first few minutes to assess the tone and appropriateness, then check in throughout the show.


Talk to your child about what he or she sees （子どもが見ている番組について、話しかける）on TV and share your own beliefs and values. If something you don't approve of appears on the screen, you can turn off the TV, then use the opportunity to ask your child thought-provoking questions such as, "Do you think it was OK when those men got in that fight? What else could they have done? What would you have done?" Or, "What do you think about how those teenagers were acting at that party? Do you think what they were doing was wrong?" If certain people or characters are mistreated or discriminated against, talk about why it's important to treat everyone equal, despite their differences. You can use TV to explain confusing situations and express your feelings about difficult topics (sex, love, drugs, alcohol, smoking, work, behavior, family life). Teach your child to question and learn from what he or she views on TV.

Talk to other parents, your child's doctor, and your child's teachers（子どもの医師や先生に、話す）about their TV-watching policies and kid-friendly programs they'd recommend.


Offer fun alternatives to television.（テレビ以外の楽しみを提供する）If your child wants to watch TV, but you want him or her to turn off the tube, suggest that you and your child play a board game, start a game of hide and seek, play outside, read, work on crafts or hobbies, or listen and dance to music. The possibilities for fun without the tube are endless - so turn off the TV and enjoy the quality time you'll have to spend with your child.


Hiroshi Hayashi＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋ＪＡＮ　０８＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋はやし浩司

Although news gleaned from television, radio, or the Internet can be a positive educational experience for kids, problems can arise when the images presented are violent or news stories touch on disturbing topics. Recent news about Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in South Asia could potentially make a child worry that a natural disaster is going to hit home, or be fearful of a part of daily life - like rain and thunderstorms - that he or she never even thought about before.
Reports on subjects such as natural disasters, child abductions, homicides, terrorist attacks, school violence, or a politician's sex life can teach kids to view the world as a confusing, threatening, or unfriendly place.
How can you deal with these disturbing stories and images? Talking to your child about what he or she watches or hears will help your child put frightening information into a more balanced and reasonable context.
How Kids Perceive the News（子どもは、ニュースをどうとらえるか）
Unlike movies or entertainment programs, news is real. But depending on your child's age or maturity level, he or she may not yet understand the distinctions between fact and fantasy. By the time a child reaches 7 or 8, however, what he or she watches on TV can seem all too real. For some youngsters, the vividness of a sensational news story can be internalized and transformed into something that might happen to them. A child watching a news story about a bombing on a bus or a subway might worry, "Could I be next? Could that happen to me?"
Natural disasters or stories of other types of devastation can be personalized in the same manner. A child in Massachusetts who sees a house being swallowed by floods from a hurricane in Louisiana may spend a sleepless night worrying about whether his home will be OK in a rainstorm. A child in Chicago, seeing news about an attack on subways in London, may get scared about using public transportation around town. TV has the effect of shrinking the world and bringing it into your own living room.
By concentrating on violent stories, television news can also promote a "mean-world" syndrome, which can give children a misrepresentation of what the world and society are actually like.

Talking About the News（ニュースについて話す）
To calm children's fears about the news, parents should be prepared to deliver what psychologists call "calm, unequivocal, but limited information." This means delivering the truth, but only as much truth as the child needs to know. The key is to be as truthful, yet as inexplicit as you can be. There's no need to go into more details than your child is interested in.
Although it's true that some things - like a natural disaster - can't be controlled, parents should still give children space to share their fears. Encourage your child to talk openly about what scares him or her.
Older children are less likely to accept an explanation at face value. Their budding skepticism about the news and how it's produced and sold might mask anxieties they have about the stories it covers. If an older child is bothered about a story, help him or her cope with these fears. An adult's willingness to listen will send a powerful message.
Teens also can be encouraged to consider why a frightening or disturbing story was on the air: Was it to increase the program's ratings because of its sensational value or because it was truly newsworthy? In this way, a scary story can be turned into a worthwhile discussion about the role and mission of the news.

Tips for Parents
Keeping an eye on your child's TV news habits can go a long way toward monitoring the content of what he or she hears and sees. Here are some additional tips:

Recognize that news doesn't have to be driven by disturbing pictures. Public television programs, newspapers, or newsmagazines specifically designed for children can be less sensational - and less upsetting - ways of getting information to children.
Discuss current events with your child on a regular basis. It's important to help kids think through stories they hear about. Ask questions: What do you think about these events? How do you think these things happen? These questions can encourage conversation about non-news topics as well.
Put news stories in proper context. Showing that certain events are isolated or explaining how one event relates to another helps a child make better sense of what he or she hears. Broaden the discussion from a disturbing news item to a larger conversation: Use the story of a natural disaster as an opportunity to talk about philanthropy, cooperation, and the ability of people to cope with overwhelming hardship.
Watch the news with your child to filter stories as he or she watches them.
Anticipate when guidance will be necessary and avoid shows that aren't appropriate for your child's age or level of development.
If you're uncomfortable with the content of the news or if it's inappropriate for your child's age, turn off the TV or radio.
Talk about what you can do to help. In the case of a news event like a natural disaster, your child may gain a sense of control, and feel more secure if you find out about donations you can make or other ways that you can help those who you have heard about are in need.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MDDate reviewed: September 2005Originally reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD, and Jennifer Shroff Pendley, PhD
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