Cartoons, video games ‘no good’ for children

By MARTHA DERUAGE
Young people and children should not watch too much cartoons or play video and mobilephone games because it affects the development of the brain, says an Adventist youth leader.
Ronald Simon said at the last night of the SDA youth prayer week at the UPNG Church, that cartoons, video games and mobilephone games desensitise developing minds.
“Technology and media have an effect on developing mind,” he said. “It makes children lose their identity, their sensitivity and they may become disobedient and rude.”
Simon said desensitisation was the process that lessened emotional responsiveness to a negative stimulus after repeated exposure to it.
“The ages of three to 12 is when children’s mind are developing,” he said. “The ages of 13 to 19 is when youths find their identity, and that’s when peer influence is very strong.”
Referring to the recent shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, Simon said the shooting scene was similar to a video game.
He said suspect Brenton Tarrant happened to be someone who played a lot of video games. “When the mother of the accused was interviewed, she was shocked and said, ‘Brenton was a good boy. He never chased after girls or played sports. He stayed in his room and played video games’,” Simon said.
He said that was the kind of effect animated movies and video and phone games had on children and youths.
“Parents must monitor your children closely,” Simon said. “Don’t let your children have to much contact with technology. Divert their attention to other things like books, chores or take them out to parks.
“Whatever things parents teach children at home, they are either preparing them for heaven or hell. Home upbringing is important.”
Simon urged parents to help their children to guide them through godly principles for them to become good citizens in the country.
The prayer week was a global event that followed the theme of “Aspects of the local church”, where all SDA youths around the world gathered in their own church to pray for a week.