Was there such a thing as hyperactive boys?
Couldn't concentrate disruptive.


I do believe tv does contribute but I am just curious if it is a new thing.

By Alberobello on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 07:17 am:

I believe the same. I just sent a link in another post. However i think that boys are usually more active than girls so even before tv boys were always more restless (IMO). Another thing that (again IMO) contributes to children being more disruptive is that us as parents have less control over them. I really don't know how to explain it but i live in London (inner city, not the suburbs...) and i see it everyday, even with my own child; there are no role models to follow and children don't listen to their parents but can't really explain why (i have my theories but don't know how to explain them). I don't know how it is in small towns but i know that in the UK disruptive behaviour is very common. I just guess is the way me live life now. Too much telly, too much playstation and not enough safe open spaces where children can get lost and use their imagination. Here's the web address ( don't know how to make it into a link though):

http://www.limitv.org/health.htm

I thought it was quite interesting. Me and dh have decided to cut down tv and we can really see the difference.

By Sue3 on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 11:28 am:

It`s national turn off your tv week March 21st - 27th.My ds`s 1st grade teacher grew up in a house with no tv.He`s a great teacher and very creative.I would love to have no tv or very limited viewing of it here at my house , unfortunately my dh does not have the same views as mine and of course the dk`s side with their father on this issue.
Thanks for the link . I am going to check it out

By Hlgmom on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 02:47 pm:

I did not grow up with NO tv, it was very limited though. My midwifes 5 kids all were raised with no tv and they are some of the most grounded and imaginative people I have ever met. They all say now that no TV greatly contributed to their successes. They also say they feel like they had a more "loving" household because family time was spent, playing games, talking, dancing etc. Compared to their peers who often only watched tv together! we have moved our only tv into our bedroom so it is not accessible to dd. It has also limited our viewing which I think is great!
My little brother (13) was just diagnosed ADD/ADHD.He has a tv, playstation, and a computer in his room!!! All of which I think is ridiculous! And rather strange considering we were barely allowed to watch as kids!!! Who knows- sorry so long- did not realize I had so much to say on the subject!

By Bea on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 04:56 pm:

My two boys lived in Germany for five years. We never hooked up our TV while living there. My youngest was born there, and was hyper from day one. He continued to be hyperactive throughout his childhood. TV viewing seemed to have nothing to do with his behavior.

By Unschoolmom on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 11:26 pm:

I don't believe TV is responsible. I'm not even sure we have a reasonable expectation of the attention span of little kids these days and so expect too much.

My brothers were diagnosed as ADHD and ironically, TV and video games provided opportunities for them to focus on one thing for a long period of time just like books did for me.

Honestly, and here's my radical unchooling side coming out, I think a lot of hyperactivity is only really the problem of shoehorning children into desks and classrooms when they need to be running around (so it's the context of school that makes it a problem) and/or kids burning off energy they didn't have the opportunity to burn off in school.

Yeah, I think TV and video games can be harmful but not because of how much they're playing or what kind, but because of the context they're played in. Is the kid spending hours playing Grand Theft Auto doing it with a parent who talks to him about it and trys to learn about his interest or is he doing it without any adult input and parents that either care less or or unrelentingly negative about it?

But I myself love video games and don't like school so there's my bias.