This is a question that continues to haunt parents (mostly mothers) of all 3- to 10-year-olds. Should we allow children to watch cartoons, or should it be totally forbidden, is it good or is it really bad?

The problem that often arises when talking about young children watching cartoon channels is usually leaving their children alone with cartoons to amuse or entertain them, instead of parents spending precious time on them.

Let’s take a look at this million dollar question!

I am the mother of a 5 year old girl and I have been regularly monitoring what she watches on television. And this is what I have analyzed.

Let’s first point out the good points:

Cartoon shows are neither good nor bad. Occasionally cartoons are used to demonstrate behavior that we would like our young children to adapt or copy, and even many times these cartoon programs are also used to exemplify qualities that we would like our children to avoid. It is up to the parents to help the child learn which is which.

Every now and then there have been some good series like Madeline, Oswald, Noddy, Backyard Science, MAD, Mickey Mouse Club House. And some Indian Hindu cartoons, which I would suggest are Gali Gali Sim Sim, Choota Bheem, Krishna, Ramayan and all mythological stories.

Helps improve vocabulary; it could be English or Hindi.

Help children to analyze situations. Understand how the little things are analyzed and then how the little decisions are made by understanding what is right and what is wrong.

It helps them understand different cultures, societies, people, etc.

There are so many programs, which are really educational, for all ages. And some shows show various Arts and Crafts activities, which can actually be used to put them into creative work.

Now, let’s point out the negatives:

There are some really bad cartoons, which are definitely a no-no for kids like Hagemaaro, ShinShan, etc. The language used is hideous.

With children watching television all the time, their physical activities, which can only be achieved by playing on a playground, are not being taken care of.

Children try to imitate what they see on television. Be it language or violence, they just want to behave like their “Superhero”.

When parents continually leave their children to entertain themselves with television, it can have negative effects on the child’s mind because children are mainly proactive and like to do something.

And one of the main concerns is the time children spend watching those cartoons. Every mother has a hard time keeping her children away from television. Ideally, what I would suggest is having fixed hours to watch television.

The best way to help your child make a connection from television is to engage with him and explain what he is watching, discuss different scenarios or outcomes, ask questions, and compare what he is watching with what he has experienced.