When in doubt, choose the kids. There will be plenty of time later to choose work.
That is a nice words stated by Anna Quindlen, a renowned American author. If we notice carefully, these sentences have a deep meaning that we might not realize before. Nowadays many parents become working parents, both fathers and mothers. This condition cannot be denied as a result of the bigger demand of today needs. Therefore, relying on fathers as the only income source in a family cannot go on anymore.
Parents become dilemmatic; in one side they should work for their family needs, while in other sides, if both father and mother working, their children will be lack of their figure. In this case, Anna Quindlen suggests parents who are in panic or dilemmatic mode, to choose children because they will keep growing up, while works will not. If we choose work for an eternal chose, we should remember that children will not stop grow. Then when we realize someday, children will have not been children anymore, they have much grown up. However, in fact this statement cannot be applied harshly as well. There should be many considerations that parents should carefully take.
A survey published by daily mail on July 2013 shows that on average, parents and children have less than eight hours together in total each week. Even if they do get together, seven in ten parents say the time is silence in front of TV because they are busy reading, playing computer games, or simply too tired to talk. Then in evenings or weekends, they keep up with household chores. Other source also states that gadgets also found as the togetherness disturber. Each family member becomes busy of this.
The thing we should know then is about the surprising effects if parents rarely talk to their children. It actually affects the children’s verbal ability, for the main source of verbal ability is from the family. Children who talks well with family, have better verbal ability than those who do not. Other effects are the psychological bond between parents and children become worse, children become individualistic, children tend to be rebellions, and children also feel “empty”.
The emptiness felt by children may cause any bad result then. Children finally look for other person or other thing to “substitute” their aloneness. They look for other person who can fill them, which we do not know about their real personality, and they also look for entertaining TV shows to escort them. The neighborhood that is commonly so private today make children finally “make friend” with television. Spiderman, Spongebob, Disney Junior, and other cartoons are found much faithful to them. It actually will be alright if children are already known their time limit of watching TV. However if they are not, some bad things are ready to haunt them.
Some bad effects children could get of watching TV too much are sleeping disorder, obesity, more aggressive attitude, and the possibility of having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
Too much watching TV lessen the melatonin hormone in human body, which makes a person up longer, makes person’s-sleeping time messy, and makes them exhausted easily. This obviously can affect children who actually still do need enough sleep for their growth. The next one is obesity; it is caused of children who become static in front of television. They do not activate their muscles much. Then the aggressive attitude; Children actually become more aggressive after watching TV shows or film that contains violence. The children who watch TV too much, directly or not are risked to show aggressive attitude. This condition is also worsen by their limited time to do socialization to others. It is still fresh in our memory that there are many cases of children who are sadly gone after practicing what the Spiderman and other imaginative heroes do. They actually cannot differentiate between the real and imaginary things yet. The last one is ADD; it is a kind of disruption of concentration and impulsive attitude which is not appropriate to children age that can affect them become hyperactive.
In conclusion, some solutions I can conclude for working parents to stay close with their children are: First, make a schedule for children TV time. Tell them what to watch, and what not to. Remind them also that what happens in films (film that associated with their age for sure) is not always true. Second, please have “substitute parents” for them that you know really well while you are away. It can be children’s grandparents, uncles, aunty, or other relative you do trust, therefore children do not feel “empty” anymore. Third, leave away your gadgets while you are with your children. They are much more valuable than your gadget and its contain. Fourth, plan any family vacation to pay off your missing time with your children anytime you can. It should not always go to the far places; the main thing is you go out with your children in a place that gather you with them. However, the thing you should remember is to never promise children something you are still in doubt whether you can accomplish or not. The last, always make a time to talk with your children by heart to heart; ask them whatever you want to know, and answer whatever they want to ask. Also make a time to always check their homework, to ask their tasks, and anything therefore they know you do care about them.
Then, you will not let your children be raised by Spiderman and friends, won’t you?
Sources:
Husnantiya, Muamaroh. Begini Akibatnya Jika Orangtua Jarang Ngobrol dengan Anak. Online at http://health.detik.com/read/2014/04/29/193209/2569180/764/begini-akibatnya-jika-orang-tua-jarang-ngobrol-dengan-anak[accessed at 05/21/2014]
Mccann, Jaymi. No time for the family? You are not alone: Parents and children spend less than an hour with each other every day because of modern demands. Online at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2363193/No-time-family-You-Parents-children-spend-hour-day-modern-demands.html [accessed at 05/21/2014]
Mikail, Bramirus. 11 Penyakit Akibat Kelamaan Nonton TV. Online at http://health.kompas.com/read/2011/07/11/15471979/11.Penyakit.Akibat.Kelamaan.Nonton.TV [accessed at 05/21/2014]
