Troy Romstad of Petaluma High

By TROY ROMSTAD
PETALUMA HIGH SCHOOL, SOPHOMORE

I believe TV is completely fine for children. In fact, in some ways, TV can be beneficial for children.
There are many educational programs made for kids to learn and develop their knowledge. Such shows as “Dora the Explorer” are completely fine for younger children to watch, and most teen or kid’s shows on TV are great for people of any age.
Such shows as “Blue Mountain State,” “American Dad” or “Family Guy” may not be appropriate for children because they are adult-themed. But shows that target kids or young teens have absolutely no negative effect on children.
A few great examples of TV being a positive influence on kids are shows on Nick Jr. and Disney Kids. They introduce shapes, colors and other concepts that are positive for children to learn at a young age. Even when children are growing up, TV still can be a good influence through timeless shows, such as “SpongeBob SquarePants.” Cartoon Network has great shows that can be amusing for kids of all ages, such as “The Misadventures of Flapjack,” “Regular Show” and, my personal favorite of these, “Adventure Time.” These shows often have messages that could be taken as hilarious mature jokes, yet for the young mind these go unnoticed and come off as great entertainment.
Even as we get older and watch more mature shows, they still don’t have much of an influence on me or many other people my age. Since school has started, I rarely have had time to watch TV, but I am always sure to work out time to watch my favorite shows, “Workaholics” and “Blue Mountain State,” whenever new episodes come out. These shows have a lot of adult content that may not be considered appropriate for anybody my age, yet a lot of friends and I watch these and they have no noticeable negative influence on any of us. Just because these shows have mature content does not mean that I am trying to imitate characters from these shows.
Some say TV can suck you in too much and you cannot control yourself from watching frequently. The truth is that those who sit around have the choice to do that instead of playing sports or hanging out with friends outside. I love watching TV in my spare time, and I think it is OK for those of any age.