Georgia Jagger once said, "Reality T.V. rots people's brains." , if parents don't want television to rot their kids brains, then why put them on it? Some people are worried about children being on reality television because it can affect thier self-esteem, and it can also make their lives become too public. The real debate is weather or not children should be allowed on television, the popular life can become too personal for the child's opinion.
When a child is performing, it can go either way, good or bad. The crowd can either support the child with ooh's and ahh's or they can encourage the child to stop with boo's. Either way, the crowds desicion will effect the child's self-esteem. Children are very voulnorable at a young age, things that happen in thier childhood can effect them up into adulthood. Although, with people's critisism, it can help improve the child's performance, but even so, people's critisism can become too harsh and that can make a child doubt themselves. Teenink.com states, " On the big talent shows, young people go on and have major breakdowns if they don't win." this shows that children's self-esteem is put at risk because the children are way too vulnerable to take people's critisism. Children do not need to be worrying about what other people think at a young age. On the website, http://www.mghclaycenter.org/ , it states " Research has shown that reality TV has an impact on the values of young girls and how they view real life situations. " This statement is proof that reality television can effect a child's self-esteem because these children that are on these reality television shows are hounded and asked multiple questions , even if they won or not. It is hard enough for adult superstars to deal with the paparazzi , how could young children deal with it? These children can expierience trama from too much exposure. Some of the most valnurable times in their lives would be tracked by photographers. Especially young girls, how can they look at these costumes thay are wearing, practically a two piece bathing suit, and look at the real values of the world? In the end, children do not need to be on reality television or be hounded by photographers.
Just like too much critisism, too much pablicity can cause a child stress and axiety. At a young age, children should not expierience stress or anxiety, of any form. If a child expieriences stress and anxiety at a young age, the after effects can be life long. Children's mind's are too vanurable to have anxiety at a young age. Children should be thinking about how fast they can race to get to the slide, not how well you can sing or dance in front of a crowd of over a million people. In the article , Should Kids Be on Reality TV? , it says , " Being hounded by photographers 24/7 ... can be hard for young people to cope with." This statement proves that children having too much pablicity can cause stress or anxiety because having a photographer or blogger on your back each minute of the day can cause someone, especially a child , a lot of stress from having to deal with it all. The paparazzi do not give up without a fight. They will stay and whatch these kids until the sun goes down and until it comes up. Although , having so much pablicity can bring oprotunities up to make money, go to college, etc. but, children should not be put through the stress of having to answer questions daily, or have ot go through being chased around by photographers. On the website , fightcps.com , it tells the reader " The stress CPS has caused us is insurmountable." This statement shows that not only does the pablicity can cause stress to children, but it can also cause stress to families. When children are being hounded, they're not going in alone, even if just the child went on the reality show, the child's whole family has to deal with the after effects. Parents have to deal with questions about they're child, and trying to keep their child safe when photographers are present. In the end, children do not need photographers hounding them 25/7 and families do not need to either.
In conclusion, children do not need to be on reality TV because it can cause too much exposure and can cause the child's self esteem to go down. Too much exposure can cause stress and anxiety from having to deal with it all. Having harsh critisism can definently affect self esteem that the child will have to live with for the rest of their lives. Children should not be on reality TV.
Tager, J. (n.d.). Are Reality Shows Safe for Kids? Retrieved September 30, 2015, from www.etonline.com/news/160338_are_reality_shows_safe_for_kids/
O'Neill, Justin. "Should Kids Be on Reality TV?" Should Kids Be on Reality TV?, September 1, 2013, 28-29.
Dawn, R. (2011, September 18). Do children ever belong on reality TV? Retrieved October 5, 2015, from http://www.today.com/popculture/do-children-ever-belong-reality-tv-2D80555294