The childhood phase of life is a formative phase in which the basic life lessons are communicated to a child for a rounded life. The parents are primarily involved in the raising of their children and this shows the importance of family and home. However, a child can learn some others things which are inline or outside the values been taught by the parent either through the society, neighbors, school, media, internet and so on. It is a known fact that whatsoever a person sees or hears has an effect on what the person will be or turn out in life. Hence, the need to be careful and selective of what is been seen or heared.
For a child, he or she might not really know this and hence the need for the parents to come in in this regard. Based on percularity and target, there are some movies, programs or contents either audio or visual which children should not or be discouraged from watching or listening to by the parents. This is why there is rating for visuals based on age pedigree so as to know the appropriateness. For example, there are movies with PG inscription meaning parental guardiance is advised while some will come with a specific age mentioned as permitted or disallowed.
While growing up as a child, my parents are influencial in guiding us on what to watch and what not to watch. Been teachers (tutors) themselves, they allowed us to watch movies and other programs which are majorly educative and non-provocative. While watching and it is showing otherwise, the next thing to do is to switch station or end the movie. During my childhood days, internet isn't popular as it is now and watching movies is majorly inside the house as we are discouraged of watching movies outside home for obvious reasons. I grew up in VCD, CD and video cassette player era of over 3 decades now which i still believe the contents then are children sensitive and considerate than at the present.
The major type of movies i do watch then were Christian movies (going by my faith) with household names like Mount Zion Films, Evom films etc in Nigeria. Also, there were some T.V. series then i enjoyed watching like Superstory, Papa Ajasco & Company from Wale Adenuga Production. As good as watching movies is, it is well regulated then by my parents whom we often times watch it together. They emphasised balance of dilligence in academics and relaxation including watching movies which is something i also encouraged. Seeing movies is based on available time and chance as we also have some other activities we engaged with then e.g. Church, household duties etc.
Now, there is a whole lot of difference as it was then which is negatively affecting the young ones now and calls for urgent attention. With easy internet access, mobile gadgets, computers etc, children nowadays have access to all kinds of contents even those beyond their age which is well stated and those requiring parental guardiance. Nowadays, there are less "educative" but more "provocative and entertaining" contents easily circulated with less parental guardiance. I think alot needs to be done in the movie industry to check unwholesome contents been released for the sake of financial and other gains at the detriment of the future generations.
Parents needs to brace up nowadays to conciously and deliberately guide the children because they are the future. Personally, i will be involved in guiding my wards what to watch or even listen to because i know the implication of what wrong exposure can lead to right from the family to the society and the nation at large. The movies and census board needs to be proactive in taking quick actions/sanctions against any movie with age mark but doing otherwise. In all, raising children as it should be requires intentionality, sacrifice and love which the parents must firstly exemplified and model to the youngs ones hereby making quality choices for them in what the watch and listen to. Thank you for reading as comments, contributions are welcomed.
This is my entry to @Hivenaija weekly prompt 53 on "Children, Movies, Parental guidance" which is posted through @inleo
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