Aparna, an eight year old watches TV almost six hours a day. It is because of this habit of their daughter that her parents have bought a new television set at home We should realize the effects of over viewing of cartoon channels. Do we get any benefit seeing these programmes in anyway or is it just a time pass?

Earlier, there used to be a certain time allotted for cartoon shows in regular channels. There were no specific cartoon channels on air. But now there are a number of cartoon channels and it has become a great pass time for kids and a nightmare for parents. Dora, Super Suji, Popeye, Power puff girls are just the best friends of any kid. Idolizing these characters, learning everything they do in a jiffy! Young Smritha feels that cartoons are her best companions. With her parents working and much older brother it is the only way to spend her time. Her favourites Mr. Bean, Scooby Doo!

With the fast pace life of parents and vanishing joint family setup, Television is used by mothers as a �babysitter�. T.V has entered the prime zone of a child�s daily schedule(?!). How many of the kids switch on the T.V as soon as they come back from school? Throwing the bags in one corner, shoes in the other side, with a plate full of snacks gazing the T.V for few hours without realizing that the time is around six.

Few decades ago, it was the grand parents of a child telling mythology stories and moral stories. But today cartoon does that job. Aparna tells Hanuman�s story so well that her parents were more than willing to get her a separate TV. Smritha has won an oratorical extempore competition telling a moral story watched by her in one of such exclusive channel for kids.

After all the remote control is in our hand and we are the final decision makers. We should let the kids watch a channel truly for their interest and not because their friend watches it. Forbid television to eat up on their playing or sleeping time. It�s high time for us to realize that cartoons are imaginary and we should know where to draw the red line.

SOWJANYA.S