LETTER: Be aware of what kids watch

To the editor:

I’m not a professional and bow to the knowledge of Director Reutzel, but I want to point out what I consider to be an inaccuracy, while recognizing that the wording is not included in quotations. In the Article “National study shows SpongeBob decreases aptitude” Reutzel points out that kids aren’t watching the cartoon to learn. While that may not be the intention of anybody involved, it is a result of everything a child experiences. “Monkey see, monkey do,” as they say. And for some reason fantasy shows seem to have more of an effect on a child’s behavior than real personal interaction (relative to time at least). If a child watches an episode of “Power Rangers” he or she is likely to begin play fighting. What then, I ask, does a child begin to do after watching an episode of “SpongeBob?” I’ll not try to argue that one is better than the other, but I think that parents are well advised, in their own actions along with the TV shows they allow their children to watch, to be very careful and aware of what their children are learning and exemplifying.

Lex Jensen