The Positive Influence A Look At Television

The Positive Influence: A Look At Television Programs That Help Our Youth Essay, Research Paper

One Friday afternoon I was sitting in the crowded lobby of my doctor’s office, waiting to be

called in to be seen. Sneezes, coughs, and children’s conversations could be heard throughout the

office. The young girl sitting next to me, who I assumed was about 15 years old, was very

impatient as to waiting to be called in by a nurse. She kindly asked me what time it was and that’s

when our conversation sparked. I learned that her name was Ashley and that she was 17 years

old. When Ashley was only 4 years old her father walked out of her and her mother’s life. Ever

since then things have been unstable in her life. Later when she was 10 years old her mother

re-married the man who is now her “mean” step father. She claims that most of the problems

arose when her step father’s job required the family to relocate from Sacramento, California to the

Rio Grande Valley. She was required to move schools and make new friends.

Unfortunately these new friends were not at all the best influence on her and peer pressure

pressed forward. In Junior High she and her friends were known as the trouble makers, the group

of boys and girls who just went to school to make fun of the other students. She claims that these

three years were the hardest for her. Her younger half-brother was always sick and required a lot

of attention from her mother therefore her mother wasn’t always available to her when she needed

advice. At the age of 13 began to be involved in drugs, she said that her first incident with

cocaine nearly sent her to the grave. Ashley didn’t learn by that incident, she kept on using drugs

and over time built up to the stronger ones. It wasn’t long after the cocaine incident that she

became involved with boys. It wasn’t until the last time she was hospitalized for drug abuse that

she realized she should stop. Ashley said that without the help of positive television and good

friends she wouldn’t have been able to get out of her situation.

Ashley’s experience is similar to thousands in our country, where a troubled teen is helped

by exemplary television programming. Television programs aimed at young people help this

country’s youth deal with the problems of growing up.

Growing up in today’s fast moving society can be tough for teenagers who seem to

encounter problems frequently than the rest. At times a teenager feels isolated when confronted

with the problems of life. Many times when isolation occurs the teenager will feel as and an

outcast and become unwilling to seek help. Our youth’s problems originate in various places and

situations. Just like all people are different their problems are different.

Many of our country’s problems originate in the home within the family. At times a

teenager might think that everything is going just great, but then out of nowhere tragedy occurs.

Divorce. Everyday the divorce rate is climbing up the statistics chart faster and faster. Divorce

alleviates many marital problems but can also intensify a teenagers problems. Many young ones

suffer the traumatic consequences of their parents divorce.

These consequences can cause life jeopardizing situations in which a teenager will not

know how to respond. I’ve seen my cousin, Sara’s life go in opposite directions after her

parent’s bitter divorce. After the divorce her mother, who had legal custody began to pursue

dating as a regular routine and gave less and less attention to her children. Sara began to feel

alone and after a while joined in a local gang to make her feel accepted. Ever since the divorce

Sara has not progressed.

Other problems can occur within a household such as having to deal with alcohol abuse

Alcoholism is not defined as drinking moderately, but it is a serious disorder where a person uses

alcohol to hide their problems. Alcoholism only makes it harder on the family. At times the

family will have to cope with physical abuse, mental and sexual abuse. I have heard of many cases

where a drunken father will come home from a bar and physically beat his wife and children.

Children who witness this kind of abuse will grow up to think that abuse is normal and that it can

be tolerated. Therefore when they grow up they will more than likely have abusive partners or be

abusive themselves.

Since alcoholism affects not only the abuser but also his children, the pressures of an

alcoholic parent and school could cause serious obstacles. Many times I have seen parents

pressuring their children to be, “perfect”. These parents demand a full list of activities which their

child must attend and not to mention to get the highest rank of all their class. At times these

students can not take anymore pressuring and will rebel. I knew a boy in high school who’s

mother forced him to be in sports, be a straight A student, and to participate in a various amount

of clubs and organizations. All this pressur

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