Violent shows make children turn brutal

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Recently in Ghaziabad two teenagers aged 14 and 15 years allegedly strangled their 13-year-old friend with a copper wire and then pinned his body to a wall using iron nails. This cold-blooded murder was planned by a 35-year-old woman, who promised them Rs 20,000.
Do such grim incidents indicate that teenagers are getting influenced by violence? Psychologists and parents in the capital agree that kids these days are more intolerant due to over exposure of violent games and explicit videos shown on TV.
Dr Rachna K. Singh, psychologist and lifestyle expert at Artemis Health Institute says, “Aggression is becoming a part of society, and not just adults, but even kids are getting adversely affected by it. Incidents of road rage, brutal murders and other heinous crimes committed by adults are shown on TV all the time and children watch these things without any parental guidance and record it in their minds. The environment also affects the psyche of youngsters to a great extent and if they see misbehaviour and violent acts around them, it automatically registers in their brain and they turn violent.”
Harmeet Singh, a mother of 14-year-old boy feels such incidents occur because teenagers can be influenced very easily. She says, “At this age when children are growing up it is very important for parents to monitor them and keep a watch on what they are up to. It is essential for elders to check them and make them aware of all the consequences of their actions.”
Dr Samir Parikh, chief of mental healthcare at Max Hospitals also feels the rise in violent behaviour among kids is primarily due to the media.
He opines, “The media has to stop showing gruesome videos and incidents of bloodshed because children watch it and develop a faulty perception. It is a clear indication of change in the socio-cultural dynamics. Schools and parents should pay enough attention to life skill education among children in order to curb aggression and restore normalcy.”