Movies as a medium of entertainment can impact young minds significantly. Our minds are constantly learning new things, even when we are entertaining ourselves. Even when the intent is not to know, you still end up absorbing new information. So, it is essential to check what you’re watching, as there is a negative impact of movies on youth.

For instance, something as what we may believe as simple as a horror movie may have a child feeling scared long after the film has ended. Now, as adults, we may be able to detach ourselves from our fear, knowing that what we watched was simply fiction. However, young minds that are still developing may not be able to differentiate that well.

Why Negative Impact of Movies on Youth Cannot Be Ignored?

To understand the negative impact of movies on youth, we need first to assess the many levels of impact it has on young minds:

1. Unrealistic Standards and Expectations in Movies

Many movies are guilty of promoting an ideal life where the viewer starts believing that is how life is. For instance, romantic movies portray ideal partnerships.

Many Disney princess movies, like Cinderella, Snow White, or Sleeping Beauty, portray a “damsel in distress” where women always need rescuing by men. They then get married to each other and “live happily ever after.”

Young viewers start losing faith in their own capabilities and start believing they always need to be rescued. They also start believing in ideal relationships and “happily ever afters,” which is a far cry from reality.

Genuine relationships are rarely, if ever, perfect and always need work, which movies conveniently skip showing.

2. How Movies Promote Violence Among Youth

Action sequences in movies often depict violence, and this leads to a negative impact of movies on youth.

Animated films and shows are frequently mistaken for being only for children to watch a lot of the time. However, many animated movies and shows have adult themes in them.

For instance, popular anime like Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy Family, and Blue Tokai have adult themes such as nudity, violence, and addiction triggers.

Despite being animated, they aren’t intended for children, but are easily accessible on online platforms for viewing.

3. Movie Addiction and Increased Screen Time

Young minds can become endlessly engrossed in screens with the rise of digital media platforms. Such a practice leads to an increase in screen time and addiction to it.

As a result of the negative impact of movies on youth, they begin to shirk academic commitments, physical activity, and overall responsibilities. Additionally, addiction to prolonged screen time is also known to reduce attention spans. Children will then struggle to focus on their academics.

4. Body Image Issues Caused by Movies

Positive and negative impact of movies on youth can be felt the most when it comes to body image issues. The negative outshines the positive in this area.

Most movies depict ideal physiques, flawless skin, and a toothpaste commercial smile. But real life may come with an average build, an off-white smile, and a few tummy rolls. Movies rarely prepare the youth to embrace it.

Especially now with the advent of social media, the youth are constantly exposed to work being done on the skin and body to make it look a certain way. Such exposure distorts the view one has of the body they are born with. The youth then start following fad diets, where they eventually end up getting diagnosed with an eating disorder.

How to Reduce the Negative Impact of Movies on Youth

Movies don’t always have an adverse effect. There can be both positive and negative impact of movies on youth. However, to ensure that positive effects are felt instead of the negative, here are a few pointers parents can work on.

1. Monitor the Content Children Watch

Parents must monitor the content their child is watching to negate the negative impact of movies on youth. With the advent of social media and various OTT platforms, adult content is easily accessible on screens today.

A lot of these apps have parental control features or “kids/child mode” which allows you to ensure that your child is watching child-friendly programs and movies.

2. Set Screen Time Limits

A large part of the negative impact of movies on youth is owing to the prolonged exposure to screens. So, even when the parents have ensured that the content that their child is watching is age-appropriate, they must limit screen hours.

Such a practice helps to protect eyesight, attention spans, and an active childhood that is allowed to thrive outside of screens.

3. Encourage Outdoor and Physical Activities

The older generation grew up without screens. Although that may not be a possibility in today’s day and age, it is very much possible to keep children engaged in physical activities. Parents must encourage them to find their childhood in parks, through active sports, and in playtime that doesn’t involve brain rot.

4. Be a Role Model: Practice What You Preach

Children model the behavior they learn from adults. So, if parents preach about minimizing screen time to their children but they don’t follow it themselves, the child is not likely to listen. If parents are constantly on their screens, consuming detrimental content, their children are likely to follow that example.

5. Explore Alternative Content Consumption

As a parent, try to be open to exposing your child to different forms of content consumption, such as music, podcasts, or books.

When the youth consumes audio content, they learn to develop sharp listening skills. This practice helps them with academic activities in school, such as dictation and writing. They can better remember what they hear.

Reading storybooks allows them to consume fiction outside of textbook learning. The world of books throws open different worlds for them to enjoy, without stepping out.

Finding a Balance Between Movies and Healthy Growth

Young people need to be intentional and mindful about the content they consume. Till they are of an age to make that choice for themselves, it is the duty of parents and mentors to make sure that they are watching the right kind of content. Movies are not inherently evil, but unmonitored consumption and bingeing pose a challenge to the healthy growth of children.