Kids on reality TV, is it a good thing?

Reality TV shows for children have become immensely popular in India. They attract a large number of viewers, which include adults and children. But how good are they? How do they impact the psychological development of children who are participating as well as those who are watching? Let’s find out.

According to psychologists, reality shows are not healthy for participating children. These children perform under a lot of stress. Adults know that criticism is only provided to improve their performance and make it better for next time. However, children do not have the maturity to think in similar ways. They may not take criticism or other remarks in a constructive way. This may end up impacting their confidence significantly. It may lead to them totally abandoning their craft as they feel they are not good enough. Even adults find it tough to handle the pressure of reality shows, so one can only imagine how difficult it must be for children. 

When one is on a reality show, the limelight is on them and there is a surge in their popularity and fame. However, once they’re eliminated or out of the limelight, the fame begins to fade away. Some children find it extremely difficult to cope with this loss in popularity. Not every child is able to accept it and it can result in deep frustration or at times even thoughts of self-harm. Children on these reality shows are young and are thus in the stage of emotional development where most of them are unable to handle rejection in a mature manner. The pressure of being constantly scrutinized, compared to others can be very daunting. 

While growing up, children take interest in a lot of different things. Some are talented in singing and some have a knack for dancing. Irrespective of what they are good at, ideally, they should be encouraged to pursue whatever interests them. If they want to learn an instrument, they should be supported to acquire formal training, for example. Once they reach a certain age, they may go on to shows and compete with others to prove their caliber on a world stage. However, the pressure of being watched by millions of people on TV, being judged by the audience through voting as well as being criticized or praised by the judging panel is all too much for a child to take on at such an early stage of life. 

Many would argue that a lot of children also gain immense confidence while being on stage and extremely talented or gifted child prodigies get the opportunity to showcase their talent on such a big platform. However, the cons of child reality shows far outweigh the benefits, so it is time to really consider whether such shows should be allowed to run at all.