How to Help Kids Learn Healthy TV Viewing Habits
We don't believe that TV is bad per se. But for kids, spending too much time in front of the TV (or later, playing video/digital games) isn't all that healthy. For one, while they're watching, they aren't engaged in healthy activities like socializing, reading, exploring, playing, and running around outside. Plus, kids tend to model behavior they see on TV that you don't necessarily agree with. And that's not even mentioning the violence, sex, and fast-food commercials they'll be exposed to (on average, 15 food commercials a day!). So follow these strategies for limiting kids' time in front of the TV, no matter how much they love the dude with the square pants.
1. Set a daily limit for TV and video games. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours a day for children over age 2 (under 2, they don't need to be watching much at all). If your child is interested in computers or video games, limit him to 1 to 2 hours of combined screen time a day (TV, video games, computers).
2. Opt for videos and DVDs. They may be a better choice for kids than TV because you can review the content beforehand. Some of our recommendations: Rabbit Ears Productions' series of classic children's stories for preschoolers; Veggie Tales; Sesame Street; Blue's Clues; and other shows that encourage active participation (like calling out answers or dancing along) rather than passive viewing. Videos are also a plus because they don't expose Junior to fast-food commercials; of course, you can always record a show and fast-forward through the commercials.
3. Skip disembodied videos. Several baby videos on the market purport to help turn your child into a genius. But the problem is, some research shows that kids who watch these videos may actually end up with a smaller vocabulary than those who don't watch them. Why? While the videos may emphasize language-building skills, they use disembodied voices rather than visible speakers. Babies learn language not only through sounds but also by watching faces and tracking how words begin and end. With just audio, the words sound more like gibberish than real language. And a huge part of language development is the back-and-forth that happens during conversation, which is one of the reasons that even certain TV shows (the ones that encourage interaction, like Dora the Explorer) are better for brain development than some of these disembodied videos.
4. No TV in the bedrooms. No TV during meals. No TV as a replacement for real people. Televisions in the bedroom are associated with a higher incidence of childhood obesity, sleep problems, and behavior problems. In general, eating in front of the TV in any room of the house should be kept to a minimum because it leads to mindless snacking and lots of extra calories.
5. Limit the time you have the TV on in the background. That's a habit your child is going to copy -- not to mention that you probably don't want your child learning language skills from TV people. TV can be a distraction, preventing your child from paying attention to your language. Also, beware of the adult content on shows you may have on for yourself (soaps, news, The Dr. Oz Show, and so on), because children will absorb and repeat what they see.
