Despite its faults, TV does provide a wonderland of
experience that is incomparable - sights, sounds and
people. It can take children to the far corners of the
world or even the universe; expose them to the past
and the future, the everyday and the unusual, the arts
and the sciences. The commandments below will help your
family derive the benefits with the least risk.
Establish sensible limits
now:
Before 18 months a toddler can easily do without any
TV at all, At 18 months, half an hour is enough. When
your toddler passes the second birthday, consider expanding
TV viewing to an hour a day. Allowing more TV time than
that for toddlers, who should be spending most of their
time doing other stuffs, is not a good idea.
Enforce limits:
Setting limits is one thing, keeping them is another.
Limits won't work unless you regularly click off the
TV set when the allotted show time is over and then
redirect your toddler's interest elsewhere. There are
times when the rule needs to be bended, as when your
child is sick and no physical activity seems to help.
Just make it clear that this is an exception.
Time television viewing:
Avoid TV viewing during mealtimes which should be family
time, during play dates when children should be playing
together and during family gatherings and holiday celebrations.
Watch together:
Joint viewing allows you to correct misinformation,
monitor commercials and point out values you share as
well as those you don't; don't make solitary viewing
a habit. There is a lot of interaction related to what's
on the screen; you can also be doing something else
while you watch - either with your child (doing a puzzle)
or on your own (peeling potatoes, working on your accounts
or reading).
Make TV viewing interactive:
Motivate your child to sing and dance and do arts and
craft projects along with TV characters. Sing-along
or dance-and-movement videos encourage active participation.
Avoid using TV as a substitute:
Avoid using TV to calm, soothe, or cheer your child.
Try to find out what is bothering your child and help
him deal with the problem instead of turning to the
TV.
TV is not to be used
as a bribe:
Associating the TV set to good behavior (it must be
good because only good kids get to watch TV) or making
it more tempting by offering it to stop the child from
crying makes TV all the more attractive.
Set a positive example:
Your children are likely to do as you do than do as
you say, so it is important to become a model of responsible
viewing. Don't keep the TV on for background noise or
for round-the clock entertainment. If you don't like
the house to be quiet, switch on the radio or play background
music both you and your toddler can enjoy.
Be selective:
Carefully choosing what your children watch on television
is as important as controlling how much they watch and
how. So it is important to preview it yourself to determine
its appropriateness. Look for noncommercial programs
designed specially for young kids with simple language,
appealing characters, singing, music, educational value.
Ban programs with violence in them, including cartoons.
Also be mindful about the content of the programs you
watch when your toddler is around; it is better to watch
TV tailored for adults when your kid is tucked away
for the night.
Counteract the negatives:
The negative effects of TV viewing can be minimized
by turning the family focus away from TV. Substitute
with other activities that bring the family together
as much as possible (swimming, a trip to the zoo or
museum, gardening). Use TV to build observation skills,
creativity and intellect. More than food, clothing,
shelter and TV, your child needs your attention; attend
to their needs, feelings and teach them how to recognize
and deal with their emotional needs.
