Watching TV is a double-edged sword. There are so many educational, informative, and important shows to watch that banning TV seems criminal. Yet, what is truly criminal is the amount of violence, inappropriate language, and just plain awful content that can make any parent want to toss the TV on the front lawn for the garbage men to pick up.
The TV has become a babysitter for busy parents. Kids are content to spend hours watching absurd programs without complaint, while parents use that time to make dinner, clean the house, and do the laundry. In the United States, kids watch an average of four hours of TV a day—double the recommended amount set by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s a lot of TV! Consider that children in grades one through twelve are only in school learning for an average of five hours a day. They spend almost as much time in front of the mindless TV as they do in front of a teacher.
Tips for Managing TV Time
You can pull your children away from the clutches of the TV with a bit of planning and by setting the tone of television watching as a reward, not an expectation.
- First, rearrange your house. Take the TVs out of their bedrooms and move them away from the kitchen and dining room tables. Put them into one centralized play area where you can keep an eye on what they are watching. Next, unplug the cable or satellite connection to that TV and connect an old VCR or, easier still, a DVD player. Now you have control over what they watch. In your office or bedroom, hook up a DVD recorder (or another VCR) to the TV and begin recording the educational television shows your children enjoy. They can watch these shows in their playroom for a couple of hours a day.
- In the same playroom, put games, puzzles, a drawing table with coloring books and paper, books, and kids’ magazines, so they have alternatives to the TV.
- Guaranteed, you’re going to get complaints about them missing their favorite shows. You do not want them to see this new TV routine as a punishment. Let them know that if they finish their chores and homework, they can watch what they like (within reason) for a specific amount of time on the TV in your bedroom or office. Make sure they understand they must earn this privilege—TV is a reward now. Also, since they are in your bedroom or office, they must behave. If they don’t, the privilege will be revoked immediately.
- Try a ban on watching TV during the week or on every other day. This will help foster hobbies outside of TV that could become regular activities.
- Watch TV with your children. Pick TV shows that are appropriate for their ages and that also interest you. Spend time with them during these shows.
- Talk to them about what they want to watch and why. Watch some of the shows with them so you know exactly what’s filling their heads, and discuss the show with them afterward.
- Lastly, try to avoid TV shows that have a running storyline. These can become a bit of an addiction. We’ve all been glued to season finales that kept us hooked on the show until the next season (who remembers who shot JR? The hype around that one was ridiculous! Thankfully, kids’ shows don’t have that level of ‘cliffhanger’ ever!).
However, the most important thing is setting a good example. If they see you watching TV constantly or the TV on while you’re doing chores, they’ll pick up the same habit. Many of us catch up on the news while making dinner, which is fine—after all, that’s relevant information. But once it’s over, turn the TV off and leave it off. If you want to relax after dinner, go for a walk with the kids, grab a good book, or pull out a jigsaw puzzle. Do something other than vegetating in front of the television—you’ll be happier for it at the end of the day.
