On average, children in the U.S. watch four to six hours of television each day. By the time they are 18 most will have spent more time watching television than in the classroom. Excessive viewing of violence can numb a child’s sympathy towards victims of violence and cause them to play more aggressively. They can also be more apprehensive about personal safety or their future.
Here are some tips to curb television viewing:
- Encourage participation in sports, games, hobbies and music.
- Read to your child when they are young and encourage reading instead of television viewing.
- Limit the amount of time your child is allowed to watch T.V. to less than 2 hours a day.
- Do not get into the habit of using the T.V. to “baby-sit” or distract your child.
- Do not let your child watch violent shows or shows that contain sex, drugs and alcohol.
- If your child does watch a show with violence, make sure you talk to them and point out how it can hurt the victim and their family. It is always better to discuss something they may see on T.V. than it is to just ignore it.
Getting your child involved in activities that you both can enjoy is easy. Find something that everyone can enjoy and stick to it.
