Taming TV Time
Is Your Babysitter a Square?By Heather Johnson Durocher
"It's all too easy to fill the hours with the square babysitter: the TV," says Jen Singer, who is also the author of a new booklet, Surviving the 14 Hours 'Til Bedtime: 86 Tips, Tricks, Tactics and Games for Stay-at-Home Moms. "But if you limit the times of day and the types of shows your kids can watch, you'll find they learn to fill the rest of the day by entertaining themselves."
Children who don't spend time in front of the television and instead are interacting with their parents or playmates are able to learn significant and critical skills, says Dorothy Singer. For example, playing gives children the opportunity to hone conversation and negotiation skills, which is important going into the preteen years, she says. "Play is really a wonderful teacher," she says.
Tips for TV Time Management - Be consistent with how much television time you allow so your kids know exactly what they can expect "normal" to be in your home.
- When your kids say, "my friends watch more TV" or "my friend gets to watch XYZ show," try saying "different families do things differently," says Christine D'Amico, mom of two.
- Commit to not using TV when you want a break from wild kids, which D'Amico says "can be really hard when you are tired and the kids are acting all crazy." Think of other calming activities that work with your children. This could be taking a bath, reading stories together or going for a walk.
- Monitor the shows your child watches regularly. Catch the show once to make sure that the content and messages are what you consider to be age- and values-appropriate. Talk with your child about the show; ask questions to get a more in-depth understanding of her thinking about what you saw together
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