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On average, children in the U.S. watch three to four
hours of television each day. By the time they are 18
most will have spent more time watching television than
in the classroom. While there are programs that can
teach our children good values, there many more programs
that can have a poor impact.
Television violence may be the number one negative
impact of television today on our children. Excessive
viewing of violence may:
- Numb a child's sympathy toward victims of violence
- Cause a child to be excessively apprehensive about
personal safety or his or her future
- Cause a young child to play more aggressively after
viewing violence on television
It is a parent's responsibility to prevent their children
from the negative consequences of television by using
tactics parents to prevent television addiction, including:
- Alternative activities - Encourage participation
in sports, games, hobbies, and music.
- Reading - Start reading to your child as
an infant. When he or she gets older, encourage reading
instead of television.
- Limit viewing - Set a limit of 2 hours or
less per day. Allow extra time for occasional educational
programs.
- Don't use as a distraction - Although it
is easy for parents to use television to distract
or "baby-sit" preschool age children, viewing
should be limited to programs and videos specifically
written for this age group. Preschoolers typically
cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality.
As a result, regular shows can cause fears.
- Use the TV program guide - Instead of "surfing"
for a program of interest, teach your children to
search the TV guide to find shows that interest them
before turning on the television.
- Forbid violent shows - Pay attention to what
shows your child watches. Many of the shows designed
for children and teens contain violence, sex, drugs,
and alcohol. Often parents must actually watch a show
their child is interested in to discover these topics
are being addressed. Be clear which shows are okay
to watch and turn off the TV when you don't approve.
- Talk about the violence - If your older child
does watch shows with violence, point out how it can
hurt the victim and their families. It is better to
discuss these things with your child, than to ignore
them.
Excessive amounts of television viewing can be harmful
to a child. It decreases active time that could be spent
playing with peers, daydreaming, thinking, participating
in sports, music and other activities. Heavy viewing
can reduce school performance by interfering with studying
and reading.
On the other hand, appropriate television viewing can
educate children about different lifestyles and cultures,
teach humanity toward others, instruct on hobbies such
as cooking and crafts, and so on.
Parents who limit their own television time and watch
healthy programs can send a clear message to their children
about responsible television viewing.
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