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Turn off the TV and Open a Book
By Monica Gustafson
February is "I Love to Read" month and it is a month when parents should stop and take stock of how much time their children are spending in front of a screen as opposed to reading or being read to.
The amount of time children spend in front of a screen has changed dramatically over the last decade. Thanks to cable we now have dozens of channels to choose from with so called children's programming being available 24/7. Video game consoles appear in more and more home with violent games being top sellers. Most homes now also have home computer with access to the fascinating world of the Internet. Some will argue that all of these "screens" have some educational value but, like everything else, moderation is the key.
Consider the following research by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (Although these statistics are American based I believe they are just as relative to our children. )
- The average child spends about four hours a day in front of a screen. This includes TV shows, movies, video games and computer time. It is recommended that they need to spend more time exploring and learning. Playing, reading and spending time with their friends and family is more beneficial to their overall learning than screen time with a TV or computer.
- Studies also show that children who spend too much time watching TV are more likely to have weight problems. Besides that fact that they are not active when they are sitting in front of a screen, they tend to snack more while watching. They also watch commercial that tend to promote unhealthy food such as candy and fast food restaurants.
- The Academy also states that a child who watches three to four hours of TV per day will have seen about 8,000 murders by the time they finish grade school. They feel that children who see violence on TV may not understand that real violence hurts people. They may learn that it is okay to use force to solve problems. Research has also shown a very strong link between exposure to violent TV and video games and violent and aggressive behavior in children and teenagers.
- The average child sees more than 40,000 commercials each year. Commercials are quick, fast-paced and entertaining. Commercials are meant to convince your child in a short period of time they must have certain toys or food. This fast paced entertainment may have detrimental effect on the attention span of a child as the lessons in school have none of the flash, or entertainment, of TV.
So what can we, as parents, do? Here are some recommendations from a group called TRUCE, which stands for Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment.
Children under the age of two should not be exposed to TV or videos. This comes from a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics. In fact, watching Baby Einstein Videos and Sesame Street have been proven to slow language development in babies under two. (Disney is now offering refunds to purchasers of The Baby Einstein videos).
Do shut off the TV during mealtimes. Mealtimes are an important time to develop conversation skills and to discuss with your children what is important in their lives. Having a conversation is difficult to do with the TV on. Also, do not leave the TV on for just background noise as it can become a habit to have it on all the time. If you need some background noise, turn on music instead.
Children with TVs in their rooms are more likely to struggle in school, experience sleep disorders and be influenced by advertising and negative behavior. Keep the TV in the family area where the amount of viewing time and program selection can be monitored.
When you do watch a program with your child, talk about what you see. Discuss what happened and if they think that is the way people would react in real life. If there was violence used, ask what they think about how the problem was solved. Could they think of a peaceful way for the characters to solve their differences?
Agree as a family to limit the amount of time you spend in front of a screen, this includes TV, video games and computer. Find appealing non-screen activities for your family such as participating in library sponsored activities, having a family games night, working on a scrapbook or photo album or doing a puzzle. If the weather is nice, consider getting out and being active. We can all use the physical activity!
For "I Love to Read" month make an effort to develop a love of reading in your children that is equal to the TV viewing. After the age of 8, children develop 85% of their vocabulary from reading. Children who spend the majority of their leisure time in front of a screen will find themselves academically behind their well-read peers. Reducing screen time can have immediate and positive impact on your child that will have a long lasting effect on their learning and language developmentso pick up a book and READ!!
Monica Gustafson is a Speech/Language Pathologist and the Author of 23 programming books for speech and language. After 34 years in the school system, she is now in full time private practice. Speech/Language therapy sessions for Preschool and School-aged children are available weekdays and evenings. For information on private sessions, phone: 896-3964 or email Monica.
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Turn off the TV and Open a Book
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