The issue of how much TV a young child ought to be watching is a controversial subject one amongst many parents. While there are actually undoubted benefits to certain tv programs for youngsters, it could be much too simple to permit your children to get into poor habits. It is very important that television is, in most cases, utilized as an teaching tool to assist your child’s learning, and not as an alternative for interactive play. In connection with this, it could be argued that the real question is not merely the amount of TV a toddler should watch, but what TV they do actually watch, as well as in what environment do they see it.
The best way to establish a productive pattern of TV usage is to establish a routine. Televisions should not be in toddler’s rooms. This sets a poor precedent, and limits how much control you have over their viewing. Ideally, you should be setting aside a time slot of around 15 minutes where your child is allowed watch a certain program. The program should be chosen by you (or you could have two suitable options and let the child choose one) and you should remain present in the room to keep an eye on the content to ensure it is suitable. When the program is over, the TV should be turned off.
Where possible, avoid situations where you are channel hopping searching for a suitable program. In the early stages of TV viewing, the child should not be introduced to the concept of endless choice. Ideally, you can have programs recorded ready to be watched on demand. This facilitates additional control, while ensuring that the program ends when it is finished. This is a convenient way of establishing a routine. When young children are first introduced to the television, you should restrict them to one 15 minute session per day. You can slowly increase this to two or three sessions, but control of the TV should remain with the parent.
As children get older, it becomes appropriate to give them more freedom with the television. Again, this should not involve a television being introduced to their bedroom. Instead, you could restrict school day viewing to one hour, where they get greater choice over what program they watch. Again, to maintain control, you should only allow this when children have completed their chores and their homework. As a treat, you could allow children to choose a movie to watch together at weekends. In this way, you can teach children to view TV as a treat, and not as an everyday habit. By establishing this routine early, you can ensure that your child has a healthy relationship with the television as they get older.