THE PERILS AND PITFALLS OF TV

What's so bad about TV?

• TV may present inappropriate content. Shows may convey implicit messages such as “violence is an appropriate way to solve problems” or “people who drink are more fun than those who don’t.” Shows may reinforce gender, ethnic, or other stereotypes. Young kids, in particular, have a difficult time separating reality from fantasy. They may not realize, for example, that people can’t really fly, despite what Superman does.
• When kids watch TV, they aren’t cognitively engaged. Watching television is inherently passive—plots, characters, and messages are presented to us as is, without any need to think about them or generate our own ideas. Even shows that seem to promote interaction are more passive than they appear at first glance. For example, on “Blue’s Clues” the host asks questions of the viewer, but his answers are pre-recorded and not actually a response to the child’s answer. In addition, research consistently shows that the best predictor of children’s reading skill is simply the sheer amount that they read. Therefore, anything that lowers the odds of them reading will have a harmful impact on their reading skill and, quite often, their academic achievement in general.
• It hinders social development. TV is, at its core, a solitary activity. Even when kids watch TV in groups, they are not interacting with each other. They aren’t communicating, negotiating, or developing other social skills.
• TV viewing is strongly related to obesity. It’s technically possible to exercise while watching TV, but certainly not the norm! In addition, commercials rarely feature healthy foods. So not only do children develop cravings for non-nutritious snacks, but they also tend to eat a greater amount of food, because when we are distracted by TV we tend to engage in mindless eating.

Of course, not all TV is bad. There are some high-quality, appropriate children’s shows, and there is nothing wrong with your child watching them once in a while. But there are a number of steps you should take to maximize the good while minimizing the bad.

• Limit the quantity of TV. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children be limited to a maximum of 1-2 hours per day of “screen time” (television, movies, etc.). For children under two years of age, they recommend that children not watch television at all.
• Discuss shows with your children. Watch shows with them so that you are familiar with the characters and plots. Asking about characters’ behaviors can be a natural jumping-off point for potentially difficult topics. For example, you might ask a younger child what he would do if a schoolmate was mean like the TV bully, or you could ask an older child “That girl seems to be wearing a really skimpy outfit—why do you think girls feel the need to dress that way?”
• Keep the TV in a common room. If kids have TVs in their bedrooms, it’s easier for them to watch inappropriate shows. Furthermore, if kids have to share a TV, then they’ll learn valuable negotiation and compromise skills as they decide what to watch.
• Choose shows carefully. Set clear rules as to which shows your kids are allowed to watch. Especially with younger children, you may prefer to stick to prepackaged DVDs—this way you can control the content while eliminating commercials.
• Talk to your kids about the purposes of advertising. Help them critically analyze commercials so they can separate fact from hype.
• Find a way to tie in your child’s TV interests to other, more cognitively stimulating activities. For example, you can look for books based on a show’s characters or use the show as a jumping-off point for art activities, dramatic play, story writing, and so on.
• Be a good role model. “Do as I say, not as I do” sounds nice but doesn’t work. Your kids will be more motivated to ditch TV in favor of other activities if they see that you’re willing to break the habit along with them.

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