Is your child watching too much TV?

Children today – from an early age – are bombarded by electronic media.  There are a variety of television programs, movies, computer games and websites which claim to have significant educational benefits, and of course, many others that are presented as pure ‘entertainment’ for children. 

As with many things in life, an informed, moderate approach to electronic media for children of most ages is the most sensible approach.  The most important role that parents can play is to be involved in their child’s daily viewing activities – understanding what he or she is watching, playing, and doing online.  For children under the age of 2, however, the Canadian Paediatric Society strongly discourages screen-based activities (e.g., television, DVDs, video games, hand-held devices, etc.).  For older children, parents should apply and enforce time limits to ensure that the child is receiving other forms of stimulation to help his or her development.

Parents can set an example for their children by limiting their own TV-watching time, setting aside time for other educational pursuits (such as family reading time), and watching a wider variety of TV programmes with their children directly.  Place the computer in the family room or other shared space to protect your child from the risks of the Internet, and encourage all family members to keep their smartphones out of their bedrooms late at night.