PARENTS AND TV

Do you think that children watch too much TV these days? All parents know that too much TV is dangerous for their children but they still let their kids watch TV for hours.

Thirty per cent of children between ages 0-6 in America live in homes where the TV is on almost all the time. Many doctors say that kids six and under should watch little or no television. However, a new study shows that many parents are not following this advice.

Scientists found that young kids watch TV more than doctors would like. Almost twenty per cent of children under 2 have a TV in their bedroom. Most kids six and under watch TV or play video games every day. Eight out of 10 children do this for two hours a day. Doctors say that kids under two should not watch any TV. They also say that kids from three to six should watch less than two hours of TV a day.

In the study, scientists asked parents why their kids watch so much television. They were surprised at the answers. Scientists found that many parents want their kids to watch TV. Why? They use TV time as a reward. Others say that TV keeps their kids busy. This allows parents to do other things, like cook dinner. Some say that TV can teach lessons. Kids can learn things like their ABCs. They can also learn how to share. Some parents believe that kids are learning other skills. Some parents even let their children watch TV in their bedroom so that they can watch their favourite shows in the living room.

Dr. Daniel Broughton says that children under the age of two should not watch TV. After a child reaches 2, the idea is to balance a little TV with riding bikes, playing with friends, household chores and the other activities of childhood.

Watching too much TV may cause young children to miss out on some important experiences.