Decrease Children's Television Time

Distractions, T.V. Time Limits, T.V. Ban and T.V.-Free Week

Oct 30, 2008 Barb Hacker

Television viewing becomes excessive when parents feel their children are not doing much besides watching T.V. Too much T.V. can have a negative effect on children.

In a February 2001 policy statement, The American Academy of Pediatrics states that time spent involved in different types of media, including television, takes time away from more meaningful pursuits, like reading, sports and time with friends. The AAP brings attention to the number of negative messages regarding violence, drugs, cigarettes and alcohol that children are exposed to through television. Unfortunately, these negative images can translate to real-life behavior problems.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Television Viewing Recommendations

The AAP recommends that children under age 2 do not watch television; not even programming that is specifically designed for this age group. For those over age 2, the recommendation is for no more than an hour or two of television viewing per day.

It is possible to help children decrease the amount of time spent watching television. A reduction in screen time means more time for other activities.

Use Distractions to Cut Back on Television

Young children are often easy to distract away from the television. Plan interesting projects every day until the desire for the television has waned. Get out paint and Play-Doh first thing in the morning or spend time with your child in the kitchen cooking.

Outdoor time is the best anti-television distraction. Head outdoors with the children and keep them busy playing ball, walking or gardening. Plan an outing to the playground or library.

Set a Television Time Limit

If you aren’t cutting out all television viewing, set a limit. Encourage children to pick one or two shows they enjoy and limit T.V. time to these shows. Older children can keep a television log to track their viewing time and schedule the shows they don’t want to miss.

Cut Out All Television

If the parents decide to become a T.V.-free family, they may want to unplug the television and put it in a basement or closet. Avoiding television all together is easiest if the T.V. is out of sight. As with anything, the parents need to be sure to set a good example with television viewing habits. It’s unfair to ban the children from watching television, but continue to watch T.V. often.

Television-Free Week

As a family, participate in the national television-free week. The Center for Screen-Time Awareness has Turnoff Week scheduled for September and April of each year. Many school districts participate in the program or have a similar one of their own. It’s a great way to kick off a family commitment to being television free.

Decreasing your children’s television time can be done by providing distractions during normal T.V. viewing hours. Parents need to set limits on television viewing and can encourage older kids to keep a television log. Some families may decide to cut out television viewing completely. Participating in a national television-free week will help with any plan to decrease children’s viewing time.

Sources:

American Academy of Pediatrics, Policy Statement, "Children, Adolescents and Television", February 2001, website accessed October 29, 2008.

Center for Screen-Time Awareness, website accessed October 29, 2008.

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