Family Advice: Turn the TV Off

These days the television set is a staple in many households across the country. It's common for people to turn the set on when they wake up in the morning and it often remains on throughout the afternoon. It's entertainment during meals, it's an evening activity for the whole family and even holidays aren't safe from the TV. In many homes more than one television is on in different rooms for extended lengths of time. No doubt, television can provide us with the latest worldly news as its happening, we can check the weather for the day and it's a way to relax after a long day when we turn on our favorite program. However, how much TV is too much TV. and when is it time to turn off the television set?

At a very young age babies will find the blinking lights and sounds of a television set fascinating. Did you know that even videos such as the Baby Einstein series is frowned upon by some experts, as they compare them to a lava lamp and the same amount of interaction that can provide. Little dialogue takes place on these videos, and aside from flashing images, not much is being taught here. Before the age of two, a child's potential for learning is best taught by direct stimulation from a parent or other caregiver. Really the only benefit from putting the television on for a baby is to keep them occupied so that mom and dad can have a few minutes to do something for themselves. In this scenario, what really would be better for your child?

Young elementary school children are easily impressionable and if you're not completely careful with the content your child is viewing at this age, the violence and sexual content can have a huge impact even at an early age. At this age, racial stereotypes, gender stereotypes and so on, play a huge role in a developing child. Very few television shows are created for this age group that would be considered educational. The majority of them fall into the category of sitcoms or solely for entertainment purposes. You have Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody for example. Neither of these shows serve much purpose to a young child, and they definitely don't teach a child life lessons that couldn't also be taught by their parents (The ones who count). In fact, to an adult the shows can come across as quite obnoxious so what makes them so acceptable for our children? Young teens and pre-teens get many of their ideas from television shows and some of the shows geared towards these age groups have a lot of inappropriate topics, have very strong sexual content and have strong language content. It's been proven that pregnancies are twice as common among teens who regularly watch television shows with racy content like Gossip Girl and Sex and the City.

Is all television content bad? No, of course not. There are plenty of educational programs and clean sitcoms to help pass the time. Monitoring your child's exposure to television is what is important. Also, talking to your child and having a good, open relationship with them is important to ensuring they understand what they see on TV and how it can affect you in the real world. It's absolutely not necessary to have the television babysit your child for any duration of time. A book or a toy can give you the five minutes you need and will be much more educational and safe for your child. Although it might be easy to immediately reach for the remote control, think about what's best for your child.

A common occurrence for many families these days is having the television set on during dinner each night. While it's great entertainment it can prevent family conversation from taking place. Instead of talking about each other's days or reconnecting, families are turning to television shows for 'family time'. It's actually been shown that families who watch TV during meals have poor eating habits and a poor diet which is contributing to family obesity in our nation. Families that spend time together on a regular basis not only connect with one another better, but they're likely to be healthier as well. Next time you need a moment to yourself, or you find yourself heading for the television set, contemplate whether or not there may be something better and constructive to do with yours and your family's time. You'll notice a big difference long term.