Copyright 2012,
Sonja Brownlee, MD.
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Last Updated 2/2012
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Television
Media Use
Media Use Under Age 2
TV Quiz
Media Use:
- Minimize Media Use Under 2 Years of Age
- Is Your Television Controlling Your Life
a. Excessive TV viewing has a negative impact on your life.
b. More TVs, Less Parental Involvement
c. A Link to Fear, Distrust, & Violence
d. Health and Values
e. Education
f. Positive Role
g.TV Education: What Parents Can Do
h. National TV Turn Off Week
i. Seven Ways to Unplug Children from the TV Set
Minimize Media Use in Children under 2 Years Old
Unstructured playtime is more valuable for the developing brain than any electronic media exposure. If a parent is not able to actively play with a child, that child should have solo playtime with an adult nearby. Even for infants as young as 4 months of age, solo play allows a child to think creatively, problem-solve, and develop reasoning skills. Media is passive; it does not actively stimulate brain growth.
Studies show no benefit, and even some negative effects, from media exposure under the age of 2 years old:
- Language Delays
- Decreased Attention Spans
- Decreased Ability to Read
- Aggressive Behaviors
- Sleep Issues
- Obesity
Educational media has no proven benefit for children under 2 years old, despite the fact that ¾ of the top-selling infant videos make explicit or implicit educational claims!
Certain high quality programs have educational benefits for children older than 2 years. However, the amount of time spent watching media, as well as whether a parent is watching with the child, also influences a child’s ability to learn from media.
Background or Second-hand media also has adverse effects on children:
Even when not actively watching the media, a child is distracted; Children stop to look at a televised program, halt their ongoing play, and move on to a different activity after the interruption. Study results suggest that background media might interfere with cognitive processing, memory, and reading comprehension.
Young children may not be paying close attention to a televised program that they cannot understand, but their parents are watching. It distracts the parent and decreases parent-child interaction. Infant vocabulary growth is directly related to the amount of “talk time” or the amount of time parents spend speaking to them. Heavy media us in a household can interfere with a child’s language development simply because parents likely spend less time talking to the child.
Parents should have definite plans for managing media exposure: set limits and create a balance. Ideally, parents should review the content of what their child is watching and watch the program with their child.
Do not place a television or video player in your child’s bedroom. Many parents think televised programs are a calming sleep aid; however, some programs actually increase bedtime resistance, delay the onset of sleep, cause anxiety about falling asleep, and shorten sleep duration. In children younger than 3 years of age, bedtime media use is associated with irregular sleep schedules. Poor sleep habits have adverse effects on mood, behavior, and learning.
Sit down and read to your children on a regular basis to improve their brain functioning and language development.
Too much TV? Take the Quiz!
| 1. How many TV sets do you own? |
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2. Where are the sets located?
Living room Bedrooms
Kitchen Family room
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| 3. How many hours a day do you watch TV? |
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| 4. How many hours of TV does each child watch every day?
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5. Do you watch TV alone or with others?
Alone Others Both
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6. Do you/they watch TV because you are bored or have nothing to do?
Yes No
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7. Do you/they ever turn off a show that doesn't interest you?
Yes No Sometimes
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8. Does your TV set(s) remain on for long periods of time, or even when you or your children are not watching?
Yes No Sometimes
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9. Do you/they watch TV in bed at night?
Yes No Sometimes
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10. Is the TV on during meals?
Yes No Sometimes
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11. Do you turn off the set when someone drops in to visit?
Yes No
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12. Do certain TV shows have an emotional effect on you/them?
Yes No Sometimes
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13. Do you ever turn on the set to entertain your preschoolers?
Yes No Sometimes
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14. Do you ever rent videos to entertain your preschoolers?
Yes No Sometimes
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15. Do you watch TV mainly to relax?
Yes No Sometimes
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16. Would you miss TV if you didn't have a set?
Yes No
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How to Score Your TV Watching
- 5 points for each set
- 5 points for each room
- 1 point for each hour
- 1 point for each hour divided by the number of children
- Alone, 5; Others, 2; Both, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 2
- Yes, 0; No, 5; Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 0; Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 0; Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 0; Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 0; No, 5
- Yes, 5; No, 2; Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 0; Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 2, Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 2; Sometimes, 3
- Yes, 5; No, 0
How to Interpret the TV Quiz
A score of 90 or more indicates that there is too much TV in your life and you should get your habit under control. If you scored from 75-90, you are a borderline TV addict and should take steps to curb your viewing. Under 70 indicates you have a TV conscience and probably don't need any help controlling your viewing habits.
Don't be surprised if you scored more than 85. Ninety percent of those who have taken this test score well over 85, and there is no reason your family should be any different. Remember, TV was designed to entice, electrify, and entertain, so it's not surprising that it has wormed its way into your life.
However, after reading the symptoms and dangers of TV addiction, it is your fault if you allow you and your family to continue to be held by TV's power. It's time to get unplugged and begin to control your TV instead of the other way around.
Reprinted from Getting Unplugged, 1998, by Joan Anderson and Robin Wilkins, John Wiley & Sons Inc.
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