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| |    Guidelines for Television Viewing by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Offer alternatives Many children watch television out of habit. If you help them to think of other activities and make books readily available, they will be less likely to plant themselves in front of the TV set. When they do watch, offer a selection of age-appropriate videos to choose from. Plan ahead Help your child to decide which shows he is truly interested in, and if appropriate, allow him to set aside time to watch them. This avoids the "inertia effect" of simply sitting down and flipping channels to pass the time. Set limits You should discuss and set limits for your child regarding both how much time is spent watching television and which shows are acceptable. For children older than 2 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1-2 hours of educational and non-violent television per day. Do not allow your child to have a TV set in his room. Enforce priorities Television should not come before homework or participating in household chores unless you and your child agree on an appropriate time when these priority activities will be accomplished. Keep food and television separate Do not get in the habit of snacking or eating while watching television. TV all too often takes the place of family conversation during mealtime, and encourages children (and adults) to eat for reasons other than hunger. Be an active participant When at all possible, watch TV with your child. The best way to handle the unwholesome messages on TV is to watch TV with your child and help her to become a discriminating, critical viewer. You can make comments on whether what you've just seen together bears any resemblance to the real world.
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