Oct 17, 2010

Limiting Screen Time for Your Kids

Lots of kids spend hours in front of a television every day. Some parents use a TV as a babysitter for convenience. Kids are often attracted to it due to the vibrant colors, booming sounds, and funny movements of the characters on TV. However, you really have to limit your kids' time in front of the television. Not limiting their TV time might cause some big problems in the future.

When kids watch TV too much, their attention span is being shortened. This would adversely affect their focus on their studies and might also affect their overall behavior. Since the visual and auditory senses are used when watching TV, kids would just sit there without working out their brains. Everything is given to them in a spoonful which makes them lazy to even think, shortening their attention span. In effect, too much TV would have children finding it hard to concentrate in their studies.
Aside from their attention span, their intelligence is also affected. Studies have shown that kids who spend several hours watching TV each day are more likely to decline in their academic performance in school. Their comprehension would be affected as well as their ability to express their thoughts.
Kids also see and absorb everything they see on TV. Parents are not able to be with their children all the time to tell them what they can or cannot watch on TV. Sometimes kids learn violent traits even by watching cartoons espousing guns and street fights. When kids keep on watching these kinds of shows, they would eventually inculcate the behaviors being exhibited by the characters. You wouldn't want your kid hitting his classmate with a chair in school, would you?
You should limit your kids' TV time in order to keep your kids smart and well-behaved. Your presence at home will greatly contribute to their well-being.
Source: Ezine