Should kids watch less tv?

[AB Asks]

A Psychologist is arguing that children under three should not watch any tv. He also recommends that young children shouldn't have a tv in their rooms and that the government should provide parents with guidelines on how much tv children should watch each day. He says that children under 12 shouldn't watch more than one hour per day and those between 12 and 15 should only watch one and a half hours per day. Should parents limit the tv that their children watch, and if so how many hours should kids watch?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6582385.stm

[Octavius]

I don�t think that watching TV should be limited per se as it can be often be educational as well as entertaining. Limitations should be placed on what they watch (by the PARENTS not a government body) and since most of what is on our TV�s is mind-numbing tosh, then one hour per day of educational TV and entertainment sounds about right. The rest of the time they could be doing their homework or playing.

[kags]

I think trying to come up with some formula for what is acceptable for children across a huge spectrum of personality and ability would be a waste of time and money. Even if you could come up with some guidelines, the very parents who don't bother with their kids would be the ones to ignore the guidelines anyway. I am a firm believer that we just have to trust parents to do what's right for their children, and only intervene if a child is at risk. Far better if money could be spent to allow schools to provide more education in this area, and in improving local amenities to give children and parents more choices.

[ainitatyb]

In our family I got rid of our TV in 1983 before the children were born and they never had access at home to viewing. As a result they developed (I believe) a wealth of other interests and activities but what amazed me most was the ability they developed to always occupy themselves under any circumstances. I don't ever recall them being bored, having nothing to do, being disinterested in what was around them, or missing out unduely as they seemed to see enough TV at their grandparents, friends etc. Neither did they ever express a wish then or now to sit and watch programmes. They are all in their 20's now and 2 of them seldom watch TV, 1 watches a normal amount. I have friends whose teenage children watch TV constantly and whenever we travel together they seem to lack any ability to find any enjoyment / fun, interest or play, from what is around them and it is a constant and loosing battle to amuse them. This is hardly a scientific comparison, but I must admit I am all in favour of reducing TV viewing at all ages.

[ALLO5775]

my kids all under 4 watch tv. but not bad stuff. most of the cartoons they watch are educational. they are getting x-tra help learning their shapes numbers colors and so on. and they love watchin wildlife documenteries with daddy

[200748]

Why do parents need Tv to occupy there children, if from a very early age they are allowed to do what ever the parent is doing ie:- cooking,washing up gardening and allowed to get dirty with paints, flour and make things like paste pictures which are very cheep and great fun and tthen when they are in the garden have teddy bear picnics, make a wormery or mud pies they wouldn't need to watch TV, and they would go to bed at a sensible time happy, health and fresh air tired. my kids did and they are now well rounded adults.