• You are the BOSS: when and what your kids will watch should be defined by you only. Select couple of good programs and offer them to select any one or two from that. Check out the time table and offer TV during those selected programs only.  For the kids (ages 2 to 7) TV time limit is 1 or at max 2 hrs. Use of laptops, mobiles or any other video devises is a part of TV Time only.

• Switch off the TV during meal time:Let your kids enjoy and respect the food. Meal time is family time so help kids to know that TV is not a family member and a part of life it’s just a part of your house like any other furniture.

• TV means only TV no Parallel activity allowed:This will benefit you in two ways: 1. When you won’t allow them any other activity with TV they will pay full attention to the TV so if you are using TV as an educational resource it will fulfill your purpose. 2. Kids cannot pay full attention to one thing for longer time so they will leave it by themselves when they lose interest and thus you can control their TV Time.

• Co-viewing is encouraging:don’t allow watching TV alone. You should watch with them and try to explain initially what is that shows for and what are they showing. So you can direct their thinking in right direction. Let them be innocent don’t tell them all the reality.

• Conversation about shows: Don’t forget to talk about what they have watched and what are their views for that show so you can get idea about how that show affects their mind. if they misunderstood something correct it so they can get right idea.

• Don’t surf TV when kids are around:Go through the time table and fix the TV time. Don’t change the TV channel while watching TV with kids even during advertisement as kids can’t differentiate what is in show and what is out of the show. Tell them if it is advertise and switch off the TV when show finishes.

• Switch off TV when not in use:When no one is watching it is advisable to switch it off and cover it so your kids can not distract by TV and enjoy their play.

• No TV before sleep time:Before sleeping time kids need to be pampered. Colors and sounds of TV disturb their mind so they can’t sleep properly. Soft audio music is advisable if you really need something to sooth them.

• No TV as reward or punishment:  Reward or punishment gives importance to the thing. TV doesn’t deserve that much importance so if you will not show importance then kids will also take it as just a part of house.

How to select a show for your kids :

As I said you are the boss then this is your responsibility to offer them a good show. If you are thinking what goes in good shows then here are some of the constraints you should go through before selecting any program.

1. Is it suitable to your kid’s age?
2. Is it enjoyable?
3. Is it easy to understand?
4. What kind of language is used?
5. What your kid will learn from that show?

And always talk to your kids about the shows in free time so you will get the idea that you made a right choice for them or not.  If not its okay you can revise your research at any time as its not so tough to rewrite kids mind at this age.

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I would like to initiate my Kids and TV article with couple of real incident:

1. Recently we planned to visit a zoo with my little one.  As I am not an animal lover  I prepared myself and my mind for that and thought I will read all the notice boards inside the zoo so I can justify her questions about animals but to my surprise when we made it to the zoo it was reverse!!!! She was telling me everything like see mama this is flamingo its white, they eat leaves and when they grow they become pink, stand in one leg and many more about most of the animals and birds!!!!! She has more information than written on the boards…… and I asked her “how do you know that?” and she replied “cat in the hat and Diego mama, they know everything” and I remembered the TV shows, my husband offered her many times and he is responsible for her animal love. I wondered such a strong impact of TV!!!  TV shows are helpful to satisfy kid’s curiosity especially when it goes out of our interest.

2. Few days back I was seating on bench in our garden and watching my little one. As she was playing with swing n slide I was holding her all-time favorite doll. After sometimes a kid came ,he saw a doll in my hands and started hitting it (of course softly in pretend play) so I asked “What are you playing” and he replied” I am hitting bad men!!!”  So I smiled and said “ohh but who the bad men are? Have you ever seen them?” and he replied “yes, in Chota Bheem, Krishna …..And gave me a list of many more super hero series and added I too will become super hero and hit bad guys!!!!”  Well here I can see good and bad part. Good is these shows increased kid’s imagination but bad is no doubt in wrong direction……4 years old kids don’t need to know about bad guys and good guys and can you tell me how will they differentiate whether its good guy or bad?

Have many more experiences like these as I love to talk with kids and thus I came out with this article on TV. First of all I would like to talk about the myths (what actually parents believe) with truths (what actually the situation is) :

• With TV my kid can enjoy alone: well if you want them to enjoy alone that should be alone. Any talking things even musical toys are real person for them and that’s the reason kids experts don’t advise musical toys for kids. When DORA says “Tell me your best part from the show” your kids will definitely answer as they cannot understand that DORA is not real and won’t be able to listen them! So if you want to encourage stand-alone or a word is “independent play” then choose the right toys and a right way.

• While kids are watching TV I can finish my work: No one can be sure that what kids will understand from the shows, your instruction, and your behavior or from any surrounding environment but one thing is for sure that whatever they will understand they implement it. So giving TV while you are busy is not advisable as you can’t monitor their shows it is okay if you scanned it couple of times and agreed to allow it but still co-viewing is advisable. If you really have something to do once in a while that’s fine but TV should not be the reason to engage your attention seeker.

• With TV I can distract kids and feed them properly even the dishes they don’t like: This is totally wrong. Yes of course you may finish entire plate but you know while watching TV they don’t even realize what are they eating and even how much they are eating? Now who will decide how much they should eat? You? Well it’s their stomach how can you say how much is enough do you eat same quantity every day? Then how can you expect that from your kids? It depends on their hunger as well as on their taste and it has to.  Let them have idea about what to eat what is healthy why to eat as well as how to respect the food and if you will feed them with TV can you say they will learn this any ways???

• TV can be reliever for crankiness: Would you like to stay with TV if you are in pain or feeling lonely or need someone? Don’t you seek for a person more than a TV when you are not in good mood?  Everyone can have mood swing and so the kids but that doesn’t mean you should leave them in front of TV. It is better to be with them when they are cranky as they need you not TV or toys. Most peaceful thing in the world is love & attention. Just shower your love and everything will be fine.

• From TV we can teach them new things: Well not denying but only if they are watching good kids programs. And for that you have to know what are the kids programs and what are they showing and what are they learning from that. Kids don’t know what is for them and what is not so you have to scan the age appropriated programs and enjoy with them.

Now tell me you really want to offer them TV????? Well yes/no but we all have to agree that TV is now a part of our houses and any how they will get it sooner or later. Best we can do is making it as later as possible. But what when we have to give them TV??? What to allow and what not to allow? When to allow and how much we can allow? How can we choose what to watch and how can we encourage/restrict them to watch that only. I will say there is just one answer for all your questions and that is set the TV rules just like your house rules. Try to follow it and encourage your kids to follow it. 

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