How much TV is too much?

The American Academy of Pediatrics has had a long-standing guideline on TV viewing for children. The AAP recommends no television for kids under age 2; and for kids 2 to 6 years old, television or computer time should be limited to no more than 2 hours per day.

In our house, we give our kids the two-hours per day media diet. Though admittedly, on weekends they get more screen time — since a movie is often one of our Saturday treats. My husband used to tell me the 2-hour a day rule was too stringent. To which I say, let’s take it from the experts.

Growing up, I think our own parents let us watch too much TV. It is easier to sit kids down in front of a TV or game console, I admit. But who knows how much longer our attention spans would be or how much more creative we would have become?

Dr. Michael Rich is Director of the Center on Media and Child Health at the Children’s Hospital in Boston. He has kids of his own and they don’t watch TV — at all.

Their kids do get to watch a carefully chosen movie every so often as a treat. They love movie time, but are ambivalent about TV. Dr. Rich explains, “my wife and I have provided our kids, who are 2 and 4, with a variety of options for imaginary play, creativity, and physical activity. Since my children don’t expect to watch TV, they never ask for it.”

To the Rich family, the no-TV-life has been completely doable. Dr. Rich points out that kids in the 50’s lived without television and they found ways to entertain themselves — in ways that were better for their development.

Also, he cites many studies that prove too much television doesn’t just shorten attention spans. Conspicuous television viewing among kids has been linked to problems ranging from obesity to bad behaviour.

As for educational videos for babies and toddlers, Dr. Rich agrees these won’t do your baby any good. Studies have proven, babies’ brains are not developed enough to learn from television or computer screens. In fact. Dr. Rich cautions, TV time can steal valuable learning opportunities for a young baby. Instead of having human interactions that develop his brain, he stagnates in front of a TV screen.

But television is not all bad. At a certain age, a little TV viewing can do your kids some good. Dr. Rich explains, “for children older than 2, some educational programs can help improve language skills. But it’s important to choose interactive shows, like Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues. These programs are designed by education experts who know exactly what developmental skills to focus on for every age, and they demand thoughtful responses from the young viewers. So the information isn’t just passively washing over a child. Also, age-appropriate, nonviolent video games can help kids learn about problem solving.”

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