How To Turn TV Into A Useful Tool For Toddlers ?

There is a debate now about the amount of time small children should watch TV. Almost all agree that too much TV viewing is factor that causes emotional and psychological problems such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and also obesity.

Additionally, if the kids watch TV all day, they dont get have a chance to use their own imagination. What is worse is that they dont get chance even to play outside or engage in outdoor activities such as going for a walk as part of entertainment. The TV has become the lone source of entertainment for the kids. This has an adverse effect on their physical, emotional and intellectual development.

Whereas an average toddler should be physically active for about an hour a day, they rarely become active more than 15 or 20 minutes because of the TV. As a result of too much TV and inactivity the children may fall prey to the following problems.

When children spend too much engrossed in TV their metabolic rate becomes lower and over time it can result in obesity and increase in cholesterol level resulting in overall health deterioration. This symptom is also known as couch potato syndrome. It has also been observed that uncontrolled TV watching results lower academic performance poor reading skills. Very young children and toddlers who are heavy viewers may develop speech and language skills later than their peers. It also stunts the development of creativity and imagination.

TV viewing is basically a passive entertainment. The viewers are not physically engaged in the actions. Becoming glued to the TV characters may result in poor social skills with real people. This is because they interact less with real people and their environment. In many families too much TV viewing hampers communication and interaction between family members thus resulting in misunderstandings and hostilities.

Most children, especially toddlers, are unable to distinguish fact from fiction. Hence, what ever happens in the TV is real to them. Acts of aggression, violence can instill a lot of fear and anxiety in a child. Seeing TV violence may increase aggressive behavior in children and make them less sensitive to the effects of violence.

However there is silver lining in every cloud. TV can really be a blessing if used properly. It can give entertainment as well education to the kids. The following measures can help you to transform the TV into a most advantageous tool for your childs development. First of all, set and enforce a time limit as well as the programs a kid should watch. A maximum of one to two hours per day is sufficient for any kids. But make sure that this time period is divided into shorter periods of 15 or 20 minutes at different times of the day. Also, make sure that a grown up person is with the kids to make sure that they dont watch programs that at are not meant for them. This will also prevent them from getting too much engrossed in the program. You can also stimulate learning by making comments and asking questions about what they see.

You can also counter the effect of violent and fearful scenes in the news or any other program by explaining why it happened and how to avoid them. Reassuring explanations can eliminate a lot of fear and confusion. Also dont allow the kids to eat in front of the TV. Offering rewards for not watching TV and turning their attention to other things such as playing outside and encouraging outdoor activities can prevent the kids getting addicted to TV and save them from its side effects. Reading books is a very important part of your toddler's life. It encourages and enhances their imagination. It's also fundamental for their language development.

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