TV ‘Helps Kids Switch Off’
By admin • May 7th, 2010While parents may be concerned that children today are getting square eyes from watching too much television, it can be a good way for them to relax once their school, and homework commitments are completed.
Amy Schofield, editor of mychild.co.uk, advised mums and dads to allow their kids to watch age-appropriate television in moderation in order to give them the opportunity to "switch off" for a while once their work was out of the way.
Television could form part of the daily routine of some smaller children and give their parents a break when they could complete other tasks, she continued.
Just as many adults use the television as an escape and opportunity to wind down after a busy day, the same could be said of kids, Ms Schofield explained.
But she warned: "Watching too much TV, however, can affect children’s health and development, because they are inactive while watching and they are not interacting with the people and the world around them."
This interaction presents a vital opportunity for children to increase their mental and physical development, she stated.
In order to tear them away from the sets, Ms Schofield advised mums and dads to organise activities such as building a den or cooking.
Recent research published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine by the University of Montreal, the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center and the University of Michigan found that television exposure at two years old can lead to negative consequences for kids, ranging from poor school adjustment to unhealthy habits.
How much TV do your kids watch?