Monday, March 12, 2012

Ways to Limit Television

Here are some suggestions of ways to limit your children's television:



  • Turn off the TV during meals
  • Set a good example-limit your own screen time
  • Keep TV's out of kids' bedrooms
  • Try a weekday ban. Record shows or save TV and videos for weekends so you'll have more family time for meals, games, physical activity, reading, and just plain quality time with your kids
  • Stock the room in which you have the TV with plenty of other non-screen entertainment such as books, kids' magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, etc.
  • Don't allow kids to watch TV while doing homework
  • Treat TV as a privilege to be earned- not a right. Establish and enforce family TV viewing rules, such as TV is only allowed after chores and homework is completed
  • Come up with a family TV schedule that you all agree upon each week. Then post the schedule in a visible area ( on the refrigerator) so that everyone knows which programs are OK to watch and when. Make sure to turn off the TV when the scheduled program is over instead of channel surfing
References:


What about all of you? What do you do in your homes to limit the amount of television?


21 comments:

  1. Lauren, these are great ideas for limited TV watching and the alternatives listed such as stocking the room with non-screen entertainment, using TV as a privilege and having the family come up with an agreed upon schedule. I am guilty of watching too many programs in the evening and my weekness are the crime dramas. Last week a couple of them made me sick to my stomach and I thought I would try to not watch them again and so far so good. . . I've picked up a book instead or watched some of Dale's dumb shows like storage wars which doesn't give me a stomach ache but definitely is not as dramatic as the crime shows are. I've also read two books and just started another one last night. So I'm trying but have a ways to go.

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    1. I should have proof read that comment before posting so please disregard the misspelled words, incomplete sentences, and incorrect subject/verb usage.

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    2. Lauren,
      I totally agree, these are great ideas to limit TV watching. I'm guilty of channel surfing, especially if I'm bored. However I'm trying to be more productive during these times (of boredom) and have actually been reading more, instead of watching TV. :)

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    3. That's funny about the storage wars shows. I guess we all have different shows that we like. I think for Chris and I not having TV is a good thing because we would both probably watch more of it.

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  2. Great suggestions to limit TV/make it more meaningful Lauren. I need to incorporate some of your recommendations.

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  3. Great suggestions. I think I need to implement some of these with Grant. My girls are in school which makes it a lot easier to limit T.V. time. With homework and their reading assignments and then our scripture reading and family time it makes it impossible to get any T.V. time in before bed. On the weekends they really want to play with friends and so they limit themselves then.

    With Grant I sometimes use T.V. too much so that I can get things done. However, he really likes to play with mom and he would rather do that then most things. When I try there are a lot of things we can do together so he doesn't sit and watch the tube. A lot of them are educational too.

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    1. It seems that when kids reach school age, that they are more busy with other things so I guess these suggestions are the most helpful for those that are infant- preschool. Taylor loves playing with Chris and I. It amazes me how she catches on to things that I show her so quickly. I was moving this toy back and forth in front of her face so that it would make more noise and then a few days later I saw her do that same thing to all of her toys. I don't know if she does it because she saw me do it or if she wants to see if all of her toys make noise when she moves it back and forth. Kids are sure entertaining:)

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  4. I like the suggestions and feel like I can pat myself on the back a bit because I think we pretty much do all of these already (except the weekday ban idea)...! One thing that Jacque and I absolutely agree on is no TV in bedrooms, period... It never even occurred to me to watch TV during meal time, so that one is easy for us... we definitely enjoy our family meal times together. I think the most important thing is moderation in all things... and as long as we balance any tv/screen time with reading, playing games, playing outside, etc., then I think it is OK...

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    1. I agree with you too about the no TV in the bedroom. I think the biggest reason for me not having it in there is that parents cannot monitor it.

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  5. I agree with all of these suggestions, and feel that the one which will have the greatest impact on children and their attitudes is our own television viewing patterns. They will develop their opinion and idea of what is normal and acceptable when it comes to frequency/duration from us. If it appears to be our primary means of entertainment, it will likely become theirs as well. Conversely, if it is done in moderation, and they observe us engaging in other pass times like reading, games, exercise, etc., they will be more likely to be open to other alternatives besides television.

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    1. I couldn't agree with you more Chris.

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    2. I think the best way we lead our children is by our own example. Kids look up to us for everything and if we are glued to the tube then it should not be a surprise that our kids will do the same. I always catch Taylor looking at me and it makes me aware of the example that I am setting for her.

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  6. I agree with Chris regarding moderation. Sometimes it's nice to just sit and watch tv for a while even if all the chores are not done.

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  7. That's true that it is easier sometimes to just sit... especially if you are exhausted or want some time for yourself to veg. I think it's important to find other things besides the TV to engage in that will allow some "down time" for ourselves. Even if kids want to watch it too, I thought the examples Chris gave like reading, games, or exercise are other good alternatives to television.

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  8. These are great suggestions that I very much agree with. Of course I don't have kids, but I would want to follow these suggestions when I do have kids... even before I have kids, I would rather do activities with my spouse than watch a lot of TV... of course I hardly watch any TV now....

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    1. I am so glad that you said this Tracy. For me it's important to set the pattern now of limiting television instead of worrying about it when you have kids. I think it would be harder to stop the habit of watching television all of the time after you have kids instead of working on it in the present.

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  9. My husband and I never watch our own TV programs in front of the kids. We only watch movies or programs when our kids are in bed. We sometimes let them watch "their" shows, but I couldn't imagine letting them watch something I hadn't previewed. (Of course, they are very young.) But I have a personal goal sometimes during the day not to let them watch ANY TV, and then when they ask, we find an alternate activity. But sometimes I actually schedule TV time in so that I can have a break and get something done.

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    1. That is great that you don't watch your television programs and movies until your kids are in bed. I try to get Taylor to bed early which for me is between 7 and 7:30 pm. Part of the reason we do this is so Chris and I can have time for ourselves like being able to watch our own television programs or a movie. Although, there are days that we do schedule TV too for her in the day so that we can things done or just to relax.

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    2. We usually get our kids to bed between 7-8, and I think that is really important to schedule the time after for you and your spouse. Especially when our kids are young, it is hard to go on regular dates, and this helps us feel connected and sane. ;)

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  10. Great idea Jamie. Parents need time alone on a regular basis and when that doesn't work out because of absence of babysitters or money or appropriate places to go, evenings alone with the children in bed (7-8 p.m.)allows parents the time to reconnect.

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