Let’s start with the youngest children: birth to 2 years
The American Pediatric Association recommends no “screens” for children under the age of two. Yet 49% of children aged 12-23 months are watching TV*. Therefore almost 50% of children ages 1-2 are watching TV. You are not a terrible parent if your child is one of them. Yet it is important to LIMIT the amount of time your child spends in front of a screen. Before age two your child will not benefit from watching “screens.” Their job is to explore their world and interact with people. They want to touch, taste, smell, see, and hear their world. Screens are not a substitute for human interaction.
It is also important WHAT your child is watching. If they are watching TV it should be educational programs designed for their age group. Much research shows that boys who watch violent programming are more likely to develop attention problems.
Three keys:
· Keep the TV out of their bedrooms!
· Know what your child is watching.
· Keep the TV off when nobody is watching it.
Instead of putting your baby in front of a screen to occupy her time try to have toys, pots & pans or age appropriate crafts available to keep them entertained when you need a few minutes to get something done.
Next time we’ll look at what’s appropriate for your Preschoolers.
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*Unplug your Kids by David Dutwin
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