Post: Managing a Modern Media Diet
Managing a Modern Media Diet
The Kaiser Family Foundation released a new study this week that shows how parents of kids age 6 and under are using media — specifically television — to cope with their stressful lives.
"Electronic media," the authors write, "has become the central focus of many very young children’s lives, used by parents to help manage busy schedules, keep peace, and facilitate family routines such as eating, relaxing, and falling asleep."
The study's statistics are stunning, underscoring just how much a part of our youngest kids' lives TV has become. In a typical day, 83 percent of children under the age of 6 use screen media, averaging about two hours daily.
Media use also increases with age. Sixty-one percent of babies a year or younger watch an average of 1 hour and 20 minutes a day, while 90 percent of 4 to 6 year olds spend an average of two hours daily in front of a screen.
A third has a TV in their bedroom -- this only drops to 19 percent for kids 1 and younger. Parents do this to free up other TVs for family members to watch their shows (55 percent), keep kids occupied so parents can do things around the house (39 percent), help kids fall asleep (30 percent), and reward good behavior (26 percent).
We understand why parents turn to the tube for occasional babysitting -- when we have to vacuum, we have to vacuum -- but it's critically important that we act responsibly. Just as we are careful about the food our kids consume, we have to be careful about the media they consume -- the quantity and the quality. Here are some tips:
• Know what program your child is watching. Four-year-olds should not be watching CSI. Do your homework to find the best shows. Our reviews can help point you in the right direction.
• Pay attention to ads. Even age-appropriate shows are often surrounded by commercials designed to give your kids the gimmies — for toys and foods that are often full of sugar and fat. And then there are those promotions for other TV shows that are highly age-inappropriate.
• Watch the clock. It’s a rare child indeed who demands less media time as he or she gets older. If you want your kids to grow up active, self-motivated, and able to entertain themselves, you'll need to set limits — and stick to them.
• Don't turn TV into preschool. More and more television is being directed at the youngest viewers, but the American Academy of Pediatricians does not recommend television for kids under the age of 2. This is because research shows that kids grow and thrive best through interpersonal interaction. At Common Sense, we don’t advise TV or DVD programs for the youngest ages for the same reason.
We do realize that the reality for busy parents of young kids includes television. But don't fool yourself into thinking that simply sitting kids in front of a screen — even for educational programs — is going to make them geniuses. No research has shown that TV has any educational value for infants or toddlers.
For more ideas, check out our tips for building a healthy media diet.