Parents encouraging their young children to watch TV, study shows

A new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation suggests that many parents push their young children to watch TV in order to manage busy schedules, keep the peace and keep the family on schedule.

Its main findings include:

• Computer and TV use increases with age.
• 19% of children under the age of one have a TV in their bedroom: 29% aged 2-3; 43% aged 4-6.
• 66% of parents said their children imitated good behaviour they saw on TV.
• 42% of children have access to high-speed Internet access.

This is a really interesting study. The use of TV and Internet in the home with young children can be quite a controversial one.

On the plus side, TV and Internet can be used for education and learning, entertainment, and to ease stress on the family.

On the downside, overuse can lead to isolation and independence, viewing of inappropriate content, and even obesity due to inactivity.

“Everything in moderation” is a good maxim here. It’s important for children to understand and engage with modern technology, but the family should not use this media as an excuse to shirk their parental responsibilities.

The whole family should still engage with one another, through shared mealtimes, exercise, shared activities and reading, to name but a few.

Read the whole fascinating article: Many parents encourage tots to watch TV: study