Setting Television Watching Rules Inside The Household
In the tech savvy society that we live in, it is easy for children to become couch potatoes. TV programs, video games, and computers all give children things to do inside rather than out. Gone are the days of playing outside till dark and inventing things to do. Today’s society needs to be challenged and most kids know more technologically than their parents by age 10. Not only are there social ramifications but family time is at an all-time low. Many families have traded traditional dinner time at the table, to eating in front of their favorite show.
If we allow children, some of them will watch TV for hours and neglect play time. This is one reason why obesity is on the rise in children. We have to encourage our families to do other activities besides electronic ones and to motivate them to move. So how does one set guidelines for TV in their own home? You need to set limits. Learn to turn the TV off. Set a specific time frame for TV and then turn it off. The biggest mistake people make is leaving the TV on all the time. Allocate a certain amount of hours for TV viewing and after they have exhausted those hours, they are out of luck.
Another method to detour the TV is to give your children options. Do not just tell them go out and play, show them how fun other activities can be. The most important thing about setting boundaries is family time. While giving them options of being involved in other activities are nice, do things as a family. Going to a recreational center, having family game night or other activities, can soon in time totally take the place of the beloved television.
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