Mr. Toth

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Here are a few simple ideas to limit TV and computer time in your home:<o:p></o:p>
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• Take the TV and the computer out of your child’s bedroom. Children who do not have TVs and computers in their rooms spend nearly 40 minutes fewer each day watching TV or playing video games.<o:p></o:p>
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• Eat dinner as a family and keep the TV off during the meal. Children who regularly have dinner with their families spend a half hour less watching TV and playing video games each day.<o:p></o:p>
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• Preview TV shows and video games before allowing your child to watch and play unsupervised.<o:p></o:p>
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• Move the television set(s) to less prominent locations. TV is far less tempting when it is not easily accessible.<o:p></o:p>
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• Start small. Turn off the TV for 30 minutes each evening.<o:p></o:p>
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• Set limits. Fewer than half of all children say their parents set any limits on the amount of time they can spend watching TV and playing video games. You may decide that your children can watch no TV on school nights. Or you might give your children tickets, each good for 30 minutes of TV viewing or video games. Once the tickets are gone, the set is turned off.<o:p></o:p>
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• Post a schedule. Each week sit down with your child. Help him make a chart of his TV and computer time for the coming week.<o:p></o:p>
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• Make it a challenge. Record how many minutes your family spends watching TV this week. Then try to reduce that amount next week.<o:p></o:p>
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• Expect your child to complete homework before watching TV, surfing the net or playing video games.<o:p></o:p>
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• Make sure your video rental store requires parental approval before a child can rent a violently rated video game.<o:p></o:p>
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• Hide the remote control. If your kids can’t find the clicker, they may read, play games, or get some exercise. (They’re also more likely to plan their viewing than just mindlessly channel-surfing.)<o:p></o:p>
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• Think about times when you rely on TV. In some families, TV keeps kids busy while dinner is cooking. If you sometimes use TV as a babysitter, try doing some advance meal preparation instead. Or get your kids in the kitchen to help you cook.<o:p></o:p>
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• Be patient. If you can live through 20 minutes of whining, your children WILL find something else to do.<o:p></o:p>
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Copyright © 2004 by The Parent Institute, a division of NIS, Inc.

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Mr. Toth

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