Family Matters

Most parents have experienced first-hand some of the negative effects that television watching has on their children: temper tantrums when the set is turned off, whining for advertised items, imitating the undesirable behaviors of TV characters.

According to a recent American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement, this experience is validated by years of research, which has shown "children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the messages conveyed through television."

Specifically, excessive television viewing increases violence and aggressive behavior, obesity and substance use and abuse, and hinders brain development, school performance, good food choices and positive self-image.

As a result, the AAP recommends that children’s total media time be limited to no more than 1 to 2 hours of quality programming per day; television viewing is discouraged for children under age 2. Considering that the average child and adolescent watches three to four hours of TV daily (with another three hours added when videotapes and video games are included), there’s plenty of room for improvement.

"Consider TV as comparable to junk food," says pediatrician (and father of two) Dr. Kenn Saruwatari, the current president of the Hawai‘i chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "TV is OK in small doses, but a steady ‘diet’ of it is harmful."

Here are some ideas for taming the TV in your home.

Plan your viewing. Instead of channel surfing, use a program guide to make choices at the beginning of each week, then turn off the set when the selected shows are over. Or you can start your child with a set number of program "tickets" at the beginning of the week. One ticket is turned in for each half-hour watched, with no more TV allowed that week once all the tickets are used. In any case, reserve veto power for shows you feel are inappropriate.

Provide alternatives to vegging out in front of the tube. Go to the library. Set aside time to read aloud - even older elementary kids like to be read to. Have jigsaw puzzles and games around. Go for a stroll around the neighborhood. Encourage arts, sports and hobbies. "A child’s developing brain learns best through interaction with other people and the environment, and watching TV is passive," Saruwatari said.

Turn off the television during meals. It’s hard to converse when attention is focused on the tube, and conversation is crucial to family bonds. Moreover, one study found that children who regularly watch TV while eating consume more salty snacks and sodas and fewer fruits and vegetables than those who don’t.

Make television viewing a family affair, at least some of the time. Talk about what you see, point out ways real life differs from what is portrayed and use program content to stimulate discussions of issues you deem important. Equally important, help children learn to identify the manipulative "sales pitch" in commercials.

Don’t use TV-watching as a disciplinary tool. Using television access as a reward or withholding it as punishment heightens its value to children - exactly the opposite of the message you want to convey.

No TV in the bedroom. In many families, a television in the child’s bedroom has become an expected rite of passage. In fact, the AAP describes findings of a recent study that 32 percent of 2- to 7-year-olds and 65 percent of 8- to 18-year-olds have TV sets in their bedrooms. Not only is monitoring TV watching impossible with a set in children’s bedrooms, but having one encourages children to remove themselves from the family.

Set a good example. Limiting your own viewing and choosing programs carefully will encourage your children to do the same.

Two Hawai‘i parents, Lynne Wikoff and Ka‘ohua Lucas, take turns writing the Family Matters column. Send comments and suggestions for topics to: Family Matters, ‘Ohana Section, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Hon-olulu, HI 96802; e-mail ohana@honoluluadvertiser.com; fax 535-8170.

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