Make TV time family time
View(s):By Dr. Udena Attygalle
Starting with a snort and ending with laughter, Peppa Pig, her friends and family are everywhere, and they are not the only ones. Ben 10, Princess Sofia and characters from Frozen are also there. From birthday cakes to bed sheets, the marketing gurus of cartoons know their job! However, with social media being abuzz about whether Peppa Pig is good for your child or not, it seemed an opportune time to write about how cartoons affect children, and also parents.
However the controversy whether Peppa Pig causes autism appears to be unfounded when considering that autism is a condition with a high but complex genetic risk and watching Peppa Pig (or any cartoon for that matter) does not come into the known list of risk factors for autism! Nonetheless, screen time in general for young children and its merits is a subject of much debate.
It is now not an uncommon sight to see toddlers watching T.V or playing with their parents’ smart phones. But how good is this? The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) at one point recommended that children under 2 years do not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of good quality programming. However, this recommendation appears to have been not practical in today’s world. Even so, the first 2 years of life is an important period of brain growth, and time spent staring at a screen can interfere with the time that the child has to explore his world, feel and understand sensations and also time to interact and develop attachments to parents. Currently there still appear to be limited evidence of benefit of media for children under 2 years. The AAP in its most recent recommendation suggests that families develop a media plan that suits their family.
For preschool children (those in the 3-5 age group) it has been found that well designed programming can improve a range of skills. It has been found that cognitive, social, and literacy outcomes are all improved. However, the recommendations go on to state that even these well designed programmes are not the best medium to teach other skills such as higher-order thinking skills, task persistence, impulse control, emotion regulation, and creative, and flexible thinking. These are all best taught through unstructured and social play, as well as parent–child interactions.
Other issues associated with watching television for long hours include such diverse issues such as childhood obesity (possibly driven by lack of exercise, eating while watching television and even food advertisements!). There is also evidence of screen time affecting sleep time in children. Arousing and exciting content and the light of the screen is thought to disturb the sleep cycle and sleep pattern of children.
It is also well known that parents watching television distracts them from interacting with their children. It is also known that parent media use is a strong predictor of child media habits. Therefore setting an example in how we use media ourselves may help our children pick up healthier habits. So having rules for children on television watching and not having them ourselves is less likely to work, thus the importance of a family media plan.
There is also a body of evidence that suggests that watching violent acts on television can contribute to aggression in real life. Given just how much violence kids see on TV, and the advent of Satellite TV in Sri Lanka making foreign programming freely available, one wonders how much of violence on T.V a Sri Lankan child is witness to. Statistics in the U.S show that on average a child will witness around 200,000 violent acts on television by the age of 18. It is probable that the situation in Sri Lanka is not that different.
Another aspect that is relevant to how television affects children is how commercials or advertisements affect them. Two main issues in this regard are, when can children differentiate between advertising and normal programming, and when can they understand the content. It is likely that very young children will have difficulty in both these issues, especially when their favourite characters are also involved!
So what can parents do to help children navigate today’s world of commercial T.V? One approach is to try to have an ongoing conversation about what children see on T.V. Talking to them about the advertisements–their purpose and content would be valuable. Pointing things out and helping them experience things in the real world that may be different to what is advertised will help put things in perspective. Some parents may also do their own advertising directing children to better options using their children’s favourite characters and staging a play of sorts.
Another option would be to use DVDs for recorded programming where there are no commercials and you know the content in advance for the younger children. Â Sitting down with your children to watch TV together, will give an opportunity to do something together as a family and also an opportunity to discuss the content of the programmes so that they get a different perspective to that given in the programme.
While there are many online apps to assist families in making media plans for themselves, some suggestions that may help are limiting the time spent watching the TV, turning it off during meal times, keeping it away from bedrooms and having specific times when the whole family views the television together. The programme content to watch can be selected beforehand so that you are not suddenly surprised. It would also be very important for the parents to set a good example by keeping to the rules themselves.
Limiting TV time can free up time for both the parents and child, and parents should make sure there are alternative activities that the child can engage in – games, books, crafts, playing outside and play time with parents. Thus, with the right guidance watching television can become both an enjoyable and useful activity for your children.
(The writer is Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Teaching Hospital Karapitiya)