Friday, April 25, 2008

How Much Is Too Much?


I was recently surprised to learn that 25% of children under the age of 2 have television in their bedrooms. Now, I'll be the first to admit that my daughter watches a little more than the one hour of recommended time by the AAP (it allows me to get the breakfast dishes done and dinner ready), but she is by no means stuck in front of the tube all day. We enjoy a ton of activities, read constantly, and truly fill our day with a lot of different things that allow me to feel perfectly comfortable with her occasional shows, as well as an educational DVD in the car.


But a television in the bedroom? I guess I wonder where the need for this comes from. Is it part of a quiet-time routine for the child who's surrendered his or her nap? Is it the only television in the house? Does it work as a distraction while the moms are getting things done upstairs?


I guess it concerns me, especially when it begs the question, how are the programs being monitored?


Am I off the mark on this one?

No comments: