At what age can you watch TV? This question is no less important than the question of the first complementary foods. Big applause for those who think about it at all.
For a tired mother, such moments are like salvation – now you can safely drink a cup of tea or read a book. TV really can replace a nanny, but have you ever wondered what price a child will have to pay for it? Excess weight, inattention and poor physical fitness, is not a complete list of disadvantages. Would you like to talk about the benefits? Let’s consider them separately.
In our house, TV is rarely watched, but it works all the time, which does not bother anyone – a myth!
Research from the University of Massachusetts shows that TV is bad for family relationships, even when it’s on in the background. Parents show less attention to children, and children cannot concentrate on the game due to noise and flashing screen.
A child can watch TV, even if he is under two years old, there are a lot of programs for his age, and they do not harm – a myth!
Although directors and animators assure that their works benefit even the smallest viewer, psychologists are of a different opinion. According to them, up to two years the baby should not watch TV, moreover, for him, parents who devote time to television are a bad example.
Educational videos promote speech development – a myth!
Children learn to speak thanks to the care of adults. If you turn on the recording of the mother’s voice to the newborn, after a few minutes, attention to these sounds will fade away, while communication with the mother, who always pleases the baby nearby. Parents and caregivers adjust the tone of voice to each situation, gestures and facial expressions facilitate understanding and lead to dialogue that television lacks. This is confirmed by a study conducted in the United States. Scientists observed children between the ages of three months and two years old and noticed that every hour spent next to the TV reduced vocabulary by 7%. As a result, the children learned to speak more slowly than their peers who were brought up without the intervention of the box.
Parents view television as a babysitter – true!
When the baby sits in front of the screen, there is silence in the house, which contributes to the relaxation of parents. Rest in this case can last not a few minutes or even 10 (as practice shows). Most children sit in front of the TV for more than 20 minutes a day because it is convenient for parents.
The child learns from television a lot of new things – the truth!
Thanks to television programs, you can see almost everything – the largest building in Dubai, bears in Alaska and Eskimos. It also provides good assistance in learning a foreign language. However, all this information is easily obtained through books and magazines that develop the imagination, creativity, and desire for knowledge.
Watching TV makes you overweight – debatable
It all depends on the parents. There are modern programs where TV presenters teach viewers to sing, dance and do gymnastics in a playful way, so watching ads is a great danger. A child under 12 years of age is uncritically approaching everything that is said in advertising – chips, sodas and fast food will certainly want to try. If you explain what food is healthy and what chips are made of, you can avoid the problem of excess weight. Also, forbid the child to eat in front of the screen and of course do not set an example like that. Eating in front of a screen distracts from the feeling of fullness, resulting in overeating.
The nervous system is excited – the truth!
It has been noticed that after watching cartoons it is difficult for children to fall asleep, they want to run and jump or get irritated for any reason. TV has a strong influence on the senses – fast speech, frequent change of pictures, bright colors and sounds of varying intensity are contrary to the nature of the baby.
TV viewing norms for children
Until the age of two, a child should not watch TV; for a child older than this age, the program should last no more than 10 minutes. For a three-year-old child, the duration of the program is 15-20 minutes.
How to choose a fairy tale or cartoon
TV programs are not always age appropriate. First of all, the cartoon should be calm – the slower the pace of action, the better. The next important point, friendliness is a cartoon devoid of aggression with happy characters and a good ending. The absence of advertising and harsh sounds is welcome. It is advisable to view the program together with the child, so that in case of fright, you can calm the baby and explain to him the actions of the characters.