 Picture this scene!
Your 2 year old loves the TV and can go on watching it for hours and hours. He starts with having breakfast in front of the tube and then goes on till lunch. After his afternoon nap he amy go back to it again for a couple of hours. Familiar with this? Well it does keep him off your hair does'nt it? And he never seems to understand that he can't watch Thomas the Tank Engine and the Teletubbies all day, every day. Surely 2-and-a-half is too young to become a couch potato? Well I would like to warn you that this might be exactly what he may become later on in life. Your child wants to watch TV because TV is fun. The key to healthy television viewing is to make it only a part of a range of activities that your toddler enjoys. Too much TV can stunt his imagination, affect his physical fitness and limit his social skills.
Don't pick a fight over the video
You can't negotiate with a toddler, so don't try rationing the TV. Don't make a fuss or pick a fight when he puts the video on, or he'll do it again to gain attention. If your toddler puts the video on, then walks away to play, don't be too harsh. How often do you have the radio playing while you do something else? Perhaps he likes the music. Put on the CD or cassette player for him instead.
Set a good example
Limit how much TV you and your other children watch. Don't let the family eat in front of the TV and try to make viewing a family group activity. If older children are watching TV and he wants to watch 'Thomas the Tank Engine', be firm. Say 'no' and explain why. Distract him or take him into another room. |