The average American child spends 26 hours a week in front of the television, and children start watching television earlier than in the past. The television is often used as a “babysitter”, or children are allowed to have a television in their rooms, so that parents lose control over what and how much television is watched, and do not spend enough time with the family with his kids.

Common sense tells us that spending too much time in front of the TV is unhealthy, and research supports that instinct. There is evidence that watching television is associated with increased consumption of junk food, which promotes higher caloric intake. Sedentary television viewing coupled with increased caloric intake promotes obesity, thus low self-esteem, and other health problems associated with excess weight. Some problems are immediate, some arise in adulthood. Studies show that television violence promotes real-life aggression in children and can even lead to the development of ADHD and increase risk behaviors in adolescents.

What can parents do to prevent these harmful effects of television? It is easy. Turn off the TV and go play! The first two years of your child’s life represent a critical window for neurological development. Children should not be allowed to watch television during this time. Instead, they should play with age-appropriate toys that help them develop manual dexterity and imagination.

After age 2, kids should watch no more than 1-2 hours of TV (that includes computer time too!). The American Academy of Pediatrics says that constant TV viewing for more than 1-2 hours a day can cause problems with attention and sleep behavior, so experts recommend setting a time limit for kids watching TV .

Studies show that it is easier to decrease sedentary behaviors than to increase physical activity. Once parents put a limit on TV/computer time, children will be more active. However, parents need to be a little more proactive about increasing their children’s physical activity by scheduling playtime that involves physical exertion.

A child should never have a TV in his bedroom as it promotes too much TV viewing and separates him from the family. Also, when a child has a television in his or her room, parents lose control of what and how much television their child watches. Television should be used as an educational tool for older children. Parents should select the shows they would like their children to watch, watch them together as a family, and use them as a starting point for conversations. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following to help your child develop positive viewing habits:

1. Set limits. Limit your children’s use of television, movies, and video and computer games to no more than 1 or 2 hours a day. Don’t let your children watch TV while doing homework. Don’t put a TV in your child’s room.

2. Plan what to see. Instead of flipping from channel to channel, use a program guide and TV ratings to help you and your kids choose which shows to watch. Turn on the TV to watch the program and turn it off when you’re done. Or use a DVR like TiVo to record only the shows your child can watch. You can also skip the commercials!

3. Watch TV with your children. Whenever possible, watch TV with your children and talk about what they watch. If your children are very young, they may not be able to tell the difference between a show, a commercial, a cartoon, or real life. Be especially careful with “reality-based” shows. Most of these programs are not appropriate for children.

4. Find the correct message. Some TV shows show people as stereotypes. If you see this, talk to your kids about the real-life roles of women, the elderly, and people of other races.

5. Help your children resist commercials. When your children ask about things they see on TV, explain that the purpose of commercials is to make people want things they may not need.

6. Look for quality children’s videos and DVDs. There are many quality videos and DVDs available for children. Check reviews before buying or renting shows or movies.

7. Give other options. Watching TV can become a habit for your children. Help them find other things to do, like play games, read, learn a hobby, sport, instrument, or art, or spend time with family, friends, or neighbors.

8. Set a good example. As a role model, limiting your TV viewing and choosing programs carefully will help your children do the same.

9. Express your views. When you like or don’t like something you see on TV, make yourself heard. Stations, networks and sponsors pay attention to letters from the public. If you think a commercial is misleading or inappropriately directed at children, write down the name of the product, the channel and the time you saw the commercial, and describe your concerns.