Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Media Overload

I was somewhat shocked by these statistics that I read in my "Discovery Years" magazine(October 2006) from Focus on the Family. This survey was done with 4 to 6-year olds.

90% watch an average of two hours of television each day. Question to ask is if my child wasn't watching TV, what else could he be doing?

43% have a television in their bedroom. And 30% of children fall asleep watching TV. If your child is among those, share a book with your child or play soft music. Children do not need visual stimulation to fall asleep.

43% use a computer several times each week. Remember to alternate your child's time at the computer with riding a bike and climbing a jungle gym. Balance is a key element in healthy living, even for a 5-year-old.

67% of parents have seen their child imitate positive behaviors displayed on television. Media can be an effective teacher. This is especially true when an adult watches with a child or talks about the images to help a child mentally process what he sees on a screen. Remember that you are more than your child's first teacher, you are the most effective teacher he will ever have.

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