Now that school is over and summertime is here, what will your children be doing this summer? I hope it’s not a lot of television watching! The famous comedian Groucho Marx once said “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” Does your child like to pick up a book rather than watch TV?
For very young children under 2 years old, the American Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends that they do not watch any TV. During these early years, children develop interaction skills with people and love to explore and play. Watching TV deprives them of this critical development. For preschoolers, watching TV can help with their learning the letters in the alphabet and other educational information, but TV should be limited. Playing and reading should be important parts of their day with watching TV (or DVDs) as just a minimal pastime.
Author Soraya Diase Coffelt