How To Get The Best Education Possible: Tip #71

In the beginning, there was Howdy Doody and Bozo the Clown. Now, there is Big Bird, Nick, Disney, and Dora the Explorer, just to name a few. Doctors advocate "media literacy" Daniel McGinn, suggest making wise TV choices. That brings us to tip #71.

Tip #71: Make sure you monitor what your child is watching on TV.

Some tips from the article, Guilt Free TV":

1. Set limits: Kid under 2 should be discouraged from watching TV. Older children should be rationed to 2 hours of daily TV, computer, and videogames.

2. Pull up a chair: Co-view with kids. Make sure the show is appropriate and encourage interaction with good messages. Talk about the show when it is over.

3. No TV in bedrooms: This leads to unsupervised viewing and a potential for overdose.

4. Use TV-book synergy: Kids programming from "Arthur" to "The Book of Pooh" often comes from books. After watching the show, read the book.

5. Focus, Focus, Focus: Observe children's behavior while watching TV. Their recall is amazing.