Tip #68: Monitor What Your Child is Watching on TV.

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 #68.


Tip #68: 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.