Affects of Television on Children

Question: How can you tell if television is having a bad influence on your children? - Curious

Answer: While studies consistently show the damaging effects of excessive TV viewing, most children still watch television for more than three hours a day. Here is a quiz that will help you see if television is a bad influence on your children:

  1. Does your family watch television during meals? Doing so reduces the limited opportunity parents and children have to talk to each other.
  2. Do your children watch television in bed? According to a study from Brown University, the more television watched while in bed, the worse children sleep.
  3. Are your children rushing through their homework or not doing it because they want to watch television? Watching more than 10 hours a week has been shown to affect children's academic achievement in school.
  4. Do your children spend the hours right after school watching television? If so, they are not gaining the benefits of playing with peers or getting sufficient exercise.