I hate having to resort to the electronic babysitter, and would prefer instead for us to be playing outside. Unfortunately sometimes I have no other choice. As a family we do not watch that much television and try as much as possible to limit the amount we do watch.
The trouble is, it often ends with the kids not wanting to do anything else and that’s the part that I struggle with. According to research, any more than one or two hours a day of television can cause problems with their development. It is therefore vital that I have some control over their viewing activities.
Only watch as a family
We tend to watch films together as a family, rather than programs which means we can limit the amount of TV time. As a general rule we do not allow the TV to be on after dinner, and the girls can only watch TV in a morning once they are dressed. By stating that they can only watch TV once they have finished a task the girls tend to be much more co operative and see TV as a treat.
Make your TV less of a feature
We have tried to make our TV less of a feature in our main living areas. Instead focusing on other aspects of the room. There are other ways you can make the TV less of a feature, perhaps by using TV wall mounting, or hiding it behind a close able cabinet. Maybe even think about getting rid of it completely and getting a projector instead. We try to get the girls to see watching the TV as a treat rather than a need to do every day.
Just use on demand
Finally, there are plenty of on demand options out there, such as Netflix. So, perhaps think about cutting the cord to terrestrial TV. That way, you are in complete control of their viewing habits. We tend to watch Netflix and other demand options rather than terrestrial TV, as it means we can determine how long the girls are watching TV for.
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