TV viewing and children...

TV can be a family affair.

Parents: Are you wondering what you can do to keep TV from having a harmful effect on your kids? Try some of these tips:

Watch TV with your children

• Help them select the right TV programs by checking the TV listings in advance.
• Watch programs that are fair in their treatment of people.
• Watch programs that are not violent or too sophisticated in content.
• Plan with children what shows they can watch - whether you are home or away.
• Be aware that public television has special programming.
• Watch for programs especially geared to children.

TV - Keep it under control.

• Insist on a limit to TV time.
• Discuss what's "real" and what's "unreal" on TV and in life.
• Talk about how violence can be harmful - real people hurt when injured.
• Provide adequate light in the TV area.
• Watch for tiredness, listlessness, glassy eyes, trance-like states- signs of poor health or too much TV.
• Talk about other ways problems could have been solved than the way they were in the TV story.
• Make meals a family event - don't eat in front of the TV set.
• Select food carefully - not what a TV character urges kids to eat.

Parents ask, "What can I do?"

TV time takes time from other activities that are very important to a child's development - homework, physical activity, creative expression, learning individual skills. TV does not have to be watched all the time.

Here are a few things that can be done instead:

• Read to your children, or encourage them to read for the same amount of time they watch TV.
• Encourage children to finish their homework before watching TV.
• Plan enjoyable mental and physical activities both indoors and outdoors.
• Avoid using TV as a baby-sitter; help your children learn to entertain themselves.
• Avoid excessive or violent TV viewing in your home.
• And remember there's another choice - turn the set OFF.

Is TV harmful to children?

Examine these facts . . .

• The average child sees 11,000 television murders by age 14.
• Violent behavior on TV may cause aggression in children. Horror is damaging.
• Children copy what they see or hear. They don't know real vs. unreal, violent vs. non-violent, bad vs. good behavior. They become confused. Some have been hospitalized after trying to imitate TV characters.
• Children eat too much junk food while watching TV and don't get enough exercise.

• Children who watch TV late at night often don't do their homework, are sleepy in school the next day and have a shorter attention span.
• Reading skills do not develop when the child watches TV excessively instead of reading.
• Children who don't play with friends haven't learned the social skills necessary for classroom interaction.
• Two or more TV sets split families. Family life is sacrificed.
• Children need "time out"- a quiet time to think - for better mental health.

We care about your kids

Your caring makes a teacher's caring mean so much more. Caring is more than a matter of love and dedication. Your children's' teachers have plenty of both. But a teacher's caring alone is not enough. Your children should know you care, too.

Be involved, interested and concerned. Then and only then can your children get the most out of the caring their teachers give them.

Teachers and parents ... the more we work together, the more we'll help your children.