TV/videos for kids debate: where do you stand?

[margaretandem]

As a single, self-employed mother, it is hard for me to find enough hours in the day for my daughter, let alone myself.  I will be the first to admit that I don't spend as much time with her as I should, about which I do have some guilt.  I like to pride myself, though, on making sure that she has tons of educational toys, videos, and books, which she loves.  I do all of these activities with her, but do give her her alone, independent time as well.  I make every endeavor to make sure she isn't watching crap, that whatever she watches has some educational value.  And she has learned so much from these programs - new words in English and Spanish, counting, colors, etc.  The same with her books and toys - she enjoys reading, writing, coloring, etc. and she will only be 3 on March 5!  I also try to spend as much time with her doing physical activity, inside and outside, so that she doesn't turn into a couch potato.  And then I read and hear about all this research that says that kids under a certain age shouldn't watch tv, that toddlers shouldn't watch more than 2-3 hours of tv per day, that all of these educational videos out on the market aren't as good or effective for kids as they are made out to be, that kids can be more prone to developing ADHD or behavior issues or obesity.  I don't know whether, as a parent and as a licensed counselor who works with kids and parents, I completely agree with that, just based on my experiences with my daughter.  I guess it depends on the situation.  Does my daughter watch more than 2-3 hours of tv a day?  Yes.  Is that all she does all day, everyday?  Absolutely not.  I try to be as balanced with her activity as I possibly can.  As parent, I guess we have to try to find the balance with our kids, given all our other obligations.  What do others think about this topic?  I look forward to feedback.

Margaret Andem, LCSW
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