The responsibility of parents and guardians to monitor their child's living environment is especially important when it comes to television. The TV can be a powerful learning tool when parents take time to set ground rules for viewing.
Laying down the law
These tips may be helpful in establishing rules and presenting opinions about TV to your child:
Monitor what your children watch.
Encourage your children to choose programs that make them think, teach lessons, are free of violence and sex, and show characters who have values similar to yours.
Watch television with your children.
Ask questions such as "Why do you think that person did what he did?" Encourage your kids to ask questions as well, and be sure to answer them honestly and openly.
Limit television viewing time.
It may be helpful to develop a weekly viewing schedule.
During TV commercials, review what you have just watched and predict what will happen next.
Turn off the TV if you see things you don't like.
But be sure to explain to your child why: "I don't like what those people are doing, because?"
Remember that when children are watching televisions it takes them away from other things such as homework, reading and sports. Plan activities such as games, trips to the library, and trips to parks and playgrounds to take the place of TV.
The New Teacher, TV?
Once you've established a basic foundation for TV viewing, try to find new and fun ways of using the TV to teach your child. It may be hard to believe, but television can help teach your child geography and math. Try using some of these suggestions:
Relate programs to what your child is studying.
Have reference materials (World Almanac, etc) near the television so additional information is available.
Have your child look up new words in the dictionary, or look at an atlas to find places mentioned in a show.
Watch a program that takes place in another part of the United States, or another country, and find out where it is located.
Then read a story from that area, learn about that place's history, or cook a meal from that culture.
Watch the news with your kids and follow a news story.
Watch the same story on different channels and discuss the differences and similarities. Find the same topic in the newspaper, a magazine or on the internet and discuss the differences between them all.
In our technological world, it is almost impossible to eliminate television from your child's life. By talking about it, and making it a fun learning experience, you can make television a beneficial part of your child's life; and yours!
—Source: It Starts on the Frontline/March 1998, published by the National School Public Relations Association, 15948 Derwood Road, Rockville, MD 20855: (301) 519-0496.
