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Children
at the age of four still don't clearly differentiate between the
real world and that of TV. Many things that they see on TV can
become confused with events in the real world. When the TV is
on many hours, a child gets used to a certain amount of background
noise. What's worse, he gets used to not responding.
When you watch a lot of television,
it becomes easy to develop a kind of attention that doesn't
obligate one to interact. And because of the pace and speed
of things on TV, the child develops a greater need for constantly
changing stimuli and can lose his attention span for things
that are slower and quieter. Too much TV may also harm children's
ability to form pictures in their own imagination, as happens
when we tell them a story and they alone have
to "draw" the pictures. Too much TV is not good
for anyone, but it is especially inappropriate for young children.
It's worthwhile limiting television-watching
as much as possible. One way to limit TV is for the parents
to decide on a number of programs the child can watch - I'd
say a maximum of two or three a day (up to about an hour.)
The child can choose the programs and the times, but it's
better if he watches at different times of the day.
PREPARE
YOURSELF FOR TEARS AND TANTRUMS WHEN YOU LIMIT TV
The best way to know if someone
is addicted is to see what happens when he stops the behavior.
If the reaction is very strong, it's important not to get
mad but to stick to the limit and simply turn it off. Some
television sets have a locking device.
OFFER
ALTERNATIVES
At the same time, you must offer
the child alternative activities. But prepare yourself for
a period of tears and scenes. Don't be afraid of this but
know you are doing something for the ultimate good of the
child.
It's very important for children
this age to develop social relationships and social skills, and
watching TV is a very passive and solitary activity. The child
doesn't develop the capacity to amuse himself and has less of
a chance to practice being with peers.
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