Watching
TV can be a positive activity for children if viewed in the right context.
Watch
a program with your children that takes place in another part of the United
States, or another country, and find the site on a map or globe.
Read
a story from that area, learn about that place’s history, or cook a meal from
that culture.
Help
your child develop an understanding of time by comparing lengths of TV shows. Compare
a half-hour show to a one-hour show, or to a two-hour movie.
Teach
your child how to tell time by comparing the current position of the clock hands
to the time when a specific show comes on.
You
could teach a child the days of the week in the same way with a calendar.
Develop
simple word problems using television. For example: “If there are six
commercials and each is 30 seconds long, how many minutes of commercials will
you watch during this program?”
Watch
the news with your children and follow a 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 compare the
coverage.
It
is almost impossible to eliminate TV viewing. By talking about it, and making
it a learning experience, you can help make television a positive part of your
child’s life.
