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Michael Rich, MD, Children's Hospital Boston's resident "mediatrician," gives four basic tips on maintaining a healthy media diet.
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Perhaps the single most protective thing a parent can do is to have a family meal together to build family connectedness. The moment a TV is on, all that goes away. There's also an increased risk for obesity if you watch TV during meals: You're not talking, connecting or paying attention to what you're eating.
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Research links having a TV in a child's bedroom with academic underachievement, poor sleep, overweight and increased anxiety. A computer in the home, however, is associated with better grades. Have TVs and computers with Internet access in public places where parents can supervise and help their children control the content and time spent on them.
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Teach children to develop healthy media habits and engage them in the process of thinking about the media they use, rather than passively consuming it. Make media a planned activity, not a default. Watch a specific show, play one game or interact with a Web site, and then turn it off.
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Budget no more than one to two hours of media time for your child a day—that is, if she's over 3. You want to minimize exposure to electronic screens if she's 2 or younger.
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