A Healthy, Balanced “TV Diet”
By Dr. Helen Boehm
Television was long considered the “uninvited” guest in American
households. However, today many realistic and caring parents are
partnering with television to create electronic classrooms - right in their
own living rooms. They are no longer asking if children should watch TV
but, rather, which programs and on-screen activities should be part of their
children’s TV intake.
The same balanced and structured approach to developing healthy eating
habits translates to watching less, different and better television! This “TV
diet” gives families a menu for regulating children’s viewing, choosing
“healthy” program content and reducing the quantity and potency of
television consumed.
So, what does a healthy, balanced “TV diet” look like?
A well balanced diet is best…
Consider a healthy mixture of age-appropriate programming and activities
that educate, engage and entertain! A variety of viewing and interactive
experiences can turn a TV screen into an electronic classroom for learning
and fun.
Trim the fat…
It is important to reduce children’s sedentary behavior and eliminate
unhealthy programs that contain violent, aggressive or disrespectful
behaviors.
Move out of the candy store…
Parents are children’s first teachers and their most powerful role models. It
is difficult to improve children’s viewing when parents are modeling other
TV viewing behaviors. Consider adapting your own TV habits as a healthy
example for your child.
Plan menus and season to taste…
Whenever possible, eliminate channel surfing and encourage the viewing
of specific, pre-selected shows. The PG-TV ratings help parents make
more informed selections that take into account the content and age-
appropriateness of programs. For example, Y-7 shows are designed for
PARENT’S TV TIPS
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