Good Television Habits

Good Television Habits


Children in the United States have watched an average of
4,000 hours of television by the time they begin school. Most
experts agree that this is too much. But banning television
isn't the answer, because good television can spark curiosity
and open up new worlds to children. Monitoring how much and
what television children watch helps them, starting at an early
age, to develop good viewing habits.

Too much television can be harmful because

* It can expose children to too much sex and violence;

* Children can be unduly influenced by junkfood and toy
commercials;

* It can give children a poor model for good behavior before
they have developed a clear idea of right and wrong;

* Young children do not have the experience and wisdom to
understand complicated plots or scary scenes; and

* Sitting passively in front of the set for extended periods
of time can slow young children's social and intellectual
development.

Here are some tips to help children develop good
television-viewing habits.

Keep a record of how many hours of TV your children watch,
and what they watch. Generally, it's good to limit the amount
to 2 hours or less a day, although you can make exceptions for
special programs.

Learn about current TV programs and videos and select good
ones. As parents, you know your children best. So, select TV
programs and videos that are meaningful to your family. Some TV
programs you may wish to consider include "Captain Kangaroo,"
Eureeka's Castle," "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," Sesame Street,"
and "Shining Time Station." Many other good children's
programs, such as Disney and Nickelodeon, are on public
television stations and on cable channels.

If you have a VCR, you may wish to seek out videos made by
Linda Ellerbee's Lucky Duck Productions. Of course, videos vary
in quality, but versions of classic children's books, such as
Babar or Snow White, are a good place to start.

Parents who would like help in finding good TV programs
for children can subscribe to Parents' Choice, a quarterly
review of children's media which includes television programs
and home video materials. Write to Parents' Choice Foundation,
Box 185, Newton, MA 02168. A subscription is $18 a year. A
sample copy is $2.

You can also read about programs in TV columns in
newspapers and magazines. Cable subscribers and public
broadcasting contributors can check monthly program guides for
information.

Plan with your children (starting at age 3) what programs
to watch. After selecting programs appropriate for your
children, help them decide which ones to watch. Turn the TV on
when these shows start, and turn the set off when they are
over.

Watch television with your children so you can answer
questions and talk about what they see. Pay special attention
to how they respond so you can help them understand what
they're seeing, if that's needed.

Follow-up TV viewing with activities or games. You might
have your child tell you a new word he learned on television
that you can look up together in the dictionary. Or you might
have him make up his own story about one of his favorite TV
characters.

Include the whole family in discussion and activities or
games that relate to television programs. Older siblings,
aunts, uncles, and grandparents can all contribute.

Make certain that television isn't regularly used as a
babysitter. Instead, try to balance good television with other
fun activities for your child.


Choosing Child Care


More and more children are in preschool or other child
care settings before they enter kindergarten. Choosing the
right child care is important because it can affect how
prepared your child is for school. Some tips to guide you:

Think about the kind of care you want for your child.
Possibilities include (a) a relative; (b) a family day care
provider, usually a woman who takes care of a small group of
children in her home; (c) a child care center; and (d) a
caregiver who comes into your home.

Figure out what suits your budget and what you can expect
to spend in your community. For low-income parents, the
federally funded Head Start program (and in some communities
Chapter 1 programs) are available. State-subsidized child care
programs also are available, although most often more people
need the subsidized care than there are spaces available. Many
families are entitled to the child care credit on their income
tax forms.

Recognize that there are many ways to find good care. Ask
friends and neighbors. Look in the Yellow Pages of your
telephone book under "Child Care Centers." Look in the
classified ads of your local newspaper, or place an ad of your
own. Put up notices on your church or synagogue bulletin board,
in grocery stores, local community centers, or at the
employment office of local colleges or universities. Look for
notices that other people have put up.

If you are looking for a family day care provider, a local
licensing agency can provide you with local listings. Many
communities have resource and referral agencies that help
parents identify the options that best meet their needs.

Start looking early, particularly if you have a special
program for your child in mind. Some programs have long waiting
lists. Some may even require you to get on a waiting list
before your child is born.

Gather information. If you are looking for a family day
care provider or for a person to come into your home, interview
the person at length and check references. Before you meet with
them, develop a list of questions. If you are looking at day
care centers, visit them--more than once, if possible. Just
because a person or a program worked for someone else doesn't
mean it's right for you. With any kind of child care, check
references.

No matter what kind of child care you are considering,
look for caregivers who

* Are kind and responsive. Good caregivers are affectionate,
enjoy children, are energetic enough to keep up with your
preschooler, patient, and mature enough to handle crises
and conflicts.

* Have experience with preschoolers and like them. Find out
how long they have worked with preschoolers, why they are
in the early child care field, and whether they provide
activities that are appropriate for your child's age.
Observe the caregivers with children. Do the children seem
happy? How do the caregivers respond to them?

* Recognize the individual needs of your child. Look for
caregivers who are considerate of different children's
interests and needs and who can provide your child with
enough attention.

* Share a child-rearing philosophy that is similar to yours.
Find out what kind of discipline is used and how problems
are handled.

Be certain that the child care facility is clean and safe
and is filled with things to explore that are appropriate for
your child's age.


Ready-for-School Checklist


This checklist, although not exhaustive, can help to guide
you in preparing your child for school. It's best to look at
the items included as goals toward which to aim. They should be
done, as much as possible, through everyday life or by fun
activities you've planned with your child. If your child lags
behind in some areas, don't worry. Remember that all children
are unique. They grow and develop at different rates--and no
one thing guarantees that a child is ready for school.


Good Health and Physical Well-Being


My child:

* Eats a balanced diet.

* Receives regular medical and dental care and has had all
the necessary immunizations. Gets plenty of rest.

* Runs, jumps, plays outdoors, and does other activities
that help develop large muscles and provide exercise.

* Works puzzles, scribbles, colors, paints, and does other
activities that help develop small muscles.


Social and Emotional Preparation


My child:

* Is learning to be confident enough to explore and try new
things.

* Is learning to work well alone and to do many tasks for
himself.

* Has many opportunities to be with other children and is
learning to cooperate with them. Is curious and is
motivated to learn.

* Is learning to finish tasks (for example, picks up own
toys).

* Is learning to use self-control.

* Can follow simple instructions.

* Helps with family chores.


Language and General Knowledge


My child:

* Has many opportunities to play.

* Is read to every day.

* Has access to books and other reading materials.

* Has his television viewing monitored by an adult.

* Is encouraged to ask questions.

* Is encouraged to solve problems.

* Has opportunities to notice similarities and differences.

* Is encouraged to sort and classify things (for example, by
looking for red cars on the highway).

* Is learning to write his name and address.

* Is learning to count and plays counting games. Is learning
to identify shapes and colors.

* Has opportunities to draw, listen to and make music, and
to dance.

* Has opportunities to get firsthand experiences to do
things in the world--to see and touch objects, hear new
sounds, smell and taste foods, and watch things move.


Notes


Text Notes


The following notes refer to the text portion of this
booklet.

Pages 1-12 draw from Powell, Douglas R., (1991). "Strengthening
Parental Contributions to School Readiness and Early School
Learning."

Page 3. The National Education Goals Panel.

Page 3. Katz, Dr. Lilian G., (1992). "Readiness: Children and
Their Schools," in ERIC Review, Volume 2, Issue 1. U.S.
Department of Education.

Pages 6-7. Rich, Dorothy, (1988). Megaskills. Houghton Mifflin,
Boston.

Pages 8-9. Belbas, Nancy, Smerlinder, Julienne, and Stranik,
Mary Kay, (1986). Middle of the Night Baby Book, The Body
Press, Tucson, AZ, 70-71.

Pages 10-11. Binkley, Marilyn R., (1988). Becoming a Nation
of Readers: What Parents Can Do. U.S. Department of Education,
Washington, DC.

Page 11. Charren, Peggy, and Hulsizer, Carol, (1986). The
TV-Smart Book for Kids and Parents' Guide for The TV-Smart Book
for Kids. E.P. Dutton, New York.

Pages 15-44. The following publications were used to develop
the "What to expect" and the "What they need" features found
throughout the activities section:

Karnes, M.B. (1979, 1981). Small Wonder! 1 and Small Wonder!
2. American Guidance Service, Circle Pines, MN.

Miller, Karen, (1984, 1984, 1985). Things to Do with Toddlers
and Twos, More Things to Do With Toddlers and Twos, and Ages
and Stages. Telshare Publishing Co., Inc., Chelsea, MA.

MYM/MELD, (dates unavailable). Parent/Child Activities
(when baby's three months old or younger), Toys and Games
for Babies (3-12 months old), and Toys, Activities, Books, Etc.
(for toddlers). Brochures. Minneapolis, MN.

North Carolina Department of Human Resources, Child/Daycare
Section, (date unavailable). Children, Children, Children:
Understanding Them--Helping Them Grow. Series of brochures on
child development.

Oklahoma State Department of Health, (date unavailable). For
Parents' Sake. Oklahoma City, OK.

Sears, William, M.D. (1989). Your Baby: The First Twelve Months.
Barron's Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge, NY.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (1988). Picturing
Development, Washington, DC.

University of California, Cooperative Extension, Parent Express,
A Month-by-Month Newsletter for You and Your Baby.

Page 47. "Good Television Habits" is drawn in part from Belbas
and Charren.

Pages 48. "Choosing Child Care" is drawn in part from National
Association for the Education of Young Children brochures.