Turn Off That TV

Children and the mass media

by Amy Nathanson Ph.D.

Watch TV With Your Kids, But ...

A long time ago, someone told me that I should always watch TV with my kids. The advice was irrelevant to me at the time, but for some reason I always remembered it: If you're going to let your kids watch TV, then sit with them and watch along with them. Read More

How Background TV Affects Children

TV is a common fixture in our everyday lives. It's almost as if the TV is a part of the family. We turn it on in the morning so that we can catch the latest headlines. We leave it on all day so we can have some background noise or comfort. We reach for the remote control, unthinkingly and habitually, whenever we walk in the door. Read More

The Real Reason Why TV Is Bad for the Kids

"Books are good for children." "TV is bad for children." Everyone seems to know this. In the same way that we know that we should be eating lots of fruits and vegetables and limiting sweets, we all know that kids should spend a lot of time with books and relatively little time with TV. Read More