What To Do If Your Child Is A TV Addict?

Does your kid often impersonate their favourite cartoon hero or use dialogues from their favourite TV show more than the normal conversations? Does your kid become aggressive when you switch off the TV? Then, it’s time for you to start thinking whether your child is addicted to TV. Children get addicted to anything that will come out as the most interesting option to spend time. No wonder that TV becomes one among those.

So what can a parent do if your child watches too much TV? If your kids are glued to the TV at all times, the best option for breaking your child’s TV addiction is to lure their interest into something that doesn't involve the idiot box. TV addiction can result in many complications like obesity, poor academic performance, violent nature and behavioural problems. Knowing what to do if your child watches too much TV is very important in this context. Here are some easy tips for breaking your child’s TV addiction.

HOW TO HANDLE YOUR KID'S TV TIME?

What To Do If Your Child Is A TV Addict?

Develop a plan: Instead of yelling at your kid to shut the TV, it is better to spend some time to set up a plan. Ask your kid to select one or two of their favourite TV programs from the program schedule. Limit their TV time just for watching these programs. Remember to limit the number of selected programs to one or two.

Outdoor activities: Direct the activities of your kids to something that needs physical exertion. This is good for their health as well. Let them go out with their friends to play football, basketball or cricket. No matter what they play, this will help them deal with their TV addiction.

Something more interesting: In some cases, chances are there that your kids are sitting in front of the TV only because they don’t have anything else to do. To avoid this situation, it is important to know the interests of your kids. Let them get involved in activities that they are interested.

Encourage a hobby: Having a hobby is a good idea to stay busy and engaged. Encourage your kids to get involved in some hobbies that need some time, concentration and effort from their side. This will help them break their TV addiction.

Be careful: TV addiction is a habit that parents contribute to over time. Asking your child to watch TV for eating food will end up in a TV addicted child. Never consider TV as an way to keep your kid quiet when you are busy with something else.

Story first published: Thursday, February 6, 2014, 16:59 [IST]
Read more about: parenting tips kids