These days, TV is one of the main things families talk about. Families plan evenings around TV watching. They talk about TV shows during dinner. Almost half of all interactions between brothers and sisters are about TV. This may sound all too familiar to you.

To bring your family back from TV addiction, here are some methods to help tame the tube:

• Reduce TV time. Limit the time your family spends watching TV by making a plan and sticking to it. If there is a favorite program everyone likes to watch Monday at 8 p.m., turn the TV on when the show starts. Then turn the TV off again when the show is over.

• Make a TV budget for each member of the family. Children under the age of 2 shouldn’t watch any TV. Children over the age of 2 should watch no more than 1 to 2 hours of TV per day. Parents are the best role models for children, so make a TV budget for yourself. Show your child(ren) you are sticking to it.

• Hide the tube. Rearrange the furniture so the TV is in the corner instead of in the center of the room. Put the TV in a cabinet with doors, or cover it with a tablecloth when turned off. This will hide it from view, and the family will be less tempted to watch.

• No TV in bedrooms. Over half of all children have TVs in their bedrooms. Keep the TVs out of bedrooms to encourage everyone in the family to do more TV-free activities. When someone does want to watch TV, it can become a family activity in the living room rather than something done alone. If TV time is a family activity, you can also talk with your child about what is on TV.

• Try new activities. Select a new hobby, like doing puzzles, art projects, or putting together models. Researchers have found that when the parents play with children and share activities they enjoy, their children are less likely to watch TV. Instead, the children learn there are more fun activities to choose from than just TV.

Reducing time away from the TV will benefit everyone in your family. There are strong links to show that those who watch less TV spend more time doing physical activity. This leads to longer, healthier lives for your whole family. Once you tame the tube, you’ll discover the wonder of spending time with your family.

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References:

Alexander, A. 2008. Media and the family. In S. L. Calvert & B. J. Wilson, eds., The Handbook of Children, Media, and Development (pp. 121-140). Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Ozmert, E., Yoyran, M., & Yurdakok, K. 2002. Behavioral correlates of television viewing in primary school children evaluated by the child behavior checklist. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 156(9):910-914.

Roberts, D. F. 1999. Kids & media at the new millennium: A Kaiser Family Foundation report. A comprehensive national analysis of children's media use. Executive summary, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park, CA.

Lammers, J., Renckstorf, K., Wester, F., & Westerik, H. 2007. The social character of parental and adolescent television viewing: An event history analysis. Communications 32:389-415.

Faith, M., Berman, N., Heo, M., Pietrobelli, A., Gallagher, D., Epstein, L., et al. 2001. Effects of contingent television on physical activity and television viewing in obese children. Pediatrics 107:1043.

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