Two- and Three-Year-Olds

The Los Angeles Times recently published an article regarding the latest figures from Nielsen ratings about children's TV usage.  The shocking results show that children are watching an average of 24 hours of TV per week (32 for kids aged 2-5!), which is an eight-year high. 

Do you have rules about how much TV your children can watch in your home? Does the allowed usage depend on age? Is too much TV watching a big concern of yours?  If so, what are your main areas of concern? 

Read the entire article here- http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-kids-tv27-2009oct27,0,2531927.story

Reporting from New York - More than an entire day -- that's how long children sit in front of the television in an average week, according to new findings released Monday by Nielsen.

The amount of television usage by children reached an eight-year high, with kids ages 2 to 5 watching the screen for more than 32 hours a week on average and those ages 6 to 11 watching more than 28 hours. The analysis, based on the fourth quarter of 2008, measured children's consumption of live and recorded TV, as well as VCR and game console usage.

"They're using all the technology available in their households," said Patricia McDonough, Nielsen's senior vice president of insights, analysis and policy. "They're using the DVD, they're on the Internet. They're not giving up any media -- they're just picking up more."

Wow- that's a lot. I can honestly say as an adult that I do not watch that much. I think setting up rules around the TV and computer are a must. Sure, you can't help it if the babysitter lets them watch more than you'd like-- but these devices shouldn't be used to park a kid in front of while we do chores, etc.

I'm a fan of picking a show or two and letting that be part of their schedule-- they'll learn that TV isn't the ONLY thing to do when they're bored that way.

24 hours a week is pretty crazy. I think during the week logan watches 1-1.5 hours of his shows.. he watches one show in the morning while he eats breakfast and gets dressed... and then he watches one show right before bed. Often he will watch an additional show (all half hour ones) while DH is making dinner too, if he isn't off playing with his trucks and tools.

Weekends he tends to watch a bit more.. mostly in the morning... but even then.. I'd say an hour in the morning... a show right after nap... and then a show before bed... so that would be 2 hours each weekend day... so 11-11,5 hours per week...