6 Useful Tips on Keeping Your Children Away from Watching TV

Every parent looks out for ways to keep their children away from TV. These days no kid wants to go out and play and wants to sit home and watch some cartoon or movie or sometime else on TV. It is a sad thing but most of our kids have become TV addicts. They want to watch it day and night. The moment they are back from school, they want it turned on and despite all the strict regulations imposed by parents, they fail to get controlled. As a result, they neglect their studies and end up becoming couch potatoes.

It might sound shocking but many children have got eyesight issues, obesity, attention problems, low IQ levels and bad health because all they are doing is watching TV. Here are some 6 amazing tips which will help you keep your child away from TV. Use them and see the change.

1. No TV at all

As a parent, you will have to start with making all the sacrifices and the first sacrifice is to completely unplug the TV in the weekdays. You can hide the remote or remove the connections. You can also have the cable connection disconnected as the very first step.

2. Define Limits

If you think that you cannot unplug the TV connection at your home then you must try and define limits for TV watching. For instance, you can allow 1 hour of TV viewing for your child once he is back from school and then no TV for the rest of the day. You can also allow him to watch TV for an hour once he has completed with his home work and studies before dinner time. Be specific with the timings so that your kid knows the rules.

3. Design a backup plan

When you are turning the TV off, you should have a backup plan ready with you which must include interesting and engaging activities for children to keep them occupied. You can buy story books, comics, board games, DIY art and craft kits for them to make sure that they are able to shift their focus from TV to something more interesting. Depending upon the interest of your child, you must keep lots of things ready so that he doesn’t feel bored. You can even allot him tasks like washing his cycle or watering the plants or assisting you in cleaning cupboards. It is your creativity that how you manage to keep your child busy.

4. Play pre-recorded shows

If you have the convenience of recording shows then record some shows which your child can watch and play him those shows every day. You can limit one episode one day which will help you monitor his TV watching in a good way. You can even go for some family shows which you can also watch with your kid.

5. Ask them for more choices

Though you have your backup activities ready with you but you must also ask your child that what things interest him. Chances are that you might get a negative answer but help him explore his areas of interest and participate with him in that activity. You can ask him if he would like to join music classes, dance sessions etc. which will keep him active and energetic.

6. Check on elders TV watching

If there is some senior citizen in your house who enjoys watching serials all day long then make sure you get a small TV installed in their room. If possible them define some limits for them as well as they need to monitored and directed just like kids. You can ask them to try different alternatives like chanting mantras or reading mythological or religious stories to kids. This will not only help you keep your kids busy in a good activity but will also help you engage your elders in something fruitful.

All of these tips will help you exercise control over TV watching of your child but each of these tips mentioned above require your contribution and time to make sure that your kid is on the right track. You must understand that if you will spend time with your child then he will never fall for TV rather he would also enjoy making drawings, doing craft work with you.

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