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What Parents Are Saying - Parent Opinions

Does TV make it harder to raise healthy children?

Parents tell us that TV makes it more difficult to raise healthy children. Below in the left column are things parents told us they think are needed to raise healthy children. In the right column are the challenges they said they face in raising healthy children.


 

What parents say is needed to raise healthy children

  • Good eating habits
  • Good sleep habits
  • Good study habits
  • Good communication skills
  • Exposure to a variety of activities and experiences (art, culture, sports)
  • Make sure children feel they are heard and understood
  • Teach children how to make good decisions
  • Opportunities to feel self worth (achievement)
  • Develop hobbies
  • Keeping active
  • Being outside
  • Developing concentration
  • Knowing right from wrong
  • Not being materialistic
  

What parents say is a challenge to raising healthy children

  • Having patience
  • Peer pressure
  • Parent schedules and time pressures
  • Children's schedules too full
  • Pressure from school with homework
  • Lack of knowledge
  • Fighting against cultural influences
  • The parent having to "police" children
  • Conveying your values
  • Need for instant gratification
  • No time to be kids
  • Products placement in the stores
  • Advertising
  

Parent Issues and Solutions

What issues do parents say they have with limiting TV and other media? What do they suggest?

    

Issues

  • Movies in school and daycare
  • TV and other media at friends' houses
  • Peer pressure
  • Bad weather keeping kids inside
  • Keeping up with the sports on TV
  • Parents need free time
  • Care givers and babysitters need down time
  • Kids like certain TV shows
  • TV is a source of information
  • Resistance from family members
  • Policing TV watching
  

Solutions

  • Find alternative activities for children
  • Hire a babysitter
  • Look at the TV programs and choose which ones to watch
  • Decide what you want to change and be realistic
  • Tape TV shows to limit advertising
  • Watch TV with the children to monitor what they watch and discuss shows
  • Adults watch TV after kids go to bed
  • Talk to parents of friends

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