Positive relationships: A parent's guide to ... television

While on one hand researchers provide evidence that TV viewing can have long-term effects on a child's development, most parents would agree that TV can be a lifeline at times. So, is there any truth in the scare stories that regularly turn up in the news and, if so, what should parents do about it?

Let's begin with the research. It would be silly to dismiss the findings as, little by little, a picture is beginning to emerge. Yes, it would seem that TV can affect children's development, both in the short and long term.

Early viewing in particular - that is, before the age of two - is probably not advisable, as it looks as if it can have a serious impact on a child's language development. This is probably because this age group need what I would describe as the 'personal touch' in order to learn language. This is all about being hugged, gazing into someone's face and enjoying another person's company.

After the age of two, though, a little TV might not be such a bad thing. But before you jump up to switch the set back on, this needs to be explored a little more. First, children only benefit if the TV programmes are of high quality and, importantly, appropriate for that age group. It would also seem that young children might gain more from watching DVDs rather than normal programmed content, as they can hear the language used several times.

There are no benefits - and indeed the research suggests negative effects - when children are watching material created for older children, however. For parents who have a four-year-old and a two-year-old, for example, this might mean doing some juggling so that each child is catered for.

CO-VIEWING

As well as ensuring that young children are watching good-quality material, the advice is that children, especially those between two and three years, benefit if they watch TV with their parents. This is sometimes referred to as co-viewing.

By being with adults as they watch TV programmes or DVDs, children are more likely to be make sense of what they are watching and be less passive. As a parent, you are also on hand to explain new words or concepts, or to help the child connect what they are seeing to experiences in their lives, for example, 'We've been to a farm with Nanny, haven't we?'

Given that co-viewing can be beneficial, it makes sense to choose programmes and DVDs that you enjoy as, let's be honest, it will be hard going otherwise.

QUANTITY

So, now to the vexed question of how long the TV should be on. To start with, it would seem clear that switching on a TV for background company, whether or not children's programmes are on, is very undesirable.

Researchers have found that when a TV is on, regardless of whether anyone is watching it, the amount of speech used is likely to be reduced. For babies and toddlers, this seems to affect how quickly they will begin to talk, while in older children it seems to prevent them from practising their language skills.

As language is linked to children's cognitive development and also how quickly they can begin to read, it is perhaps not surprising that researchers have found children who have had high levels of exposure to TV do less well in school.

So, what about 'timed' use? At this point in time, the Literacy Trust (www.literacytrust.org.uk), which has reviewed the various pieces of research, suggests that children under two should have minimal exposure - no more than half an hour a day - while you should be aiming to keep viewing to an hour if your child is between two and five years old.

CHANGING THE TV ROUTINE

So, what should you do if you realise that your child is watching a little too much TV? A good place to start is by gaining control, so that it is you and not your child who decides when it is switched on:

• hide the remote control
• put your DVDs in a box so that your child is not tempted by them
• root out toys that your child has not seen for a while
• try reading a book to your child if they are tired.

Be ready for some resistance, but be confident that it will be worth it in the long run. Not only will your child's concentration, imagination and language improve, but you will have laid the groundwork for the teenage years ahead!

TOP TIPS FOR CUTTING DOWN ON TV TIME

• Work out when and how much TV is being watched.
• Decide when and what to watch on TV with your child.
• Plan to do something fun with your child after the programme or video finishes - otherwise it is easy to allow the next episode to follow on.
• Consider keeping DVDs and the remote control out of sight.
• Keep the TV in a family room rather than in the child's space.

CASE STUDY

'Before I had Ellie, I hardly watched television. After she was born, I discovered daytime TV. It was good to have some company as I found it hard being alone day and night with a tiny baby. Looking back, I suppose that I just fell into the habit of having the TV on.

'When Ellie was crawling, she seemed to enjoy looking at the screen and so putting on cartoons for her was a natural progression. It was great to have something that would keep her quiet and happy. Now and then, I would feel a bit guilty, but I never sat down and thought about how it might be affecting her.

'By the time she was three, she was watching about three hours or four hours a day. Problems started when she went to nursery. Staff noticed that she was not speaking well for her age and that she found it hard to play with the other children.

'When we saw a speech therapist, I was told to cut down the amount of time that she was watching. It meant making quite a few changes. I had to learn to do household jobs with Ellie alongside me and I had to play more with her.

'For the first few days, I found it quite hard going, but within a short time, I noticed the difference in Ellie. She was happier, less whiny and we seemed to get on better. The nursery quickly saw an improvement in her speech and a year on, she is talking very well.'