TV Time

Make TV Time Mean Something

       

For most parents, gone are the days when the TV was only something you watched together as a family after dinner or on the weekends. TVs can be found in most every room today, including bathrooms and kitchens, and even cell phones. According to Neilsen Media Research, Americans have more televisions than people in their home. Many parents can probably admit that the TV is on more often than it is off. I am sometimes one of those parents. If I get careless or busy, I find that I have lost track of how long my kids have had the TV on.

TV Time [$20] is the simplest of concepts, a small box with cardboard tickets and an hourglass timer, but it is a tangible way to monitor the TV viewing habits of your family. With tickets in 15 minute increments as well as a movie ticket, you can allot how much TV can be watched. Your child will insert their ticket in the TV Time box and the 15 minute timer will run out when their time is up. 

 

The tickets can be earned, or as part of an allowance or gift- this will help your children avoid “mindless” watching and give them the responsibility of choosing which TV show or movie they want to use their hard-earned ticket for. Once their ticket is spent, the idea is to turn the TV off. Same goes for video, Internet time or computer games- use these tickets as helpful tools to keep track of all boob tube or ‘puter habits.

      

Although it was originally designed for children ages 2-5, I feel that all audiences, regardless of age, can benefit from the idea of TV Time. It simply assists you and your kids to develop better viewing habits. It might not be for everyone if you’ve already got a great sense of discipline, but there are some parents (raising hand) that do need the extra help and in a fun example like TV Time.

Win it!
Need to curb your little one's tube time? We have a TV Time kit for one reader, just email giveaways[at]mamaspeaks.com by midnight Dec. 09 with TV as your subject to enter.

 

-Steph