How much influence does TV have on my children?

This is a question that almost all parents ask themselves at some point in the upbringing of their children; and it has been widely studied by mental health professionals.

With the arrival of technology and the changes derived from it, interest in studying about the influence of TV on our children has increased.

Developing multiple studies that seek to delimit the role of the same in the daily life of children. So we present the relevant characteristics found in the latest research on child development with relaxation to television.

Does TV really influence children?

The truth is that audiovisual media like television have an impact on our children. These media communicate messages implicitly or explicitly that children assimilate.

The contents that our children consume on television leave messages in them that can be both negative and positive for their socialization process.

The younger the children are, the more blurred the line will be between reality and fiction, this results in children creating real situations presented on screen.

Those contents to which our children are exposed on television are perceived by them as natural, since they are constantly in contact with them.

So, television does have an influence on both children and their development, the important thing is to understand that the type of influence, whether positive or negative, will be mediated by the content to which they are exposed.

What consequences can this influence have?

Television can teach our children that the violence they perceive in programs is normal and an appropriate way to resolve conflicts that arise.

Likewise, watching television is a sedentary activity that encourages the lack of physical activities and constant advertising can result in exposure to explicit content inappropriate for the age of children, poor eating habits and a reduced vocabulary.

At the same time, television can positively influence the development of our children when they have educational content that reinforces positive values.

Encourage problem-solving behaviors if children are not exposed to this type of content and can also be a source of healthy entertainment when controlling the time that children invest in this.

In other words, the type of influence will depend on the characteristics of the situations and parental control promoted by the parents.

How should I act?

1. Establish a time limit for the use of the television, regulate the time your child spends on the television, preferably a maximum of 2 hours a day.

2. Accompany him to watch television, this will allow you to know what type of content is appropriate, accentuate the positive values in the programs and avoid exposure to inappropriate content.

3. Ask about what they are seeing, this way you can make sure your child is understanding the difference between fantasy and reality.

4. Discuss what you saw, bond with your child, and reinforce the positive content you saw together.

5. Filter the channels and programs to which your child has access, discard any channel that contains programs that are directed to adults such as novels or movies with sexual or violent scenes.

6. Turn off the television during meal or homework time, make clear distinctions between entertainment time and other routines.

7. Encourage physical activity and the reading of age-appropriate books where your child can continue to learn and develop their abilities.

8. Do not use television as a means to take care of your child, make this activity something together and healthy.

9. Don't forget to alternate this entertainment with face-to-face play both with other children and with you. Influence doesn't mean a bad thing, and neither does' television.

The important detail in relation to the use of television is the regulation that parents exercise in this regard, it is possible to take advantage of all the advantages that television has to provide our children from the interest and parental supervision.