Yahoo Lifestyle Are Children Watching Too Much Television?
Some parents say they are letting their children watch up to five hours of television a day, according to research done by Edith Cowan University.
The researchers for the Play Research Project found that while the majority of parents allowed their kids to watch 1.88 hours on average a day, a smaller group admitted to up to five hours.
Federal Government guidelines suggest kids aged 2-5 shouldn’t have more than one of screen time per day, whether it be TV, computer or electronic games.
"I would question the impact that five hours a day might have on their development," said chief researcher Bronwyn Harman, of the School of Psychology and Social Science.
"Television, in moderation, has its place, but it is a passive activity and children need to have relationships with adults they trust in order to have emotional and early brain development growth."
Dr Harman says that despite the smallish group of parents who admit to five hours a day of TV, om average, the box was not stealing time from kids better spent in “unstructured” play.
The survey found kids spend, on average, three hours a day playing.
Deakin University Heart Foundation fellow Jo Salmon said that exceeding the recommended amount of screen time could affect children’s weight and bone density, and could also delay language and mental development.
"Five hours a day is excessive and I don't think it's good for social reasons, either. They should be involved in imaginative play," Professor Salmon said.
How much TV do your kids watch a day?
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