How Much TV Do Your Kids Watch?

While there is no "right" amount of TV watching time for children, the 35 hours or more a week that many kids spend in front of the tube is clearly excessive. On a practical basis, that commitment to the screen doesn't leave much time to do anything else. On a philosophical basis, it reflects an awful lot of exposure to messages and images that probably contradict many of the values you're trying to teach your kids about conflict resolution, consumerism, and respect for others.

So what's an acceptable level of TV viewing? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours per day. Ditto for the Department of Education, which has strong evidence that reading proficiency drops as the amount of television viewing increases, especially when kids reach high school.

But those are "outside limits". In your household, zero might be the right amount on weekdays. In your neighbor's home, an hour or an hour-and-a-half each weekday may feel right. In another, two hours might be the magic number. You can arrive at a rough guideline for yourself by using what I call the "TV Value Equation":

1. Compute the amount of time between the end of school and bedtime.
2. Subtract time for homework, extracurricular activities, snacks, dinner, ablutions, bedtime preparations, and other must-do's.
3. Decide what percentage of your child's remaining discretionary time would be well spent in front of the TV. Define "well spent" in terms of educational content, the quality of the entertainment (it doesn't all have to be educational, but it should complement your values), lost opportunities, etc. Convert the percentage into hours and minutes.

What's the number? And how does it compare with actual screen time in your home? Maybe it's time for a change.

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