The impact of TV content on 3-5 year olds

There is a lot of research that shows children under the age of two shouldn’t be exposed to screen media, that media use should be limited for older children, and how parents can use media more effectively with their children to limit negative impacts or even foster learning. Now there has been a study published in the New York Times, Certain Television Fare Can Help Ease Aggression in Young Children, Study Finds which addresses this issue.  While the study was on children ages 3 to 5, it is still recommended that children under two have no screen time.

Key points from the article include:

• That reducing exposure to violence-laden videos and television shows and increasing educational videos and shows reduced the children’s aggression toward others, compared with a group of children who were allowed to watch whatever they wanted
• Exposing kids to less adult television, less aggression on television and more pro-social television will have an effect on behavior
• The children who watched less violent shows also scored higher on measures of social competence, a difference that persisted after one year
• Merely being exposed to pro-social media doesn’t mean that kids take it that way--even educational programming with messages of empathy can be misunderstood by preschoolers, with negative consequences.

.      Important tips for parents to remember:

•      It's not just about turning off the TV, it's about changing the channel
•      Watch television with your child and ask questions during the shows about ways to deal with conflict
•      Set TV goals for your preschooler
•      Stick with age appropriate programming