Children’s programming — including television, videos, and movies — can be an excellent educational tool, and as parents, it’s our job to make sure we use it as such. A 2001 study showed that “children who watch carefully constructed educational programs that are aimed at their age level (such as Sesame Street), do better on pre-reading skills (at age 5) than children who watched infrequently or not at all. While it’s not a bad idea to limit your child’s “screen time” (which includes television, movies, videos, computers and video games), much of today’s programming for children is remarkably educational. Christine Pollock further suggests parents preview videos and television shows before watching with young children, although she acknowledges that’s not always feasible. Watching television and videos with your children is a great way to initiate important conversations and encourage educational follow-up activities, too. When it comes to children’s television and videos — like so many things in life — balance is key. read more

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