According to disappointing data from UNICEF, children from 2 to 6 years old spend much more time watching TV than with their parents. It turns out that the electronic "box" in some sense replaces the child's father and mother. Is this good and how much time should your child spend watching TV?
As for children under the age of two, pediatricians are quite categorical here: no TV viewing. At this age, the child's brain is just being formed and the pictures flickering on the screen can cause great harm to the child. Sometimes parents do not attach importance to the fact that the child is sitting near the screen, arguing that he still does not understand anything. True, the child will not understand the meaning of this or that program, but the emotions coming from the screen will surely catch. The result can be excessive excitability, nightmares, moods and tantrums.
In the third year of life, the child already understands a lot, but is unable to distinguish reality from fictional events shown on the screen. Allowing him to sit uncontrollably in front of the TV can lead to the fact that the child is "stuck" in the world of illusions. Therefore, do not leave the baby alone near the TV, even if he is watching a completely harmless cartoon. Explain to him what is happening all the time and be sure to limit the viewing time to an hour or an hour and a half.
You can turn watching cartoons into lessons on the development of the child's speech by asking him to tell what the cartoon was about, who the child liked and who did not, what were the names of the characters, how they look, etc. You can play with your child and invite him to come up with a continuation of what he saw. But do not overuse such games so that they do not cause nervous diseases.
By about 4 years of age, the child already knows that what is happening on the screen is just fiction. At this age, you can slightly increase the time spent in front of the TV, up to two hours a day. Be sure to check what your child is watching. He, of course, already understands that all this is not real, but what he sees can deeply traumatize the child's psyche.
At this age, you can continue your classes with the child on the development of speech: let him continue to retell his favorite cartoons to you, share his impressions. Be sure to explain to your child what advertising is for. Specifically, tell them that you don't have to buy everything that is offered. Some types of advertising can even be useful: for example, shots where the same children brush their teeth or wash their pens with soap and water can be used to teach the baby to take care of themselves.
When putting your child in front of the screen, always remember that it depends only on you what the TV will become for him: a good friend or a cruel enemy, and be prudent.
