It s a fact of life that children like to watch television. However there are health concerns that are vocalized by many about letting your kids sit too close to the TV. These were raised in the early days of television when the TV was often affectionately referred to as a radiation box. Obviously there was no radiation danger from watching TV and the technology has advanced beyond what it was originally.
Still the questions about whether it s harmful to watch TV for too long, or sit too close remain. If you re child is not physically active and spends all of his or her time in front of the TV then obviously they will begin to get a little heavy. In this aspect the question about if it is harmful is a definite yes. It s important for kids to get out and have plenty of physical activity in order to grow and develop properly.
As far as the question about sitting too close to the TV goes the answer is a bit complicated. However you can answer most of it yourself with some common sense knowledge. If you work on a computer, or use a laptop for long periods of time and sit too close what happens to your eyes? They become itchy, red, irritated, and your vision becomes blurred.
Now if that happens to you who are fully grown, imagine what it might be doing to your kids. This isn t a scare argument, but more of a common sense argument. Children and toddlers often don t understand the concept of letting your eyes rest so it s important to manage this for them until they understand. Continued long term watching regardless of range can lead to long term headaches and migraines.
That covers the physical part of the question, but what about the mental part? Yes there is a mental part to this question that most parents simply do not think about. If you let your child or toddler sit real close and directly in front of the TV they will begin to think it s theirs. This can lead to behavioral problems down the line and cause quite a few issues.
Before you dismiss this as silly remember how children learn what s theirs and what s not. When you hand them a new, they grab it, and it becomes theirs. If you sit them in front of the TV alone and leave them then they will assume this box with the colorful moving pictures is theirs as well. Being up close and directly in front of it will reinforce this position as well.
In order to prevent this from happening it s important to teach them that it s not theirs. This works the same way you teach them that other things are not theirs. You typically sit them at an angle from the TV where they can see it, but not directly in front of it. When they move closer or try to touch it you simply pick them up and put them back. So is it harmful for your child to sit too close to the TV? Physically it can be straining on the eyes so yes, but in the end use your own parental judgment.
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