Media Release
December 10 2007
Turn off the TV and get kids involved in holiday activities
Turn
off the television and get children involved in choosing active and
relaxing fun things to do during the holiday break. That’s the message
from UniSA senior lecturer in psychology,
Dr Nadine Pelling.
“Parents who allow the television to be the baby sitter for their
children during the holidays do so knowing that there are consequences,”
Dr Pelling said.
Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society,
Dr Aric Sigman, has found
evidence that watching too much television contributes to a range of
childhood physiological problems and mental health problems.
Physiological problems include short-sightedness and a slowing down of
the metabolism, which is linked to increased obesity and type two
diabetes; while mental problems include autism, poor concentration and
Alzheimer’s in adulthood.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends no more than one to two hours of quality TV and videos per
day for children older than two years and no screen time for children
under the age of two,” Dr Pelling said.
“While it would be so easy for parents who are tired or busy to let
their children watch TV for a lot longer than recommended limits, and
it’s a habit that many parents get into, that doesn’t make it a good
habit. At the very least parents should look for television programs
that are appropriately rated for their children and then decide how much
time they want their children to spend watching TV,” she said.
“With so much advertising in children’s programs, what proportion of
their viewing is advertising?” Dr Pelling asked. “If there’s lots of
advertising, does television viewing by children actually save parents
time and angst when they have to spend time in the following weeks
continually saying ‘no you can’t have that’ in response to requests for
advertised products?”
Dr Pelling suggests that parents sit down and brainstorm with their
entire family to compile lists of all of the possible active and
relaxing fun things that they can do in the holidays using two pieces of
paper, with the heading “active” on one and “relaxing” on the other.
“This brainstorming of ideas can be quite exciting for kids. Children
come up with ideas that parents never would have thought of, including
the strangest things as well. If short on ideas, many lists of active
and relaxing fun things to do can be found on the web,” Dr Pelling said.
Active pursuits can include going to the zoo, the park, the beach, the
pool, ice skating rink, a dance recital, trying out new dances to music,
hip hop, action songs, cooking honey biscuits or other treats, walking
along Linear Park and the Torrens River, playing dress-ups, riding bikes
or trikes, building or constructing projects, a Central Market walk,
feeding the ducks or having a picnic.
Relaxing ideas can include reading books, watching a learning video or
TV show and then muting the TV commercials and discussing the show
afterwards, doing some stretches, colouring in pictures, being creative
with play dough, playing in the sand pit, making puppets out of old
socks, playing board or card games, cognitive games such as thinking of
something that is red, cuddling your child or singing Christmas carols
or other songs.
Once the lists of active and relaxing times are compiled, Dr Pelling
recommends cutting the lists into strips and putting them into an
“active” or “relaxing” bowl or hat. Then pull out one suggestion or let
the children take it in turns to pull out one strip showing what they
will do first, and then pull out another to reveal what they will do
next. When they say, “Mum, I’m bored”, pull out another suggestion.
Children should be encouraged to choose active pursuits in the morning
and reserve more relaxing fun ideas for inside when the sun is hottest
in the afternoon.
When children are at home, especially in the holidays, Dr Pelling
believes it is important for parents to make time available for their
children. “Does it really matter if the bathroom isn’t sparkling clean,
or that you have a nice memory of walking to the park before it gets too
hot in the day?” she asks.
For parents who have to work, Dr Pelling says that they shouldn’t feel
guilty because they’re providing a secure home, food, and shelter for
their children, and there is time in non-working hours to make the
connection with their children. She also suggests that parents find
another parent or church group where there can be tradeoffs in childfree
time.
Dr Pelling says that being organised at home helps to make the holiday
experience more enjoyable for parents and children. But how can parents
and children on holidays keep the house from looking like a bomb has
exploded in it?
“I have organised all of my child’s play things into ‘activity stations’
or containers, which is a great way to keep everything tidy. I use
activity stations for a wide variety of activities. For example, I have
one activity station with a tea set for tea parties and another for bath
toys. To keep everything organised, I get the children to put one
activity away before bringing out another.
“It’s never too young to start being organised. My child, who is 19
months old, helps to clean up the toys and put her milk bottle in the
sink when she’s finished drinking.”
Contact for interview
- Dr Nadine Pelling mobile 0402 598 580 email nadine.pelling@unisa.edu.au
Media contact
- Geraldine Hinter office (08) 8302 0963 mobile 0417 861832 email geraldine.hinter@unisa.edu.au