Live Interactive Chat

Answers to Questions (Transcript)

See also: Biography and Related Resources

IELmoderator
Greetings, IEL chat participants. Welcome to the Illinois Learning Project's sixth and final Chat of the 2004 year. Our Chat tonight is titled "TV, Computers, and Video Game–How Much is Too Much?" To get started, let me introduce our guest speaker for the evening, Carol Weisheit, who is an Early Childhood Resource Specialist with STARnet Regions I & III.

Carol Weisheit
Hi! Welcome to tonight's chat! I look forward to answering your questions.

IELmoderator
The procedure for the live chat session is as follows. Participants can send questions to the chat guest at any time. When you send your question, please note that it will not be visible to all chat participants. The IEL Moderator receives the question first and will post it to the whole chat group. If there's a long queue of questions, the Moderator will notify the questioner that the question was received. Then, at the next break in the discussion, the question will be posted for all to see and for our guest to answer.

Note that there will be a pause after a question is posted while the chat guest speaker composes a response to the question. So please be patient! During these pauses, the Moderator will post occasional information about the IEL Web site. Because some chat participants enter the Chat in the middle of the session, some of these messages may be posted more than once.

Questions will be posted in the order they're received, unless there's some obvious reason to group similar questions together. Participants may send follow-up questions. If you do send a follow-up question, please remind the Guest and other participants of the earlier question (something like "In my earlier question about the third-grader's reading difficulty…") because it's easy to forget earlier questions in the long list of questions that occur during the chat session.

If your question is not answered by the time the chat session ends at 8 pm, the question and its answer will be included in the chat transcript that will be made available online approximately 3 weeks from today.

If, at any time during the chat, you want to review the procedure for participating in the chat session, you can do that at this Web page: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/info/ecapchat.html or in Spanish at: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/info/ecapchat-sp.html.

IELmoderator
Now let's begin our chat. Prof. Weisheit, we have a question that we received in advance of the session.

If I don't let my young children watch the popular television shows, won't they feel left out when other kids talk about these shows?

Carol Weisheit
In my many years in the classroom, I did not hear young children carry on conversations about popular television shows. Children do talk about feature length movies they see in the theaters with their parents, but more often, they actually talk about the fact that they got popcorn while they watched the movie. Young children's conversations are filled with make believe, what things are going on at home (new baby, new puppy, seeing grandparents), and what they did 5 minutes ago. So not allowing your young children to watch popular television shows will not alienate them from their peers.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

I'm very careful about what I let my child watch on television. My son likes to play at a friend's house where they are not as careful. How can I approach this parent without offending their family's rules?

Carol Weisheit
You have a choice to make in this situation. Either you can discuss the situation with the other parent and express your concern about your son watching television while he is visiting, OR you can invite his friend to your house more often because you know the television won't be on at your house. The reality is that you cannot control what goes on in another person's house but you can control what goes on in yours. If you choose to talk to the parent about your concerns you do risk alienating your child from ever going over there to play if the parent takes offense. Is this a risk you are willing to take?

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's another question that we received prior to the chat.

My husband thinks I'm being overly protective about what we let our children watch on TV. He says he watched lots of television as a young child and turned out just fine. How can I respond to that?

Carol Weisheit
Your husband is correct in that he probably DID watch a lot of television as a young child and turned out OK. But, in the last 20 years or so, we know that television programming has become more violent and advertisers have targeted young children as consumers. Both of these situations have negative affects on young children. It sounds like you do allow your children to watch some television and one thing you can do is to pick a couple of shows that the whole family likes to watch, say Animal Kingdom or Animal Planet, and watch them together.

The other issue at stake here is that there is a link between obesity rates in children and the amount of television that children watch. So another suggestion is to turn off the tube and take a family walk or bike ride! There is a wonderful article from the National Association for the Education of Young Children that discusses this issue further. You can find it at: http://www.naeyc.org/ece/1997/05.asp.

jpm
Thanks for being here, Ms. Weisheit. I've heard people say that the educational programming on TV for kids is so good that they will be missing out on important stuff if they aren't allowed to watch. But is there any evidence that it might harm a child if the family just doesn't let him/her watch TV at all?

Carol Weisheit
jpm: an interesting question because the research that is out there on television viewing really looks at the overuse of television as opposed to the effects of not watching television at all. I'm not aware of any studies that deal with the negative effects of no television watching. Kids growing up in the 40s and 50s without television haven't seemed to do worse in life because of the lack of television.

You might be interested in a book by Marie Winn entitled, The Plug-In Drug. My other thought on this issue is about the increase of DVD players in cars and vans. Being in a vehicle presents a wonderful opportunity to talk to children (even more so when they become teenagers!) and I worry that children are even more alienated when they are plugged in when traveling in a car.

I recently had an experience with my 6-year-old nephew and 9-year-old niece when I watched them for a weekend. First time we went in the family van, they put a DVD in and placed their wireless headphones on and didn’t speak a word to me! I kept talking to them and finally, my nephew took his headphones off and said emphatically, “Aunt Carol, you can’t talk to us when we are watching our DVD!” Wow, I thought, what have we done, if talking to our children in the family vehicle is no longer an option? I doubt that taking the DVD out of the car would be harmful to children!

IELmoderator
At the beginning of this chat session, an explanation was provided about the procedure for posting messages during the chat. If you want to review that information, it is available at: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/info/ecapchat.html or in Spanish at: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/info/ecapchat-sp.html.

Bronsonbits
In today's Washington Post, Lisa Guernsey writes an article referring to a study published in April in the journal Pediatrics that shows evidence that children who had watched a lot of television as toddlers were having attention problems at age 7. Can you speak to that?

Carol Weisheit
Bronsonbits: I can just say that I am aware of this study and if you look at the increase in the number of hours children watch TV and the increase in the number of children who are diagnosed with ADHD, this study makes a lot of sense. The research looked at how much television children watched and concluded that the more TV a child watched the higher risk the child would have for ADHD at age 7. The belief is that TV is based on rapid movement and that constant change that may affect a child’s ability to concentrate later. Some believe that the brain is actually re-wired.

ebrittain
Could you explain briefly for the non-Illinois residents what "Starnet" is?

Carol Weisheit
ebrittain: STARNET is a federally funded project through the Illinois State Board of Education that focuses on technical assistance and support to teachers who work with young children, birth to 8, focusing primarily on special needs. For more information go to http://www.wiu.edu/starnet/.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's a follow-up from nene to the earlier question about children feeling left out.

nene
Why won't they feel left out? I think that as a young child, I felt left out.

Carol Weisheit
Children generally don't speak a lot about things that happened in the past unless it is directly linked to their family, so if children watch a particular show, they're not going to feel left out the way an older child might.

Young children operate in the here-and-now and often forget about a television show watched the night before. What they do remember, though, is anything that is very frightful or disturbing. I remember when my son, Ryan, was 2 and my husband took him to his first feature length movie. The movie was, “American Tale,” I believe, and the character in the film was Fievel, a young mouse. In the first few minutes of the film, Fievel and his family are stowaways on a ship and become separated. My son was so distraught over Fievel losing his family that my husband had to leave the theater with him. He talked about this separation for months afterwards. We learned what a powerful effect watching movies had on him and decided not to take him again until 2 years later.

IELmoderator
You can find additional resources on "TV, Computers, and Video Games–How Much is Too Much?" in the supplement to this chat session. This supplement is available on the IEL Web site at this URL: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/weisheit/sup.htm.

Christine
Is there any television/video that is actually beneficial to kids under 3? For example, any of the Baby Einstein or similar series?

Carol Weisheit
Christine, there has been a study that watching Sesame Street does have a positive influence, but nothing that I'm aware of on Baby Einstein. Again, the American Association of Pediatrics believes that re-wiring of the brain may occur due to the constant change which affects a child’s attention span.

Mrs. M
Prof. Weisheit, when I read about limiting a child's screen time, does this mean just television or does it include videos, computer games, movies, and such?

Carol Weisheit
Mrs. M: most of the research does look just at television, but many child development experts do equate screen time with videos and computer games. The issue parents have to remember is that using videos, computer games, movies, etc., utilizes precious time during which a child might otherwise be interacting with a caring adult and learning valuable skills such as social interaction and literacy skills.

An article in the Child Study Journal (volume 31, number 2, 2001) entitled, “Effects of Playing Educational Video Games on Kindergarten Achievement” found that math skills did not improve significantly for children who used these games compared to those who didn’t. While spelling and decoding skills in reading did increase, the authors caution that more research in this area needs to be done. We can’t say definitively that educational video games lead to better learning.

chris
Is there a certain time limit to television for a preschool child?

Carol Weisheit
chris: most experts say no more than 30 minutes a day in order not to have a detrimental effect.

IELmoderator
The transcripts of the IEL chat sessions from 2002 through 2004 are archived on the IEL Web site. Go to the IEL Chat Resources page at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chatres.htm, then scroll down the page to the particular chat that you're interested in. For each chat, you'll see a link for "Chat Transcript." Click on that link to view the transcript for that particular chat. Editor's note: This url has changed: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat

The most recent chat was on the topic of "From Chewing to Choosing: Bonding Books and Children" with Elizabeth Hearne, Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois. The transcript for this chat will be available in just a few days, linked from the chat resources page at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chatres.htm. Editor's note: This url has changed: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat

The previous chat was "My Child Loves Music but I Can't Carry a Tune in a Bucket: A Guide to Preschool Music Making" with Eve Harwood. The transcript of this chat session is available at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/harwood/trans.htm.

Note that IEL chat transcripts are also available in Spanish. To find IEL Spanish Chat Transcripts (Trasuntos de chateo), go to the Spanish Chat Resources (Chateo Recursos) page at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chatres-sp.htm.Nota del Editor: Este sitio de Internet ha cambiado a otra dirección: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert-sp.htm#pastchat

The Spanish transcripts are available on the Web site approximately 3 weeks after the English.

nene
What about the cartoons that they watch these days? They are just about the same as the regular shows they watch.

Carol Weisheit
nene: yes, a lot of cartoons do have a lot of violence, indeed more violence than some TV shows. So cartoon watching should be limited just as regular TV. One of the issues is that young children have a difficult time separating reality from fantasy. Unless parents are right there with them to interpret what they see, these shows are detrimental to a child. And, even if the parents are right there, is this really the type of show that we want our children to watch?

chris
How young is too young to watch television?

Carol Weisheit
chris: interesting you would ask that. The recommendations for most research is that we do need to look more seriously at television viewing of children from birth to age 3 because there is limited research on this age group. What we do know about brain development shows that watching too much TV at this age level may rewire the brain differently.

jpm
What are some sources of reviews of children's videos? Sources you trust, of course!

Carol Weisheit
jpm: One source is the New York Times Essential Library: Children's Movies: A Critic's Guide to the Best Films Available on Video and DVD.

chris
Fisher-Price has some good programs for 18-month-olds to 3-year-olds. Are these OK?

Carol Weisheit
chris: I think the one thing you have to be cautious about is the amount of time for human interaction. Children at this age need a lot of parental interaction and this might be a great way to sit together and use the program, but I would not recommend just leaving an 18-month- to 3-year-old child alone with the computer. Children need guidance from an adult when learning how to use these programs.

nene
What viewing time should a young child be limited to?

Carol Weisheit
nene: most child development experts say no more than 30 minutes a day. When you look at the research done on this issue, the average child (depending on the age group) watches 2-4 hours of television EVERY DAY!

Bronsonbits
Referring to watching Sesame Street, this article I mentioned earlier (IEL Editor's Note: an article by Lisa Guernsey from the Washington Post of November 9, 2004; go to Bronsonbits's earlier question), also talked about a forthcoming study on programs like Sesame Street by Deborah L. Linebarger, a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, who mentions a surprising conclusion that babies and toddlers who watched "SS" and Teletubbies performed more poorly on vocabulary and expressive language tasks at 30 months of age than counterparts who watched little or none of these programs! I loved watching "Street Street" as my kids used to call it.

Carol Weisheit
Bronsonbits: I was not aware of this article in the Washington Post today, but will certainly take a look at it. The issue being referred to is most likely the rapid movement of the programs that effects the child's language development.

IELmoderator
As just mentioned, Carol Weisheit is an Early Childhood Resource Specialist with STARnet Regions I & III. She has a bachelor's degree in child development and a master's degree in child and family relations. Her previous experience includes the following positions: Executive Director of Illinois Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a statewide organization whose mission is to advocate for abused/neglected children in the court system; teacher/home visitor for the LeRoy Prekindergarten and Parent Education Programs, an initiative funded by the Illinois State Board of Education; and child care director in Bloomington and Champaign.

Prof. Weisheit is a consultant to the National CASA Association as a national curriculum trainer and is a validator for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. At Heartland Community College (main campus in Normal, IL), she teaches courses in child development, early childhood education, advocacy, and administration.

Prof. Weisheit also consults with agencies, programs, and schools on topics such as transitions in the classroom, literacy, social and emotional development of young children, positive discipline, praise versus encouragement, effective parenting, talking with your teenager, program management, and building relationships with families through home visiting. She has been married for 27 years to Ralph, Distinguished Professor at Illinois State University, and has a son, Ryan, who is a sophomore at the University of North Florida studying jazz performance.

nene
Do you think I will be a bad parent if I just limit my children to regular TV?

Carol Weisheit
nene: absolutely not. Just be sure that the regular TV programs are appropriate for your child and that you watch together. We’ve all used television so we could take a shower or get a few chores done. The most important thing is that it’s done only OCCASIONALLY and not on a routine basis.

Christine
I heard/saw a report that said that even passive television (e.g., mom and dad are watching a show, but the kids are playing in the same room) could be detrimental. Can you comment?

Carol Weisheit
Christine: this issue is not as well studied as actual viewing of television. We do know that children can be in a room and not attend to what is on a TV screen, but this changes as they get older so we must be careful about the content of the programs going on in the background.

The limited research in what’s termed “background viewing” has found that children tune out things they don’t understand. But again, children learn quickly and it’s better safe than sorry. Again, because television may impact a child’s sense of security, it’s best to not have young children in the room when adult-oriented programs are being viewed.

IELmoderator
Remember that the IEL Web site is available not only in English but also in Spanish. The Spanish home page is at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/index-sp.htm.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

The parents in my preschool program are urging us to purchase more computers for their children's use. My staff and I would rather spend our limited resources on purchasing other equipment and supplies. How can I help parents understand that children's healthy development does not require daily computer use?

Carol Weisheit
I'm sure you are feeling the pressure. In this day and age, parents are getting the message that in order for their children to do well in school, they have to have the latest in technology. Certainly it doesn't hurt to expose children to computers in your classroom, but to place more emphasis on that than on play skills in a preschool program will only be detrimental to young children's development. Have an informational night for parents on the benefits of play–have stations with different activities and a handout on the benefits of each activity. Share with the parents that you do have computers in the classroom, but it is a choice during your playtime and not the focus of the day.

IELmoderator
Here's the next question, Prof. Weisheit.

My preschool daughter doesn't much care about watching television, but she loves her videos and computer games. Do I need to limit the amount of time she spends watching videos and playing computer games?

Carol Weisheit
Parents should use the same caution about the use of videos and computer games as they do about watching television. The use of any type of media, whether it is television, video games, or computer games, is a passive pastime which children often attend to without adult supervision and guidance. Research shows that young children need interactions in order to learn language and social skills and to develop morally. Give your daughter limited time with the videos and computer games and encourage her to play outside, play with friends, and play alone.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

If I'm careful about the CONTENT of the programs my children see on television, why do I need to monitor the AMOUNT of time they watch TV?

Carol Weisheit
The bottom line is that we are faced with an epidemic of childhood obesity and television is believed to be linked to this epidemic. Children spend more time now watching television than they do playing outside. Some studies have shown that the food commercials children see on television are to blame for the increase in obesity. More often than not, the commercials are for fast food restaurants, unhealthy junk food, or candy. For more information on the impact of television viewing, advertisements and obesity go to http://www.kff.org/entmedia/7030.cfm.

IELmoderator
Remember that you may send a question at any time to the IEL staff. Just email your question to: iel@uiuc.edu.

You can also phone in a question. Please note that IEL's toll-free telephone number has recently changed. The new number is 877-275-3227. IEL staff are usually available between 8-12 and 1-5 Central Time on business days.

jpm
When my kids were little, it was really hard to hold the line on TV watching but we were sort of successful at it, though they fought us tooth and nail as they got older. It would have been nice to be in touch with other families who were doing what we were trying to do. Are there any advocacy or support groups for parents who want to limit the screen time?

Carol Weisheit
jpm: I am not aware of any advocacy support groups for limiting screen time. But I ran across an article entitled "Going Tubeless: Some Families Flourish Without TV", published by The Wall Street Journal, February 10, 1994; and Marie Winn’s book, The Plug-In Drug: Television, Computers and Family Life, published by Penguin Putnam, Inc. You might find both of those interesting.

Christine
Since we've pretty much established that excessive screen time is not a good thing, are there any resources (web sites, books, etc.) you can recommend to help parents find interesting alternative activities?

Carol Weisheit
Christine: the best advice I have is to talk with your children, play with your children, and go to the park with your children. In other words, spend time with them, because that is what children want–time with trusted adults in their life. Children love to have parents play, read, and generally be there for them. We know that children who have good communication skills, a large vocabulary, and good literacy skills have parents who talk, talk, talk to them!

nene
So what do you say about the kids that don't watch a lot of TV and they still have problems with obesity?

Carol Weisheit
nene: part of the problem might be genetics which might make fighting obesity a lot harder. The other problem might be access to junk food and candy, which coupled with inactivity, may contribute to obesity which has nothing to do with TV viewing. It's true, however, that children are influenced by advertising on TV and movies. And with children being the newest target group for advertisers, this should alarm parents. Most of the targeted advertisements focus on fast food, junk food, and candy. For more information on this, there is a fascinating book called Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood, by Susan Linn.

IELmoderator
This is the final Chat session of 2004. IEL will sponsor three more chats in spring 2005. These have not yet been scheduled, however. Information about these upcoming chats will be posted to the IEL chat page in early 2005. Visit: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat.htm Editor's note: This url has changed:http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat.

chris
What about these games like City of Heroes, where you create a super hero and go and save the world and kill villains. Is it too violent for children under 13 years?

Carol Weisheit
chris: I would look at how the manufacturer rates it and then factor in your personal opinion about whether there is too much violence, and then make your decision. Even with the message of a hero, we are still sending the message that killing is OK. The question is, Do we want to encourage that message to our children?

Bronsonbits
My children's elementary school has a "no TV" week every year. Of course its always seems harder for the adults!

Carol Weisheit
Bronsonbits: bravo for the school! Usually by day 3, children and adults are used to it, so it is a lot like withdrawal symptoms for other addictions.

nene
How do you stop parents from doing that–from giving their children junk food?

Carol Weisheit
nene: it is up to the individual parents about teaching good food choices and, if it is not in the house, children have less access to poor food choices.

IELmoderator
Participants in IEL chats may also be interested in a new series of online chats offered by the Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior (CEBP) and the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL). For more information on the work of CEBP, visit their Web site at: http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/index.html.

For more information about CSEFEL's activities, view their Web site at: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel.

The first chat in the CEBP/CSEFEL Chat series was held on September 29. The topic was "What to Do When Children Say 'NO!'" In this Chat, guest Lise Fox from the University of South Florida discussed why children may be noncompliant, and strategies that educators and families may use to help the child with cooperation and engagement. A transcript of that Chat session is available on the CSEFEL Chat Resources page at: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/chat.html.

The next CEBP/CSEFEL Chat will be held next week, on Thursday, November 18, 2004, at 7:00 pm Central Time. This chat is titled "Classroom Environments That Work: Preventing Problem Behavior." The chat guests, Micki Ostrosky and Tweety Yates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will discuss a number of environmental variables that impact children's social emotional development and children's challenging behavior. For more information about this CEBP/CSEFEL Chat, visit the Chat page on the CSEFEL Web site: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/chat.html#schedule.

After this chat is completed, you will be able to read the transcript on the CSEFEL Chat Resources page: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/chat.html.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

I've been really surprised at the number of TV programs geared toward babies and toddlers. I've talked to some moms who let their little ones watch from the high chair; they say, "My kid needs the down time and so do I." Has there been any research about the effects of baby-specific TV on babies and toddlers, and if so, what are the findings?

Carol Weisheit
Research on infants' and toddlers' viewing of television is sparse. The October/November, 2001, edition of the journal, Zero to Three, was entitled, "Babies, Toddlers & the Media." It is clear from the articles that little research has been done with infants' and toddlers' viewing habits. Dan Anderson, professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts, has done extensive research on children's television. Anderson states that, "children under 2 don't watch television in a sustained way and current research suggests that they may understand it differently from older children."

Parents are the ones choosing to turn the television on for their little ones, not the babies! One television show produced by PBS, "Teletubbies," is geared for babies and toddlers. PBS continues to emphasize the educational benefits of watching this show, but according to researchers' accounts, it is mostly an advertising technique which is closely tied to merchandise purchasing of stuffed toys and videos.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, citing the importance of early brain development, has recommended that children under 2 watch no television. Children this young need to explore their world through play not through a passive activity such as television viewing.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's a follow-up from nene.

nene
But can they get it in school?

IELmoderator
.... she means, junk food, I think.

Carol Weisheit
nene: yes, it is true that kids have access to junk food at schools with the increase in commercialization of the cafeterias, but we know that children with good nutritional habits at home will not suffer long-term effects and may actually make good food choices at school. There is a movement to limit fast food restaurants in school cafeterias. One school I read about had huge success in changes of children’s behaviors when they adopted healthier cafeteria choices at lunch. And, this school was an alternative school for teens with behavior issues! Makes you stand up and take notice!

Christine
We have a child with special needs who tends to interact very well with videos that ask him to do things. Would you consider this type of "TV watching" the same as any of the other types that have been discussed thus far?

Carol Weisheit
Christine: there has been some early research about children with Asperger's Syndrome and autism that show they benefit from some usage of videos in a limited manner. The research I have seen on this issue addresses a child’s ability to socialize and play with toys in a creative way. The videos show adults interacting or modeling with toys in appropriate ways, so it’s not just any video watching that might impact a child with Asperger’s Syndrome or autism.

chris
How do you get a child that likes to watch TV for hours to go and play with Barbies or color or do a puzzle?

Carol Weisheit
chris: ultimately the parent has the obligation to turn the TV off when too much TV is being watched. The best way to get children to play is to play with them–go for a walk, go to a park, or play a board game. Children LOVE to spend time with their parents.

IELmoderator
Participants in tonight's Chat session may be interested in a couple of Tip Sheets prepared by the IEL staff that are related to this evening's topic. The first of these is "Computers: Are They Good for Young Children?" which you can find at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/computers.htm.

The second is "Television, Videos, and Young Children." This Tip Sheet can be found at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/tv-videos.htm.

Both of these Tip Sheets can also be read in Spanish and Polish. The first, "Las computadoras: ¿Son buenas para los niños pequeños?" is at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-sp/computers-sp.htm and "Komputery: Czy Sa Wskazane Dla Malych Dzieci?" at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-pol/computers-pol.pdf.

For the second Tip Sheet, "La televisión, los videos y los niños pequeños" is located at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-sp/tv-videos-sp.htm and the translation "Wplyw programow telewizwjnych i video na rozwoj malych dzieci" can be found at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-pol/tv-videos-pol.pdf.

jpm
In my earlier question about advocacy/support groups for parents, I worded it poorly. I didn't mean just about screen time; but about the potentially negative influences of TV and videos and computers in family life. As some of our discussion here shows, it can feel very lonely to be the only parent around who thinks outside the mainstream about that stuff. Are there any organizations that can provide us with suggestions, information about research on kids and TV, etc.?

Carol Weisheit
jpm: Web sites with resources that I have found helpful are:

• http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer(especially the September, 2004 issue, “Language and Literacy in the Earliest Years”)
• http://www.naeyc.org
• http://store.parentsactionstore.org/prostores/servlet/StoreFront
• http://www.aboutourkids.org
• http://www.media-awareness.ca
• http://www.limitv.org
• http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?name=Children+
  And+Watching+TV§ion=Facts+for+Families

On a personal note, know that your child will benefit in the long run if you limit TV viewing.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

Has there been any research comparing the overall health and well-being of children who watch lots of TV with that of children who don't watch TV? If so, what were the findings?

Carol Weisheit
One of the recent studies of television viewing and health of children has found an increased risk of developing attention difficulties with children who watch a lot of television. An excellent article addressing childhood obesity from the New York University Child Study Center can be found at: http://www.aboutourkids.org/files/articles/ENGLISH_Parent_Letter_May_2004.pdfEditor's note: This url has changed:http://www.aboutourkids.org/files/articles/December%2007%20Parent%20Letter_final.pdf

Other health concerns revolve around the amount of aggressive acts depicted on many television shows. Even the simple act of blowing up letters and numbers on an educational show sends the message that aggressive acts are OK. Parents need to monitor not only the amount of television watched but also the content. The idea that young children are targets for consumerism at a young age should also be cautionary for parents. Teaching young children to want more and more stuff is not a healthy way to enjoy early childhood.

IELmoderator
Another place to look for resources related to television viewing is in the IEL "Early Learning Web Links" database. This is a database of Web resources on early learning that the IEL staff has compiled, using careful criteria, so that you don't have to bushwhack a path through a jungle of Google results! This easily searchable collection of Web links is available at: http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu/cgi-bin/iel/searchiel.cgi.

Once on the search page, you can search in one of two ways. First, you can search for a word in the title. For example, type "television" (without the quotes) in the title box and click on the "Go Search" button.

Second, you can search on pre-assigned keywords. Scroll down to the "Choose the keywords" box, select "Television" and then click on the "Go Search" button. With this search, you'll find 4 resources.

Bronsonbits
Moderator, would it also be appropriate to mention these two resources on nccic.org:

• Television Programming to Support Literacy
  http://nccic.org/poptopics/television.htmlEditor's Note: this url is no longer active.
• Videos Designed to Stimulate Language and Emerging Literacy http://nccic.org/poptopics/videoslanglit.html Editor's Note: this url is no longer active.

IELmoderator
Bronsonbits, obviously -- yes it would be appropriate. Those are great resources. The National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC) consistently provides excellent resources on their Web site (http://nccic.org). Thanks a lot for the suggestion.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

My youngest child has been drawn to TV since he was about 3. We have stuck to our principles and limited his TV time, but it's a struggle every day. He is quite persistent, but no more persistent than his dad and I. Still, I get tired of the arguments and would like to lose the TV, but others in the family like our public TV station's programming. Where can I find support as a parent who is trying to hold the line on screen time?

Carol Weisheit
First, I applaud you in sticking to your principles. As a parent, it is much easier to give in than to wait out a tantrum or pleading. But, children learn more discipline and responsibility when parents can be consistent. Continue to hold fast on your limited TV time and know that he is benefiting from your efforts. Choose programs on your PBS station together, make it a family time, and discuss the program with your child as you watch.

Second, I wish I could say that there is a support group out there for you, but the reality is that children are now seen as consumers and advertising is targeted to the very young ones in toys, fast food, and candy. So, it makes your job more difficult! But, you are the adult in the house and have the ability to turn the television off and set some parameters around television viewing.

IELmoderator
This is the final Chat session of the 2004 calendar year. IEL will sponsor three more chats in spring 2005. These have not yet been scheduled, however. Information about these upcoming chats will be posted to the IEL chat page in early 2005. Visit: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat.htm Nota del Editor: Este sitio de Internet ha cambiado a otra dirección:http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

I know there's research on the relationship between violent media and aggression. What about cartoons? They seem too unreal to have any effect on behavior.

Carol Weisheit
Young children do not understand the difference between reality and fantasy. Children often give inanimate objects lifelike qualities. For example, a 2-and-a-half-year-old I know recently fell down the stairs at his house. He responded with, "Stupid stairs!" as if to suggest the stairs were actually responsible for his fall!

If you watch children's play, it is often very telling which children watch a lot of violent television. Hitting, smashing, and blowing things up become an integral part of the play. If you watch cartoons, these activities are the norm. In addition, one particular cartoon I have watched, "Rugrats," also gives children the message that being disrespectful is an appropriate behavior. While adults understand that it's not, children do not and internalize those actions and use them at another time. So, limiting cartoon viewing falls into the same category as cautions about other television viewing. Parents need to be selective, watch with their child, and always discuss inappropriate actions.

IELmoderator
You can find additional resources on "TV, Computers, and Video Games–How Much is Too Much?" in the supplement to this Chat session. This supplement is available on the IEL Web site at this URL: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/weisheit/sup.htm.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

Doesn't research suggest that early learning can affect brain growth and structure, particularly in language development? Wouldn't early learning of computer skills make it more likely that my child will find computers easy to understand?

Carol Weisheit
Yes, you are correct. Early learning–particularly, what a child is exposed to environmentally–affects brain growth. So, THE most important thing parents can do to enhance language development is to talk, read, and sing to their child.

As far as learning computers, we know that trying to acquire a new skill for adults can be very trying! Look at the number of older Americans who don't want to touch a computer because they aren't sure how to operate it. Not so with children. They pick up new skills easily and quickly. There is no evidence that children who don't have computers during the early childhood years fall behind when acquiring those skills when they are say, 6, 8, or 10. If you are still unsure, just watch a child around 10 or 11 pick up anything new (new computer game, a new board game, a new toy) and they will master it quickly!

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our next question.

We don't encourage our child to watch television, but he likes to play in the family room with us when we watch. He really doesn't seem to be paying attention to it. Will it influence him anyway?

Carol Weisheit
Research I have read indicates that while children do not appear to be actually watching the television in the room where they are playing, it is clear that they pick up something. A study at the University of Massachusetts done during the 1980s looked at this very issue. Children under 2 watched the television screen less than other family members but it reached 80% by the time the child was 12 years old.

Other research in 1995 found that looking increased from 11% at 6 months of age to 39% at age 2. That being said, researchers speculate that children do not watch TV content that they find incomprehensible. The likelihood is that if children are exposed to scary monsters, attacks, and mutilation, it might very well decrease their sense of security. Other researchers feel that because television is fast acting (every 6 seconds something changes on the screen) that the ever-changing screen is distracting even when the child isn't actually watching the program. This quick changing motion may, in fact, continually interrupt a child's play and have an impact on a child's ability to sustain play schemes.

The other effect of keeping the television on in the background of the child's activities while it's the foreground activity for the parents, is that parent-child interactions are, at best, sporadic. A parent's focus on a program and inability to attend to a child who wants attention does not produce sustainable interaction between parent and child.

jpm
Should young children be exposed to TV news at all?

Carol Weisheit
jpm: most child development experts say that TV news should not be watched by young children because it affects their sense of security.

IELmoderator
Prof. Weisheit, here's our final question of the evening.

My neighbor says computer games helped her daughter learn to count and read early. I've noticed there is lots of software for toddlers and preschoolers. I want to give my child every advantage. Shouldn't this include educational computer games?

Carol Weisheit
We know the best way for children to learn is through direct interaction with a caregiver or parent. This is accomplished by reading books together, talking, and playing. Computer games do not give children the back-and-forth human interaction needed to develop these skills. Certainly the use of educational computer games WITH the parent can help develop these skills.

Young children need the guidance of adults in their lives and leaving them to attend to a computer game, whether it is educational or not, should not be the focus of a child's day. We know that a child's attachment in the early years can predict future success. But this attachment has to be with a real, live person, and the more young children are left in front of television and computer screens, the less time they are spending with a real, live human being.

IELmoderator
Remember that if your question wasn't answered during the Chat, it will appear in the transcript along with a response. And you may send a question at any time to the IEL staff. Just email your question to: iel@uiuc.edu or call us at our new toll-free number, 877-275-3227 between 8-12 and 1-5 Central Time on business days.

We'd like to thank tonight's chat participants for your questions and also for your patience in waiting for responses. Please join us in Spring 2005 when the IEL Chat series resumes. Information will be posted in early 2005 on the IEL Chat page at: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat.htm Nota del Editor: Este sitio de Internet ha cambiado a otra dirección:http://illinoisearlylearning.org/askanexpert.htm#pastchat.

Thank you, Carol Weisheit, for sharing your time with us this evening.

Carol Weisheit
Thank you for joining tonight's chat. The questions have been thought provoking and interesting to discuss. The bottom line is that parents need to be responsible for not only what their children are watching or doing on the computer, but also for the content of the programs/games.

Guest
Thanks, Professor Weisheit!

IELmoderator
Thanks again, Chat Participants. Have a good autumn evening and enjoy the blue skies of Illinois for the rest of the week.

Home | About IEL | Resources | Calendar | Questions | Ask an Expert | Contact | Search
Acerca de IEL | Recursos | Calendario | Preguntas | Pregunte a un perito | Contáctenos | Búsqueda

NOTE: There may be publications on this page that are available as PDF (portable document format) files. To be able to read these files, download the free Adobe Reader.