Say "No!" to T.V.!

Reader Beware--I'm hopping up onto my soapbox--

I see soooo many children on a weekly basis whose parents are pulling their hair out because their children are struggling in school and at home to sit still, focus and, subsequently, make good grades. Most recently, a parent I was interviewing told me, "In class, he's doing cartwheels, flips and singing songs." This certainly paints a funny picture, but I think that we'd all agree that there's something tragic about putting a child on medicine. It happened to this kid and many kids, alike. And it may be due to the increase in the amount of T.V. children are watching.

Even more upsetting to me is the fact that children are being plopped in front of a T.V. at a very early age, for various reasons: parent's wanting a break from prattle or in a seeming attempt to make their child smarter--(Baby Einstein, etc). Surprisingly, children can entertain themselves! A T.V., contrary to what some parents believe, isn't like a stroller, crib, diaper; it's not an essential part of rearing a child.

Further, if the research is correct, watching T.V., no matter the content, can have a negative effect on a child's scholastic ability. And, it messes up their self-talk--you know, that voice that talks to you throughout the day, critiquing what you've done, said, tells you what to do next, helps you make plans and execute them--Which, in the long run, could mess up how they regulate their behaviors, control their impulses. Aaaahhhhh, enter the child therapist. Here I come to work with your child on how to slow down, problem-solve, use coping skills. So, I guess that the parents who feel that T.V. is harmless should know that they may be keeping my profession alive. Maybe I should thank them. But that's too sardonic. And the situation is sad.

AD/HD is a very real disorder. If you don't believe me and think that children who are just "active" are being erronesouly medicated, come hang out with me at work. I work on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 8-1. Then tell me what you think.

I certainly don't have parenting figured out (my kid is going to have a temper; at 15-months-old, it's apparent. As I tell people, he's got Brian's intensity and my mouthiness. My mom says that Jacob is just "learning to express himself." That's putting it nicely. I'm at a loss of what to do or how to handle it. We've got a long road ahead). I don't want to come across as a know-it-all in the parenting department, but I do know about AD/HD; I know what it looks like and I know how it upsets a household, a child's social skills and academics. And to me, if you could do something to avoid this happening, why wouldn't you?

So, in my house, the T.V. stays off until Dolly goes to bed. During the day, we blow bubbles, go for walks, play with Jodie and Zeke, scream, get red-in-the-face, ball up our fists, throw magnets, cry, push the cart around the house, jump on the bed, get bored, frequent the library, bakery and Subway (Eat Fresh). In the car, we play with books, toys, throw our sippy cup and eat graham crackers. No fancy movie-machines there.

For those of you who need research to back up personal assertions, I applaud you. And here you go: http://www.whitedot.org/issue/iss_story.asp?slug=ADHD%20Toddlers

To those of who aren't convinced, you might want to go ahead and schedule your appointment with me. Since I only work 2 days per week, I get full pretty fast.