- almost impossible to keep your little one away from the goggle box if you have to rely on your parents or in-laws to look after your baby while you're at work
- it's like an electric babysitter
- US survey reveals that the average toddler now spends more than 4.5h daily watching TV
- some channels to look for are okto Day, Playhouse Disney, Nickelodeon or CBeebies
- experts from American Association of Pediatrics advises that children below 2yrs old should not watch any TV at all
- older tots take in no more than an hour of TV daily
- from age 2-5, 'active' TV viewing is linked to comprehension
- TV should not be children's main entertainment tool
- the time spent watching TV takes a child away from activities such as active play and interaction
- these activities contribute most to their all-rounded development
- too much TV may cause the young tots less physically active, greater risk of obesity in later life, aggressive, nightmares and speech delays
- the context in the TV a child watches matters more than the amount of time he spends watching TV
- important to strike the right balance and the boundaries to watch TV
- try not to make TV watching a daily routine
- survey shows that a children who watch TV moderately with a parent score higher grades in school
- parents should supervise TV watching but not be a major distraction
- when a child spends too much time passively watching TV, and not enough time having social contact with other people, it will affect his social and linguistic development
- think of 'reinforcing' what your child has seen, heard or learnt from the programme
- young children love looking at the bright colours and moving images
- be firm and stick to age-appropriate programmes and turn off the TV when it's over
- prepare your child mentally a few min before the show ends will quell his terror's protests
- kids 2-3 like to imitate and repeat others and recap sounds, words and actions will capture their attention better
- kids 4 and above can understand better with dilemmas and challenges such as quarrels with friends and owning up to mistakes
- last but not least, offer your child a good mix of interaction with you, his other caregivers and peers for optimal learning
- kids learn the most in their first 3 yrs so have a wide variety of activities such as reading, outdoor and imaginative play or helping with daily household chores such as washing up
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