According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., today's youth in America spend 900 hours per year in a classroom but 1500 hours per year watching television. Also, according to William H. Deitz, prominent obesity expert at Tufts University School of Medicine, the easiest way to reduce inactivity is to turn off the TV set. Almost anything else uses more energy than watching TV. If this sounds like your teen, you can help him/her by reducing the amount of time your teen is in front of the television.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: one week to start
Here's How:
- Talk to your teen about how much television he/she is watching and why it would be better to spend the time doing other healthier activities.
- Set reasonable expectations with your teen. One to two hours a day of television time is reasonable.
- Have your teen make a plan of action for the week, listing which shows he/she wants to watch. He/She may change this schedule, but it may not add to the amount of time for the day.
- Have your teen create a list of things to do that do not involve television. Help him/her acquire the things he/she will to complete the things on the list. Suggestions: go to the library with a friend, go for a walk, play a game, make a craft, or write a letter.
- Suggest that your teen listen to the radio for background noise instead of having their television on.
- Remember your teen is watching you. Set good television viewing habits for yourself too.
Tips:
- Schedule a family game night every week and get the whole family away from the television.
- Avoid allowing your teenager to have a television in his/her room.
- Watch television at the same time as your teen so that you can get an idea of the type of things he/she is watching. If nothing else, this will help you open lines of communication and give you things to talk about.
- Does your teen have a set curfew?
Parenting Quizzes for Parents of Teens
