TV for tots: how little ones can safely tune in

Nearly half of children under 2 years old watch television every day. Some critics think babies and toddlers should not watch any amount of television, but the technology is here to stay. So how can parents be sure young children are tuned in wisely?

It's essential to know that what children watch can be more important than how much they watch. Watching with responsible adults can serve as valuable family time.

Dr. Edward McCabe, physician-in-chief at Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, suggests that parents get more involved in the viewing experience as the key to success. "Similar to the books they read together, parents can utilize television as simply another tool to interact and bond with their children," he said.

Here are tips for introducing television to tots and instilling healthy viewing habits:

+Make smart choices. Allow children to view programs that are age appropriate and tailored specifically to their needs, with few or no commercials, no inappropriate content and no oversensory stimulants.

+Set limits. Limit the amount of time a child watches television and balance with other activities such as reading or playing outside.

+Join your child. Take the opportunity to bond even further and share in the child's TV viewing experience. Point out the colors of objects on the screen or sounds that animals make to help baby relate screen objects to the real world.

+Keep programming fresh. Choose a variety of programs that feature new and evolving content. Introduce a broad range of subjects, so babies are exposed to new and exciting things.

+Share emotions and vocabulary and have fun. Television viewing is an emotional experience for babies, so acknowledge their emotions and talk about what's seen on the screen.

Ultimately, spending quality time with a child is the most rewarding part of being a parent, so share in the experience and have fun.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.