Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Young Couch Potatoes

Braun HF 1, Germany, 1959Image via Wikipedia

By Dr Bill Maier

Is your child spending too much time in front of the television? Here are a few good ways to "uproot" your little couch potato!

Young kids often watch television simply because they're bored and can't think of anything else to do.

Why not have them list all the things they enjoy doing, like playing board games, kicking around a soccer ball, riding bikes, or drawing pictures. Then post that sheet on the fridge and give them a reward whenever they do something on their list other than watching TV. It could be as simple as a gold sticker or an after-dinner snack.

You might also promise a special celebration for kids who choose to go a whole week without TV. Throw a party to affirm them for spending their time in more productive ways.

Watching television can easily become a negative habit, and the best way to break it is through encouragement and rewards. And kids who learn to tune out at a young age are much less likely to grow into adult couch potatoes.

From TODAY, Voices – Monday, 05-Oct-2009


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