Should my child have a television in his or her bedroom?

Having a television in a child's bedroom may be a handy way to solve family conflict over who is going to watch what.

But it can have its down side.

Having the television, or computer game, or Internet access in the child's room means that you can't supervise what your child is watching or playing. You won't know what the TV program, computer game or Internet site is teaching your child. You won't necessarily know if a child has seen something that has disturbed them.

One of the most important roles a parent can play is that of a "media educator". You don't have to be trained teacher to do that. Your comments on programs, your discussions with a child about what they've seen, your expression of your values, your identification of the unrealities of programs and commercials are vital to a child's understanding of what he or she has seen, and the development of critical viewing skills.

When the television or computer is in the family room, rather than the bedroom you can make the most of the "teachable moment".

Having the television in the child's bedroom may also allow the child to watch TV right up to bed time. There is good evidence of negative impacts from viewing at bed time. These include bedtime resistance, the delay of the onset of sleep, anxiety which results in shortened sleep duration, night wakings and day time sleepiness.

TV, computer games, the Internet are public media. Keep them public, and not in your child's bedroom.

Related topic

• Nightmares

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