The most disturbing thing for me is this tendency that most people have to just turn on the television and idly watch, and parents demonstrate that behavior to their children all too frequently; they idly channel surf.
I think it’s very important for parents to both encourage in their children and model themselves the notion that you choose the program that you want to watch on television, whether it’s “American Idol” or a nature program or a political debate.
You decide when it’s on, you turn on the TV to watch it, and when it’s over, you turn it off.
Better still, use available technology to record the program and watch it at a time that fits into your life , so it’s not interrupting dinner or any other plans.
Dimitri Christakis
Make TV Work
George Adkins Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington
Listen to the full interview below, and feel free to share your comments.
