If young children are over exposed to super hero DVD’s & television shows they can become over stimulated and mimic the behaviour they have seen on these DVD’s and TV programmes. These programmes, while marketed for children, have adult themes and are often violent, taking away the innocence of childhood.

TV and video can be powerful triggers which disturb children’s sleep. Carefully choose what programs your children watch. Avoid current affairs & news.  TV is non interactive  and so  children often act out after watching TV as it is  “coming” at them  so fast & furious they do not have time to process it. So they need to get it all out afterwards to practice dealing with their fears while playing. 

It has been said that for every half hour of television a child watches they need a half hour of comforting.  Watch your child viewing TV & observe them go pale when it is frightening. Often the eyes will glaze over, skin will go pale and they appear in a ‘ trance’ even if the material they are watching is not frightening! We need to protect our children from heavy negativity and over stimulation of their senses.

They   cannot separate themselves from heavy negativity of those around them or made alive by story telling or television. It is also stifling their imagination.

Children under seven years of age are better encouraged to play creatively and use their own imagination to invent characters that interest & enrich the imagination.

Four year old boys:

• Double their testosterone ,
• Are aggressive & dominant
• Look for quick gratification
• Like to know who’s in charge, what are the rules and will they be fairly enforced.
• Love to shout
• Are dogmatic
• Love climbing, running and being outdoors

TIPS:

• Reduce TV, Video & DVD viewing
• Tell the children the TV is ‘having a rest this week-end.’
• Go bike riding or do something physical outdoors to get the wriggles out of them
• Kids will be better able to entertain themselves.

Then after a few days try for only 2 hours of TV & DVD’s a week.

The only television shows I recommend are Play School, Bob the Builder & Bananas in Pajamas  for four year olds and under.

Encourage individual   quiet play, by both Mum & Dad   role modeling reading a book, or magazine, sitting quietly & in a relaxed manner on the couch. At first start with smaller amounts of time eg 10 mins where the child is expected to play by themselves. Perhaps use a timer to let them know when ‘quiet time’ will end.

Encourage coloring, drawing, puzzles, listening to a story using headphones. Make sure the stories are suitable.  Say it is your turn to play alone now, Mummy/Daddy are sitting relaxing and reading.

Stories on CDs/tapes are a great way to help a child relax, calm down & learn to listen. The walkmans or ipods are a novelty that may help. Make sure the stories are suitable, go to the library and get things like Madeline, fairy stories, Dogger, Poo Bear, & Hairy McClary.

Make a graphic of the games they enjoys playing alone & then when it is family quiet time they can use this card to decide which quiet activity to do  today.

Start out with 10-15 minutes & build up to 30 minutes.

Use words like “it is your turn to play alone now”

Establish a rhythm in the afternoons. So when children  come home from care,  pre-school or school it is always the same. eg:

• Playschool
• Outside with balls/trampoline etc  with Mum or Dad
• Inside with quiet activities such as drawing, puzzles
• Bath
• Dinner
• Story
• Bed