Welcome to the new Millennium where a new type of babysitter has been invented. It doesn't charge anything, doesn't eat any of the food in the house, and can keep children quiet for hours on end. This newly invented babysitter is your television set. It has become increasingly popular for parents to stick their young children in front of the television and use it as a babysitter in order to get themselves some free time. I mean why not, right? With all of the new television programs out now like Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues that teach your children basic skills and Spanish, and the educations DVDs available such as Baby Einstein, what can the harm really be?

Truth is, no matter what children are watching, replacing adult supervision with a television set not a health alternative for your child. With growing rate of childhood obesity and diabetes in the U.S., you would think parents would be more motivated to send their children outside to play. But that doesn't seem to be happening.

Using the television as a babysitter not only limits the exercise and the amount of energy children expend, it also can hinder their social skills. Socialization can not be learned by sitting in front of a television. The skills that these children are missing out on at a young age can adversely affect them their whole lives. Social skills are extremely important, and without properly developing them as children, adults can have a hard time in life.

Some of the most important and healthy things that children need are simple. So simple in fact, that they seem to have escaped the minds of adults over the past few decades. The greatest gift that any parent can give their child is stimulation of the mind and senses. This cannot be achieved by sitting in front of a television. However, it can be achieved by playing outdoors, and interacting with others. Something this simple can help to undo the effects of childhood obesity and diabetes, and can also help children develop into mentally healthier adults. The more stimulation a child engages in and experiences, the more they grow and learn, and the easier time they will have traveling through the cycles of their life.

Although the television as a babysitter is not recommended for long term use, it can be helpful for some short-term use. While sitting a child in front of a television for hours at a time every day can adversely affect them, limited use and monitored programming can be beneficial. Sitting your child down in front of the television for a limited amount of time a day can help to teach them useful skills. Limiting their time and only allowing them to watch educational programs can be beneficial. There are many programs out there that help children work on their basic skills such as counting, the alphabet, colors, and even beginners Spanish. The earlier these skills are taught and acquired the better.

While television as a "babysitter" can be detrimental to children's health and mental wellbeing, using is sparingly for educational purposes can be beneficial to children.

Learn more about this author, Lauren Kelly.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about TV babysitter?
We want to hear your view. Write now!