Monitor what your child watches on screen

The long holidays are over and children are settling into the new academic session, activating school tasks, getting to know their new class teachers and meeting some new classmates. This is not a time however; to put in so much attention on screen, hence screen time will be reduced.

While children still find time to watch TV or surf the Internet, (Youtube) or Netflix, parents should endeavour to know and understand the message passed in the children series and cartoons made available for their consumption.

A more efficient approach is to curate what your child is already interested in and afterwards, introduce him to some new shows that you find appealing and add value.

TV Parental Guidelines have two elements. The first refers to the audience it’s suited for and the second will rate the content. Here is a breakdown:

Audience
Y: All children including ages 2 to 6. Content will not frighten the little ones.
Y7: Age seven or above. Content may frighten little children.
Y7-FV: Seven or above with Fantasy Violence.
G: General Audience. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the content is for children, but most parents would find it suitable for all ages.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested. Recommended that you watch the programme with your child because some situations may raise questions for your little ones.

PG-13, TV-14: Parents Strongly Cautioned. Strongly urged to monitor the program because it may contain intensely suggestive dialogue, violence, sexual situations or strong language.

It is important to note that TV commercials are not required to have ratings, so even if you feel sure of the content of the programme, you may still want to keep an eye or an ear out. Also, ratings on shows vary from episode to episode.

To help you decide what cartoon or movie your child watches, first its age-appropriateness is important. If your child is old enough to understand, use this as an opportunity to teach him about the rating system. When your child understands the reason behind the things we do, they’re more likely to take a cooperative stance. Not only are you protecting him from undesirable content, he is also becoming an advocate for himself.

The characters as positive role models should also be an interest. Children model behavior and are influenced by what they see including what they watch on TV. When watching a show, ask yourself if you would like your child to model the character in the movie, else, it is time to stop your child from constantly watching that movie.

What is the structure or storyline; watching a movie or an episode of a cartoon is not the same as watching an endless stream of thirty-second TikTok videos or an hour of a kid unboxing toys. Hence, look for programmes that have an introduction, problem solving, and an ending. Think of Paw Patrol or Sofia the First it follows a storyline and even have cues for the introduction and ending of the show.

Once you’ve made sure that whatever they’re currently watching aligns with your family values, you can introduce new shows. Your family values, beliefs, and your way of parenting can either be supported or challenged by what your child is seeing on TV.