Can My Preschooler Learn a Thing or Two From TV?

Okay, I admit it. When my preschool age son asks to watch one of his favorite movies I gladly oblige. Why? So I can get on the computer and get some work done. I now have 'Cars' and 'Real Steel' memorized. And so does my son Dylan! At age 4 he can recall all the characters, request fast-forwarding to his favorite parts and I swear his communication skills have improved as per our conversations about the movies.

While television viewing for children is up over the years research shows that it may not be as harmful as some say. New Research shows that if you invest time and energy to improve what our children watch, not just how much they watch, it could be a positive for our kids. This is supported by Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE, FAAP in her recent article. She says:

Television viewing is only on an upswing over the past five years as more and more devices interdigitate into our children's lives. I'm a perfect example. When my first son was born six years ago, we had one television and one computer. Today, we have a smartphone, an iPad, a computer and a television. The screen choices continue to grow, the television shows continue to become more alluring and the opportunities for viewing with new convenience is abundant. It's true: some of the stuff out there designed to delight our children is awesome.

And so, I'll allow my son Dylan to watch television and I'll be careful to stick with the G rated movies and Disney Channel shows he loves. An occasional education program like 'Little Geniuses', 'Sesame Street' and 'Dora The Explorer' will also remain on the schedule. It appears he is learning a thing or two.