How Many Hours Should Kids Watch TV – The Counseling Corner

Every Thursday we highlight a problem from a listener. We give our advice and ask other listeners to offer advice. Welcome to the Counseling Corner.

Dear Brain and Courtlin,

I'm having a parenting issue that I'm hoping you can help with. I grew up in a house that was very strict on television viewing time. My parents only allowed my brother and I limited access to the TV as children. We each got 1 hour a day during the week, and 2 hours Saturday and Sunday. We didn't know any different, and thought that was the way everyone watched TV. Flash forward to today. My wife and I have an 8 year old son. We currently have him set up on the same plan. An hour of TV weeknights, slightly more on the weekend. But it's much more difficult to monitor his viewing habits today, than it was for my parents. There are computers, phones and tablets to monitor. Plus, we can't really control what he does when he's at a friends house. Our son has also begun complaining that he doesn't get to watch enough TV, and that he's missing things his friends get to see.

Are we being too tough on our son regarding TV time? What do other parents out there do for limits? I don't think we're being unreasonable, but maybe my upbringing has me out of touch.

Thanks,

Ted