The Elephant in the Living Room: Make Television Work for Your Kids

The nation's top child development experts examine the effects of television on children and their groundbreaking research will startle many Television is the "elephant in the living room" of our culture. American children watch television an average of 3 hours per day, and many parents sheepishly concede that they rely on television as an electronic babysitter. But TV is not necessarily harmful to kids. The authors present groundbreaking scientific evidence that television can be a powerful and effective tool—for entertainment, for education, and for socialization. The secret is for parents to learn how to use television as a tool, not a crutch. With a detailed explanation of the effects of television viewing on kids' emotional, mental, and physical development, plus tips to enable parents to act on this new knowledge, they'll soon be able to turn TV into a positive force in their child's life. The authors • which popular shows increase your child's reading ability—and which may delay speech development • which televised sports boost girls' self-image—and which ones could cause eating disorders • the best and worst programming for every age, from toddler to teen