nCa, Ashgabat, 29 Jan 2009 – A recent report in the Turkmen print media shows that authorities are concerned about the growing TV habits of children. The report says that preschoolers are watching TV for 1.5 to 2 hours a day or 10-14 hours a week.
The survey carried out among the schoolchildren shows that up to 70% of them are watching TV for 2 to 2.5 hours on weekdays and 3.3.5 hours per day on weekend. In all, they are sitting before the TV set 16-24 hours a week.
The report laments that TV is replacing other activities such as mixing with peers, reading, sports, indoor games, and walk in the fresh air.
The experts cited by the report say that excessive TV watching turns into a vicious cycle: The more they watch TV, the more tired they get, and they more tired they get the more tend to watch TV instead of going out to play.
The report partly blames the adults for setting the wrong example in that they tend to switch on TV as soon as they return home and keep sitting there, even taking their meals there, until the bedtime.
The report warns that the children addicted to TV are quite likely to be routinely tired, sluggish, and whimsical and may have frequent nightmares. It cautions that habitually long periods of TV watching could be significantly harmful for preschoolers, inducing physical and mental damage including psychosomatic symptoms.
The recommended time for preschoolers, the report says, is 30 minutes a day. The children in the 7-10 age group should not be allowed to sit before TV for more than an hour a day, with occasional relaxation of up to 1.5 hours.
The parents should exercise their discretion as to what programmes are suitable for children, depending on their age.
The children should sit at least 1.5 to meters away from TV but no more than 5-5.5 meters. They should not be allowed to watch TV while lying down on the carpet. There should be a permanent place for children for TV watching where TV screen should be at level with eyes. The room should not be completely dark when the TV is running.
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