How Much TV is Right for Kids?

Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting issues.

This week’s Moms Talk topic is TV:

A study released last month by the American Pediatric Association added another layer to the great TV debate. The APA found that young children who watch television or play video games close to bedtime have difficulty falling asleep and difficulty staying asleep.

The study focused on kids between the ages of 3 and 5 and found that allowing these youngsters to watch TV before bed to help them wind down actually seems to have the opposite affect, making it harder for the kids to nod off and leading to restless sleep and lots of waking up during the night.

Overall, the study suggests no screen time after 7 p.m. and keeping the last hour before bed TV-free for a peaceful night’s rest. 

What are your thoughts on children and TV? How much TV is okay and how much is just too much? Does your TV viewing policy vary by age? Do you count computer and video gaming time in your youngster’s overall daily allowance? Is watching TV before bed OK? 

Join the conversation. Each week our Moms Council members discuss these and other issues. 

Our Moms Council members include: 

• Lisa Amey, of Upper Milford Township, is a stay-at-home mom to an 8-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter. A past president of the MOMS Club of Emmaus and long time member of MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers), Lisa is an Independent Consultant for Arbonne International. 
• Lisa Drew, of Emmaus, is a certified nutritionist and personal trainer, wellness and fitness coach with more than 17-years experience. She is the mother of a 13-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy.
• Jennifer Elston, of Emmaus, has almost two decades of professional experience in child development and counseling. She is currently a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful girls. Together with her husband, Chris, she owns Christopher Elston Photography.
• Jeanne Lombardo of Nazareth is the mother to a 10-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. She’s new to the Lehigh Valley, having moved to Nazareth from Bergen County, N.J. in January.
• Lisa Merk, of Lower Macungie, is a stay-at-home mother of four boys – a 12-year-old and 6-year-old triplets. Lisa is a past president of the MOMS Club of Lower Macungie East. In her “spare” time, Lisa teaches piano to school-age children.
• Megan Patruno, of Allentown, is a mother of three – an 11-year-old boy, an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy. Megan also works as an admission counselor for Muhlenberg College in Allentown.
• Zoila Bonilla Paul, of Bethlehem, is a stay-at-home mom to two girls – a 5 year old and a 14 month old. Zoila is a member of her local “moms’ club” and says she is “well-versed in the fun that children can bring.”
• Beth Sharpless of Emmaus, works part-time in a local emergency department as a nurse and part-time from home as a customer support specialist. She has two children, a boy who is almost 2, and a 5-year-old girl. She says they love spending time outdoors and dancing. 

If you would like to become a part of the Moms Council and/or have ideas for future Moms Talk questions, please email jennifer.marangos@patch.com.