The average US teenager spends three hours and 20 minutes watching television every day, according to a 2009 Nielson report on teen media use. Thirty-seven percent of teenagers access the Internet with their cellphones, and they average 96 texts daily. If you think your teenager spends an excessive amount of time watching television or on the phone, finding ways to cut down his use of these media will benefit him.
Explain the Need for Limits
Excessive or improper use of television or phone media poses risks to teenagers. Explaining these risks to your teenager may convince her to limit her television watching and phone use in certain circumstances. Too much television viewing can create sleep problems for teens. The University of Michigan Health System reports that teens who watch three or more hours of television every day have an increased risk of sleep difficulties by the time they are young adults. Watching television that includes commercials also increases a child's risk of obesity, according to a study published in 2010 in "American Journal of Public Health." Sometimes phone use can even be deadly. In December 2011, a 19-year-old who was texting while driving caused a four-vehicle pileup that killed himself and another teenager and injured 38 other people.
Encourage Activities
Teens may spend time watching television or using their phones because they want something fun to do. To reduce your teen's media use, encourage his special interests. Allow him to spend time playing a sport, playing a musical instrument or exercising at the gym. Sign him up for dance, martial arts, yoga or art classes. Let him take on a part-time job or volunteer for a cause he feels strongly about. If your teen has enough enjoyable ways to spend his time, he may not need the television or phone to stay entertained.
Meet Her Friends
Teens may feel drawn to television and phone use as a way to connect with people. To prevent your teen from relying on media to interact with people, encourage her to spend time socializing with her friends. Monitor her activities, though, so you can increase the chances that she will stay safe. Make sure you know where your teen will be, whom she will be with and when she intends to come home. Get to know her friends and their parents. Discuss your rules and expectations about avoiding drugs, alcohol and unsafe sexual behavior.
Model the Behavior You Want to See
Children learn appropriate behavior by imitating what their parents do. Your teenager will likely see the amount of time you spend watching television or on the phone as normal and proper. If you want your teen to limit his television and phone use, limit the amount of time you spend using media as well. Instead, spend your time interacting with people and engaging in constructive activities so you can demonstrate to your teenager the importance of these behaviors.
References
- Nielsen: How Teens Use Media
- University of Michigan Health System: Television and Children
- American Journal of Public Health: Associations of Television Content Type and Obesity in Children
- Yahoo! News: Driver Was Texting in Missouri Traffic Pileup
- Healthy Children: Ways to Build Your Teenager’s Self-Esteem
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Monitoring Your Teen’s Activities -- What Parents and Families Should Know
- Purdue University: Modeling Appropriate Behavior
