With all of the cartoons and movies modern television has to offer children, there are a lot of hours in the day that can be spent watching TV. It is easy for one hour to quickly turn into 3 or more hours. 

And, even with the many educational programs out there, children can waste precious quality time away from the TV set. Experts put a lot of blame on television; they cite that it causes certain issues in children, such as obesity, dullness, and a lack of creativity. So, with all these problems, how should today’s parent keep TV viewing under control? These 5 tips will guide you in the right direction.

1.  Make your child be accountable. Allow each of your children to watch 3 hours of television per week. Give them 6 tickets made out of paper that are good for 30 minutes of TV once a day, and they can pick the cartoon or movie of their choice. And, they can take any tickets left after each week and exchange them for a reward of chocolate and $2 cash. This plan is wonderfully versatile. You can make adjustments to tailor it to your family’s wants and needs.

2.  Happy hour will now happen every day. After your kids come home from school, eat a snack, and change out of their school clothes, you can require them to participate in a mandatory "happy hour."  This hour should only be spent engaging in activities, such as tending a small garden or playing on the swing set. This time should only be spent outside.

3.  Give your TV set a rest one day out of the week. Declare Saturdays or Sundays TV-free day.  Instead, let them listen to music on the radio and dance around.

4.  Communicate. Talk to your children, and discuss the plot of the TV show they just watched. Ask your children what their favorite part of the show was, and what their least favorite part was. Since TV is such as mentally passive activity, having your kids recall and discuss what they have seen is a great way to help them improve their observational skills.

5.  Increase the offerings of non-television related activities. Invest in some puppets, age-appropriate books, arts and crafts supplies, and board games, such as Monopoly. 

TV is a part of our modern society, and it is definitely not going anywhere. These "idiot boxes" can even dull an adult’s mind, so you might consider trying to decrease your time spent in front of it.  Television should be appreciated for what it is-pure entertainment. Enjoy it, but enjoy life more.