For years, pediatricians have recommended that young children
watch no TV, or as little as possible, because it can lead to
problems in school and behavior issues. Now a new study concedes
children are sitting in front of the TV a lot longer. However,
controlling what they watch can improve how they behave. When
preschoolers watch educational programs instead of violent TV
shows, they tend to be more compassionate and less aggressive,
according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
About 600 families were recruited and assigned to one of two
groups. Parents in the first group were encouraged to substitute
violent shows with educational and pro-social ones - shows that
stressed compassion and cooperation. Families were given monthly
TV guides listing educational programming for their area: shows
such as "Dora the Explorer," "Super WHY," "Sesame Street" and
"It's a Big, Big World." Parents were also encouraged to watch
TV with their kids. The children went from watching a half-hour
of violent p