In a recent article, the Families page reported how paediatricians in the United States say too much television could be behind the high number of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. One reader thought a TV ban was a good idea.
Mother-of-two, Esmeralda, of Mid-Levels, feels strongly about the issue.
'I am a full-time working mother with two children, a girl aged four and a boy aged seven,' she writes.
'During weekdays, our home is a TV-free zone for the children. My husband and I only watch TV after 8pm when the children are asleep. The helpers have been told that it is part of their responsibility to ensure the children do not watch TV during the week. The children know the helpers have the authority to enforce the no-TV rule and if the latter have trouble doing so, they know to call me or my husband in the office to ensure that the children obey.
'The children are allowed to watch TV on Friday evenings and weekends. However, weekends tend to be full of sports and children's gatherings. Hence, the chances of the children watching unsupervised are low. They also know that they must ask permission first before watching. Mealtimes and family conversations are strictly that. I have purposely made TV viewing a difficult activity to access and I hope it will be kept in check as they get older, but only time will tell.
'I have no illusions about the seductive powers that TV has on children. I see how overjoyed my son gets when he is allowed to watch. I also see how difficult it is for him to concentrate, to settle down or even relate to others the way he normally does, after he has watched cartoons for more than an hour. I realise that banning TV completely could only increase its appeal so my son averages about three or four hours of TV or video per week, sometimes more, but not much if we are busy or tired. My daughter seems to be less entranced and is happy to walk away when a programme is finished. My son will not stop watching until he is asked to, most often repeatedly.
