Does Your Child Watch Too Much TV?

American children rarely go through life without at least some access to television. Even my own daughter, who did not watch TV until age 2.5 -- and has had strict limits on screen-time since she did begin watching TV -- sometimes struggles with an urge to watch TV nonstop. Despite the fact that I've been careful to limit her access to television, there are times that I find myself wondering, "Does my child watch TV too much?"

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the amount of TV that children can appropriately watch. Some children can watch more TV than average and not suffer any behavioral or attention-deficit problems as a result. Others suffer from serious behavioral and learning disturbances after just minimal exposure to television. If you're wondering if your child watches too much TV, here are a few ways to tell.

Do a 24-hour test. Boy's Town recommends turning off the TV for 24 hours to test whether a child is too dependent on television. If your kids feel bored and antsy after a 24-hour unplug, it's likely that they've become overly dependent on TV for entertainment and stimulation. Keep your TV, computers, and movies off for a full day and see how your family reacts. If the result is utter mayhem, take it as a cue to cut back your kids' TV time.

Look at your own TV time. Can you, yourself, go 24 hours with no TV? If you're one of those people who keeps the television on while you get ready for work, eat dinner, and go to bed, your kids are also over-exposed to media. Don't enforce rules for your children that you are unwilling, or unable, to enforce for yourself. If you watch too much TV, that's a fairly certain sign that your kids are also overly dependent on it.

 Look at your kids' interests. Are all of your child's interests and hobbies based in what he sees on TV? If you have a child who is only interested in Elmo, Thomas the Tank Engine and Dora -- but who has little interest in letters, trains or Spanish -- it's a sign that she is spending too much time watching TV and too little time nurturing the beneficial interests that may stem from limited, conscientious TV exposure.

How comfortable are your kids outside?

Turn your kids loose in your back yard and see how they react. Do they automatically start running around, playing tag, and climbing trees? If so, chances are good that your kids are getting enough free-form play time and aren't overly dependent on television. If your children don't seem to know how to play outside, it may be one of many signs that they have become excessively dependent on TV.

 Set the timer. Timing your kids' TV exposure isn't necessarily the best way to determine if they're watching too much of it. All children have different needs and limitations. However, as a general rule of thumb, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting kids' TV exposure to two hours per day. This level of exposure appears to be ultimately appropriate for most children, although less is almost always better. If your kids routinely exceed two hours of TV per day, it may be time to make adjustments in your family's lifestyle choices.