QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Do Preschool Kids Watch Too Much TV?
As broadcasters comply (grudgingly or otherwise) with federal demands that they air educational shows for kids, many adults are eager to see the tykes get away from the tube altogether. The difference between watching junk TV and quality TV may seem insignificant compared to the difference between watching TV and not watching TV. In a nationwide survey conducted for Adweek, 77 percent of adults answered affirmatively when asked whether preschoolers watch too much TV. There was no gender gap on this issue, even though mothers (generally at home with young kids more than fathers are) must face greater temptation to use the TV as a baby sitter. The 25-34-year-olds (i.e., the age group most likely to have preschoolers) were less likely than their elders to answer "yes," with 72 percent doing so, versus 80 percent of the 35-44-year-olds and 83 percent of the 45-54s.
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terrible teens: The Joy of Parenthood
It's not that terrible 2-year-olds aren't terrible. It's just that teenagers are worse. So one gathers from a survey of parents by Family Circle and Child magazines. Teens were the kids most often cited as stress-inducers, followed by 3-5-year-olds and 1-2-year-olds. When asked how often they feel stressed--by their kids or otherwise--27 percent of respondents said "every day," 52 percent said "at least once a week," 19 percent said "once a month or less" and 1 percent said "never." (The rest were too numb to answer.) Among other findings: Mothers were more likely than fathers to say they worry about whether they're good parents (72 percent versus 64 percent). They're also more likely (30 percent versus 23 percent) to say they feel stress every day. Just 13 percent of mothers said their jobs cause them the most stress, while one-quarter of fathers said so.