I’m trying to remember what I watched when I was 5 years old. I don’t remember. What I do remember is that I didn’t have a television in my room, but that’s not the case with many 5 year olds today. According to a Kaiser report—Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers and Their Parents—43% of 4 to 6 year olds have a television in their room. The most common reason parents name for having a TV in their child’s bedroom is that it frees up other TVs in the house so other family members can watch their own shows.

I refuse to be holier-than-thou by criticizing these parents for allowing their youngsters to have TV in the rooms, but it’ll probably appear that way since I do not have a 4 to 6 year old child (I have an almost-4-month-old who loves her overheard mobile). My concern is that by having a TV in their rooms, kids are not spending enough quality time with their parents. And at that tender age, I think it’s too important. I sympathize with exhausted and stressed-out parents, but when they step foot in the home, that should automatically be family time--give or take the 20 minutes it takes to unwind from work. While mom or dad unwinds, hopefully, if the TV is turned on, a PBS show or cartoon is what the kids are watching. Is this wishful thinking? Ask me when my daughter reaches that tender age. I'll definitely know what she's watching.