Preschool children
For the under twos it's recommended that they don't watch any TV. Research would suggest that watching TV at an early age may put children at increased risk for obesity, sleep disturbances and possibly attention problems. It's best to keep the TV switched off, but if you can't...
1. Mute the TV during the ads or talk about them.
Get in the habit of hitting the mute button during the ads and start a conversation. You can distract your child and talk about something else if they are too young to understand, or you can talk about the ads. To teach your child that he or she can question what they are watching, ask questions and make comments yourself. For example 'Do you think we could make nicer pizza than that?' 'Do you think eating chocolate breakfast cereal would be like eating sweets for breakfast?'
2. Before you enter a shop or supermarket, let your child know what he or she can and cannot have.
Successful advertising can turn into pester power. A quick reminder as you enter the shop can help to manage your child's expectations 'We're only here to buy a few groceries. We are not buying any treats today.'
3. Read food labels with your child.
If your child sees you reading labels and hears you talking about what's in the food it will help your child get into the habit of asking what food is made of. Together you can discover what adverts don't necessarily tell us.
4. Avoid eating in front of the television.
Children's food habits are formed at this early stage. If your child gets into the habit of grazing or mindlessly eating in front of the TV, it could stay with him or her for a life time.
5. Be choosey about children's videos and DVDs.
There's no denying that some children's programming can be educational and entertaining. There are many quality videos and DVDs available for children. Check reviews, or the opinions of other parents that you trust before buying or renting programmes or movies.