5 Benefits of Watching TV with Your Children

Posted by Lauren on November 28th, 2020

The Top 5 Benefits of Watching TV with Your Children

Young children have so much access to screens these days. From TV's, to tablets and cell phones most children are glued to the screen.

While it's a common goal for many parents to try to reduce screentime, there are many benefits when a family sits down in front of the screen together.

Not convinced? Just take a look.

5 Surprising Benefits of Watching TV as a Family

1) Watching scheduled programs creates a sense of structure and rhythm

As an elementary school teacher and mom, I know that kids thrive on structure and routine. When kids have a clear schedule of events that take place at the same time each day or each week, they feel safe and comfortable.

The same thing happens when your family sits down to watch America's Funniest Home Video's together every Sunday evening.

This is a predictable routine that creates a sense of structure and routine that kids love.

2) You get to see what your kids are actually watching

After a long day at work (or a long day at home with the kids), it's so tempting to allow them to go off into another room to watch TV so you can have peace and quiet.

But the major problem with that is you have no idea what they are watching....and it's probably not high quality educational children's programs. 

When you all sit down to watch tv together you know what your children are watching and what subjects and characters they are being exposed to.

3) It's a great time for family bonding

When you all sit down on couch together it's the perfect time to bond with your children. 

First, your definitely more likely to get in some cuddle time with your moody tween or elusive teen when during this time.

Second, now that we can pause television it provides for many opportunities to talk about what is happening in the show or to share a personal experience that relates to what you are watching.

These simple gestures are small, but create a sense of closeness and allow for more discussions.

4) It's a great way to pass on family values and morals

Children learn a lot about values and morals through life experiences. Unfortunately, with schools doing distance learning, challenging travel restrictions and business closures there aren't a lot of experiences taking place.

In lieu of the typical situations in which our children would learn right from wrong we can use the story lines in fictional or reality tv shows to start conversations with our kids. Asking simple questions like:

Do you think that was a good idea?

What would you have done in that situation?

or Is this an appropriate show for you to be watching?

helps our children to develop their own moral compass.

5) Watching TV Together is a Frugal Way to Have Fun as a Family

Let's face it, family entertainment is expensive.

A trip to the movie theater costs almost as much as entry into a theme park these days.

So many families are looking for affordable activities to do together and the reality is that they are few and far between.

Thankfully, with the advent of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon that are a fraction of the cost of expensive cable subscriptions, you can sit down and enjoy some good, clean, family-friendly shows together for next to nothing. 

So the next time you are having a lazy Friday night, sitting on the couch with your family you can feel good about it. Watching tv with your family has many benefits and can help your family to grow closer together.