With your kids spending so much in front of the TV you can’t help but wonder if things got out of hand and if your kids have become TV addicts! To find out if your kids are TV addicts or not, you first need to ask yourself:

• Do your kids play outside?

• Do they play with friends?

• Do they use their imagination?

• Do they do their homework and chores?

• Do they have a hobby?

• Do they enjoy sports, music, and reading?

If you answered No to three or more questions, then you need to try to control your kids TV time.

There are various ways to manage TV watching in your house. Once you decide how much is enough, tell your kids, and then stick to your decision. You might settle on one hour per day or give your kids a number of hours per week and let them spend the hours as they like. You might limit them to programs on certain days of the week, for an example from Thursday through Sunday, or limit their viewing choices to only specific channels.

Another way to manage TV Watching is to do your homework about what will be aired; use the remote control to scan the programs available at regular times. Have a look at the weekly TV listings together to select certain programs. If there’re something that your kids want to watch but you’re concerned about, watch that thing together and talk about the issues involved.

Your kids’ favorite shows shouldn’t stop them from participating in another activity. If you have a VCR, videotape your kids’ favorite shows and let them watch the shows at a more convenient time. One way to curtail kids' viewing - and your own - is to keep your TV set in the least comfortable room in the house.

Finally, the main aspect here is balance, make sure to work on finding the balance needed for your kids to both enjoy TV and for it not to become an addictive habit too.