Moms Talk: Should I Limit My Kids' TV Time?

Welcome to Mom's (and Dad's) Talk -- a place for you to ask questions, share stories, and get answers. Every Wednesday, we'll present a question from a local mom, ranging from to ?

No question is stupid, no answer not valid. There is no secret parenting sauce, so chances are other people have had the same experiences you have. So, share your insights and your questions in the comments.

This week's question is all about the big box in the living room: the TV.

Do you limit your kids' TV time? How much do you limit it by? At what age do you stop limiting their TV time? Do you have a system in place to monitor their watching?

What about other screens -- Wii, iPads, Nintendo, computer games? Do you limit all screen time?

According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation:

• Kids under age 6 watch an average of about two hours of screen media a day, primarily TV and videos or DVDs.
• Kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen and almost two additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games.
• Counting all media outlets, 8-18 year olds devote an average of seven hours and 38 minutes to using entertainment media across a typical day.

And the effects of television on children are not good. Children who watch too much television…

• Carry a much higher risk of childhood obesity.
• Are more likely to display aggressive behavior. Children naturally copy what they see. 
• Are more likely to engage in “risky behaviors” when they get older.
• Have less energy.
• Have a harder time in school.
• Are more exposed to commercials, advertisements, and propaganda. (I can tell you that my children’s birthday lists are usually based on a commercial they just saw.)

Now, obviously there's a causation question to some of these effects, but there's no question that most parents would prefer their kids not sit in front of the TV for hours on end. Some parents institute a rewards system, some limit TV watching to weekends, some limit all screen time to a certain amount.

What do you do?