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School Age Children

How do I limit my child’s media time if he’s physically fit and gets good grades?
 How do I limit my child’s media time if he’s physically fit and gets good grades? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My child is in third grade, and he’s already diagnosed with ADHD. He has a high IQ, is in honors classes, and is physically active—he’s a Gold-medal wrestler. He still uses media for too many hours each day, though. Given that he’s in good shape and gets good grades, how can I tell him…

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Should my 5-year-old be watching educational TV?
 Should my 5-year-old be watching educational TV? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: So far I’ve only allowed my 5-year-old to watch DVDs that I’ve selected. Should I introduce some quality educational TV programs, or should I stick to my guns and keep her away from TV—and the commercials that come with it—for as long as I can? –Tepid about TV, USA A: Dear Tepid, Your question…

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With all the gadgets we have at home, how can I monitor my kids’ internet use?
 With all the gadgets we have at home, how can I monitor my kids’ internet use? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I have a 5 and 10 year old and am wondering how I can monitor their internet use. We have a wireless Lynksys system, a Macbook, Wii, Xbox, and a Windows computer. Any thoughts?–Surfing, in South Jersey A: Dear Surfing, There are a number of software and firmware products that claim to monitor and/or…

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How do I help my 14-year-old cope with the Aurora movie theater shooting?
 How do I help my 14-year-old cope with the Aurora movie theater shooting? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 14 year old son has been anticipating the release of the new Batman movie ever since he saw the trailer last year. He pre-ordered his tickets for opening weekend and was all set to go with friends when he heard about the theater shooting at the midnight showing in Aurora Colorado. The news…

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How do you explain advertising to a 5-year-old?
 How do you explain advertising to a 5-year-old? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 5-year-old son’s summer camp is studying the Olympics, a topic he is very interested in.  We’ve been seeing many billboards and TV commercials with athletes promoting Coca Cola. The first time he saw one, he literally said, “Oh, if I drink Coca Cola, then I can be a great boxer too.”  Of course…

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How can I help my son limit computer time when he says he can’t resist?
 How can I help my son limit computer time when he says he can’t resist? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 10-year-old son plays mostly role-playing games, and has a 90-minute screen time limit per day. Overall he’s a great kid—does well in school, is active in sports, has plenty of friends—but we have limited his screen time as a consequence for poor behavior, which is mostly related to abusing screen time limits. He…

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What should I do if my six-year-old is afraid of children’s TV–but his younger sisters aren’t?
 What should I do if my six-year-old is afraid of children’s TV–but his younger sisters aren’t? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I have a 6-year-old son, and he is very fearful of children’s television. For instance, when his younger sisters watch Winnie The Pooh and the bees start chasing Pooh Bear, my son screams in terror and runs out of the room. This does not scare his two younger sisters at all. Do you have…

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How can parents make the internet a safe place to play?
 How can parents make the internet a safe place to play? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: With kids of all ages using the internet for everything from socializing to finding information to playing games, how can we keep them as safe as they can be in that world? -Net Nervous A: Dear Net Nervous, You’re right–just like the school playground, the internet is a place where children play, learn, and…

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How can my kids experience nature when we live in a media-saturated city?
 How can my kids experience nature when we live in a media-saturated city? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I live in a big city with my 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter, and I’ve noticed that children who live in such cities spend a lot of time playing on cement playgrounds and on the Web. I know that spending time in nature is good for children’s development, but how…

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Where can I find books for young advanced readers?
 Where can I find books for young advanced readers? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 8-year-old son is a precocious reader, and I am having a hard time finding books that are both age-appropriate and challenging enough to keep him engaged. I worry that the books at his reading level are too violent or contain other content that he’s not ready for. Where can I find books (lots…

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