How Much Time Should My Child Spend on the Computer?

A parent is able to censor television and choose which channels their children can watch. However, parents may not have the same censoring ability when their child uses a computer.

Children are being exposed to more negative images on the computer then on the TV influencing them to act badly. On average, children spend ten hours a day on the computer. A new study suggest that this leads children to wrongful behavior such as driving without a seatbelt or drinking underage.

Monitor what your children are viewing on the computer.

Researchers tracked children's computer, television reading and video game use. The children were also assessed for risky behaviors. According to a new study led by, Valerie Carson, a doctoral candidate in School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, children that spend a lot of time on the computer were twice as likely to engage in bad behavior then kids that played outside or watched television.

Roughly eight thousand children between grades sixth to tenth participated in this study. The participants were monitored for television, computer and video game use along with MRB scoring (multiple-risk behaviors; ranging from illegal drug use to sexual activity). The authors advise no more then two more hours on computer a day for young children.