By Stefanie Maglio
At one time or another, your child may ask for a television of their own to have in his or her bedroom. As a parent, this can be a difficult decision to make. Many things should be considered before deciding. For instance, once you do give your child a TV of their own, it’s very hard to take it back. That’s why if you are going to allow it, be sure that you are okay with it. Think about why your child may want the television. Do they want to play video games on the xbox or the Wii? Do they want to watch cartoons? Have a conversation about it with your child. Depending on the age of your child, it is understandable that you may not want them to be watching certain channels and programs. There are ways to set passwords and parameters for certain channels, which may be the perfect solution for you and your child. However, the most important thing is just to have open communication with your child, what they are watching, and what is appropriate for them to be watching. A child having their own TV means more privacy, which means more trust is needed. All children are different and parents know their individual children best. Ultimately if you believe your child is mature enough to have a TV in their room, and that it will not harm their health or ruin sleep, then it may be safe to go ahead and get them a television.