[EBKatie]

Have a read and tell us what you think.

http://www.essentialkids.com.au/older-kids...0419-1x8sy.html

[steppy]

I'm interested in this bit:

In investigating childhood behaviour, the study found how children spent their time made little difference, and poor behaviour was linked most strongly to a lack of discipline from mothers.

[libbylu]

It is interesting that they didn't find a difference between kids who spent time watching TV when compared to after school care or playing with peers in the domain of cognitive development. I bet there might be a difference in other domains such as health and fitness or social skills though between kids who spent a lot more time doing one than the other.

And spending time engaging with parents in educational activities, or probably just conversation, was better than TV.

As always, it's about balance isn't it?

[-*meh*-]

hmmm unfortunately the tv isn't a legal babysitter and would be classed as neglect

and what about DS1 who watches tv at after school care? best of both worlds?

I always find these studies amusing...

[Jane Jetson]

Parental discipline from mothers only, huh?

[lozoodle]

Oh awesome, so I can leave them at home in front of the TV instead of paying daycare while I work?

[Canberra chick]

This really annoyed me! Most people when they hear 'childcare' will think of care for the under 5s. This study is about school aged children! So it's a (deliberately?) misleading headline.

I know that I changed my hours so DS didn't do ASC, as I think kids need down time after school to recharge their batteries. DS gets 45 minutes of vegging in front of the box and then does piano and plays outside and chats with me.

[howdo]

Parental discipline from mothers only, huh?

No. The study clearly compared the male and female parents who participated in the study.

In investigating childhood behaviour, the study found how children spent their time made little difference, and poor behaviour was linked most strongly to a lack of discipline from mothers.

A child's demeanour, confidence and ability to get on with others was ''strongly influenced by parenting style, particularly a mother's warmth and effective discipline,'' the study said.

Why is it so wrong to talk about how gender affects parenting? It's part of the study. You find out a lot of incidental stuff when doing a study.

For example:

The higher the mother's level of education the more likely she was to engage her children in educational pastimes and social activities.

Likely all that would have happened is that when filling out the survey form the parents would have ticked their highest level of education and when the results were run through the analysis it would have found that correlation.

What I find missing from reports such as these are the original hypothesis. What question were they actually asking? A lot of the report is probably findings that came out of a very different question.

Personally I find the headline completely misleading.

Dr Fiorini said that the more ''surprising'' part of his study was that time spent using media such as TV and computers ''does not seem necessarily detrimental to development. For example, for reading skills, it is at least as productive as time in before/after-school care.''

It does not say TV is better it says it is 'at least as productive' meaning it's not any worse than having them in ASC. What it does not say is that by watching TV children's cognitive ability improves over childcare - what the research actually found is that spending time doing things with parents is better for children's cognition than either TV OR ASC.

It's a ridiculous point in a way. It's not like you can say "Well, my kids are better off not in ASC, they should just be at home with me on the couch watching the box, it's better for them" because if your kids are in ASC having them home alone on the couch in front of the TV isn't a viable option!

What they are basically saying is that kids in ASC are no better off than kids who sit in front of the TV when they get home and that to affect kids' cognitive ability *parents* need to interact with them - that peer interaction after school does not replace that quality time with parents.

[Livsh]

saawweeetttt....I just saved myself $800 a week in formal childcare!

[-*meh*-]

This really annoyed me! Most people when they hear 'childcare' will think of care for the under 5s. This study is about school aged children! So it's a (deliberately?) misleading headline.

I know that I changed my hours so DS didn't do ASC, as I think kids need down time after school to recharge their batteries. DS gets 45 minutes of vegging in front of the box and then does piano and plays outside and chats with me.

i wish i could change my hours... i think thats why i am glad our ohsc allows the kids to watch tv etc to wind down