Using TV (and TiVo) for Good

I often feel guilty when I let A watch TV while I work or clean. But sometimes you just need some help! I do only let her watch the educational options where at least her little brain can do some work. On these shows, there are often opportunities to reinforce things your kids are learning--whether that's while watching, that you have been teaching, or that they've learned in daycare or school. For instance, if the show is asking your child to tell the character to choose the correct path to go or the green ball from a group of objects, if you have TiVo or another DVR system, you can pause the show to give your child a bit longer to answer appropriately. You can also pause to ask your own questions. Maybe an animal pops up. You can pause and ask what the animal is and what sound it makes. If there are multiple of an item, have him count them. And don't forget, you can then rewind the show or segment to go over the lessons again.