Parents Magazine - We know kids' self-esteem and overall well-being is bolstered when parents show an active interest in their favorite activities. But would you believe that principle applies to watching TV, too?
A new study out of Texas Tech University finds that when families view television programs together, children get more out of the experience. Eric Rasmussen and Justin Keene from the University's College of Media & Communication actually documented physiological changes in kids when their parents watched TV with them in a lab setting. Measurements of children's heart rates and skin conductance showed that more learning was taking place versus when parents weren't in the room.
"This is the first time I know of that people are exploring what might be the reasons why children learn better when the parent is in the room," commented Rasmussen.