Page 24 - El Tejano January 2018

El Tejano Magazine
®
Screen Time Is Here To Stay!

(NAPSI)—Halle Stanford, President of Television at The Jim screen time in the morning AND in the afternoon, but
Henson Company and mother to two boys, ages 19 and 6, shares her it’s more limited during the school year. True confession:
views on navigating the kids’ TV landscape. I don’t have a set amount of time he always gets, but it’s
usually no longer than an hour. And we do talk about how
As a producer at The Jim Henson Company and a mom long he’ll be watching the shows before he settles in to
to two boys, I have a unique perspective viewing. And when that last show starts,
on screen time. I’ve also explored this issue he gets a reminder that his screen time is
in one of my shows, Dot. This animated almost up. Yes, there have been times when
preschool series created by the fabulous he grabs the phone or remote when screen
Randi Zuckerberg addresses how technolo- time is over and runs around the house
gy can enhance a kid’s everyday adventures. laughing, but I’m as quick as a cheetah.
We were lucky to be advised by Yalda Uhls
(author of Media Moms and Digital Dads) My 19-year-old is an adult and at this point
on creating a show curriculum that encour- in his life, I trust him to regulate his own
ages kids and their families to be excellent screen time. And still, the best I can do
digital citizens, to come up with a family for both my boys is to model good screen
media agreement, and to talk openly about time habits myself. When we are togeth-
screen time. Jim Henson’s Family Hub is er, I do my best to use my phone only to
the home to some of televi- snap those memorable photos or answer
sion’s favorite preschool stars.
My personal philosophy on this issue is an urgent message. And I tell them why I
simple: Viva la screen time! I encourage © Henson. am taking the time to focus on my screen
my kids to enjoy movies, television, videos, and not on them. I also never answer the
apps, and more. Like my hero Jim Henson, I believe in the phone during meals or playtime. But, once they’re asleep
positive transformative power of media. As a producer, or out and about, I love having my own time to turn on
my goal has always been to create television and fi lms that my latest favorite show (hello, Outlander!).
enrich, educate, and entertain.
So I have always encouraged my boys to love the shows We are in a new golden age of television and I would
and games that they are drawn to, but also to discover pro- embolden parents to fi nd shows that will delight and in-
gramming that informs them on issues and ideas they are spire their kids. It will take time (because there is so much
curious about. Favorites in our house range from Phineas content out there), but get involved with customizing your
and Ferb, Sarah and Duck, Reading Rainbow Skybrary, family’s viewing experiences together—it’s FUN! (And, if
Despicable Me, Star Wars to Westworld, Nathan For You, it happens to be Dot., Splash and Bubbles, Dinosaur Train,
Game Of Thrones, and The Walking Dead. (Remember, Doozers, Word Party, or Julie’s Greenroom…even better!).
my boys are 13 years apart!)
Discover your child’s next favorite show. Visit www.JimHensonsFa-
As a momma, how much screen time do I let my youngest milyHub.com to explore The Jim Henson Company’s award-winning
have? It has changed with his age and often depends on programs for all ages.
what’s happening that day. In the summer, he’s allowed

We wish to say to all the Best Wishes for 2018. We all had our share of good and bad, looking back
in our time and knowing how time is flying so fast and we ask all our readers, friends and families to hold
on to each other. Give that special person in your life a warm hug and let them know how much you care,

and love them all. We lost so many in our life’s that we regret not letting them know how much we love
them and how important they were in our life’s...

Sincerely,
Your friend
22 www.eltejanomagazine.com