"But daddy, all the other kids have TVs in their bedrooms! Why can't I?"

Clark went through this routine with his 18 year old for years before she left for college. Now he's going through the same thing with his 8 year old. The New York Times recently reported on a study that found 70% of 3rd graders have a TV in their bedroom. The consequences of this include sleep problems, lower test scores, childhood obesity and more likelihood to begin smoking. The study also found that kids with TVs in their rooms watch 50% more TV per week -- that's 30 hours per week!

Clark watches zero TV -- except during football season, when he watches about 15 hours per week. When his 8 year old does watch TV, it's only in limited quantities. Every parent must make their own decision about what's right for their child. Meanwhile, when is it appropriate for a teen to have a computer in his or her bedroom? In Clark's house, that age was arbitrarily set at 16. But he suggests you track what websites they visit or use permissive software to only allow them to view sites that you approve.