watching tv as and when time permits

You need to be consistent and fill his day with other activities. At 8 years old, he should be in school, so, this at leasts gives him structure away from the television set for the duration of time he is in school. When he is not in school, you need to construct a routine of consistent activities, even extracurricular clubs and sports he can take part in after school and on weekends. Do fun things outside the house. If you can engage him in activities consistently, and add in an hour or two of worthwhile television, he will eventually adapt to the routine. You have to be consistent, and know that he probably will be resistant in the beginning, but after he sees you not giving up on the new routine, he will eventually get on board with the new routine too.

I think, you should teach him as early as now to submit to you as an authority in the house. If engaging him in other activities doesnt work, probably you two can make an arrangement. Say a schedule to follow in watching tv. My friend used to have this struggle and came up with this schedule/agreement thing. I believe an 8-year old child can understand that, my friend's son arranged the schedule himself and it did work. ü

watching tv is a bad habit .but it is better to the children to know about computers and new technologies.

Why dont you tell him to get involved with his friends so that he will be remain busy in outdoor games with his friends. When he is at home try to disconnect the wires of television and tell him that its not working and by the time it works he can play outside.

My son is 8, he'll be 9 in March, so I know where you're coming from. My son used to pitch a fit if we didn't let him watch "his shows". We just stayed firm that if we said no, that was it, after a while he got the message, stopped asking, started playing more with his friends, he loves to play basketball, soccer, football, he just got a guitar and he plays that too. If you make sure they have an outlet, (make sure they have the soccer ball, basketball,etc...)they'll learn to take it if you don't force it. We even signed my son up for soccer with the local rec leauge, he played one season and fall is about to start up, it keeps him wanting to practice all the time. You don't have to get aything expensive, at this age they don't really know the difference yet; our Wal-mart has bins with basketball, soccer balls, and footballs for under $4...that's quite a deal especially if it works, they become priceless. Now, on occassion, my son will ask if he can watch "his shows" (that's the way he puts it, it usualy means Nickelodeon, he even likes mythbusters, dirty jobs and the history channel too...I refer to those as the guys shows);and if he asks politely, we may let him for a while. Good luck, I hope this helps you out.