Q: Our boys are begging to get a TV in their room. I think it would be OK for the summer; we'd remove it when school starts. My husband says it's bad for their health and we should leave the TV in the family room. What's the harm?

A: Why set yourself up for a battle in the fall? I'm with your husband -- let them continue to watch and play in the family room.

While approximately 60 percent of the nation's 10- to 14-year-olds have TVs in their bedrooms, it doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Groups ranging from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry to the National Sleep Foundation are unanimous in their recommendation: Make it a household rule: no TV in kids' bedrooms.

There's a growing body of research showing that TVs (as well as tablets, smartphones and other digital devices) in kids' bedrooms can harm their development. Diane Gilbert-Diamond, a professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine, is the lead researcher on a recent study that suggests a possible link between kids having TV in the bedroom and more sedentary behavior, snacking and exposure to food ads, leading to weight gain. Other studies have shown that a TV in the bedroom can mean shorter sleep cycles and less healthy sleep.

Television is also a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. There are many studies showing that children who watch TV without parental guidance and oversight may become "immune" or numb to the horror of violence they see on many programs, begin to accept violence as a way to solve problems, and often imitate the violence they see on TV.

Jessica Kelmon, senior editor at greatschools.org, follows the research. "Kids with TVs in their rooms read less, score lower on tests in school, tend to have sleep issues, and may be more likely to smoke in adolescence," she writes.

Plus, TV takes precious time away from all the great things we want kids to enjoy. "The average American youth spends roughly 900 hours in school each year -- and about 1,200 hours a year watching TV," Kelmon explains.

She adds, "1,200 hours is 150 school days."

With all of our digital devices, she contends, "It's never been easier -- TV or no TV -- for children to be transfixed by endless hours of videos on YouTube, TV shows on Hulu, and movies on Netflix from the comfort of their rooms."

Kelmon advises parents to block the box from the bedroom and follow these tips:

-- Make TV viewing an active choice, as if you were picking a movie: "How about if we watch this show at 7:30?"

-- Hide the remote. "Channel surfing encourages passive viewing," says Kelmon. "When family members have to get up to change the channel, they may be more selective about the programs they watch."

-- When the show you've chosen to watch is over, turn off the set. Don't keep the TV on for background noise.

-- Record programs and watch them later. Kelmon fast-forwards through commercials because it "cuts minutes of viewing and temptation to spend more time glued to the tube."

-- Have kids watch their favorite shows in a central area of the home. "Even if you're not sitting down with them, check in while passing through," says Kelmon. "That way, you keep closer tabs on what they're watching."

For more television advice from Kelmon, check out her blog post, "Is there a TV in your child's room?" at greatschools.org, or follow her on Twitter at @JessicaKelmon.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: I want our kids to ditch their digital devices and get connected with nature this summer. We can't afford a trip, but we have a big yard and live near rural areas. Do you have any suggestions?

A: I have plenty.

-- Plant a veggie garden. The National Gardening Association has suggestions on how you can get started. Choose crops that mature quickly, so your kids can see results right away. Lettuce, radishes, Swiss chard, sugar snap peas and beans are fast growers. Tomato plants take longer. Use well-drained containers or raised beds filled with light, fluffy soil. Plant a pot of herbs that kids can tend and then snip for a dinner salad.

For more tips on what will do well in your growing zone, go to www.kidsgardening.org.

-- Go off the grid. On June 28, more than 200,000 families will take part in the 10th annual Great American Backyard Campout, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation. You can do it as a family, or host a "public" campout for the whole neighborhood. Find camping tips as well as campfire recipes, songs, stories and games at www.nwf.org/great-american-backyard-campout.aspx.

-- Find out what goes on in your backyard, suggests science educator Nadia Harvieux, director of New York's Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association's Watershed Education Program.

"Have each family member mark off a square yard on your lawn," she says. "Study it over a week. Each person keeps a field journal with notes, photos or illustrations. Discuss what you see and record it. Kids are always amazed at how much life there is out your back door."

Field journals are places for kids to record observations, thoughts, questions, measurements, data and their interpretations of what they see. Both amateur and professional researchers keep them as permanent records of their work to share with other scientists.

-- Identify backyard birds. Take a day trip through a local ecosystem such as a marsh, lake or beach to get to know birds that live there seasonally and year-round, suggests the National Audubon Society. Bird walks are most productive in early morning or late afternoon. For tips on family birding outdoors, go to education.audubon.org/birding-tips-families.

-- Become citizen scientists. Citizen science is ongoing research in which professional scientists collaborate with interested members of the general public. Many citizen science projects involve nature and the environment, often inspiring children and teens to engage more deeply in science in high school and college.

For more information, search "citizen science" at www.sciencebuddies.org.

-- Read about scientists working in the great outdoors. One spectacular series is "Scientists in the Field" -- stories and photos of scientists working throughout the natural world, from swimming with hammerhead sharks to tracking wolves. The latest book in the series is "Park Scientists: Gila Monsters, Geysers and Grizzly Bears in America's Own Backyard" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014).

In addition, David A. Adler's new biography, "Colonel Theodore Roosevelt" (Holiday House, 2014), explains why and how President Roosevelt launched the effort to preserve national parks and public lands.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: Our boys, aged 12 and 10, are going to soccer camp this summer. The younger one is a good player. The older one hates it -- and while I can't show it, I do, too. It's expensive, time-consuming and takes the leisure out of summer. My husband wants the boys to become good players, so they can get athletic scholarships. What are the odds?

A: Not great. There are 7 million high school athletes, and spots on college rosters for just 2 percent of them. Of those, only 1 percent get a "full ride" scholarship, says Tiffin, Ohio, coach Seth Almekinder, who has taught in U.S. and international schools. "Many of those are worth less than the family's investment in getting kids to that level."

Less than 9 percent of boys who take part in high school soccer play college soccer at any level, says Almekinder: "Division III doesn't offer athletic scholarships, so those students pay to play unless they get academic scholarships." (Go to www.scholarshipstats.com/varsityodds.html.)

A more pressing issue is your son who hates soccer. "Don't force a child to participate in any non-required activity in which he or she isn't a willing participant," urges Almekinder. "I'm not advocating quitting a team midseason -- kids learn from seeing a commitment through. But that doesn't seem to be the case here.

"Summer should be fun and enriching. There are so many activities your older son might enjoy -- from robotics to museum classes to hiking. Find one. Your son will be happier and so will the family."

Three of four families with school-aged kids have at least one in an organized sport. "By age 15, as many as 80 percent of these youngsters have quit," says Massachusetts coach Jay Atkinson, referencing data from the Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine.

Almekinder says it's because most parents, whether coaching or cheering, don't understand the developmental levels of youth sport.

"The first is entry-level recreational," he says. "Participants are ages 4 to 10. The purpose is fun exposure to a sport. Everyone participates, and playing time is equal. Score can be kept, but winning and losing are secondary to participation. Coaching is focused on fundamental skills, not team tactics or strategy."

The second level is developmental. "Tactics and game strategy are added to skill development," notes Almekinder. "This stage corresponds to middle school through junior varsity, when travel teams begin."

The final level is competitive. "This is where winning and losing matter as an aspect of participation," Almekinder explains. "Players are selected based on ability and skill. The best play the most. This is sport at high school varsity, college and the pros. When parents or coaches pressure young athletes, allow poor sportsmanship, and make winning the goal, they lose sight of the developmental levels of sports and turn kids off."

Unstructured pick-up games in the backyard or alleyway add fun to vacation. "They bring kids together without oversight of adults," says Almekinder. "Before the rise of organized youth sports outside of school, that was what summer was for most kids -- playing with friends in the neighborhood. There's nothing wrong with that!"

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)