TV and Your Younger Child
So, TV Turnoff Week was last week. It used to be that I generally wouldn't get worked up too much about this effort since programming for infants and toddlers has been very limited and most parents I've known really didn't even consider letting their youngest watch TV. I mean, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until at least 2 years of age before introducing the TV at all. And that's what I was seeing in practice.
But lately, I've seen a shift. There are all these Baby Einstein videos, which I thought were going to be a come-and-go trend. There are math and reading DVDs with flash cards -- for babies! There's even a 24-hour TV network, again, just for babies. Now, I see this report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about this new study. Survey says: 20 percent of children under 3 have a TV in their room and even if they don't have their own set, they're probably still getting some exposure. According to the study, 70 percent of kids in the same age group are watching.
How do you guys feel about these numbers and if you are using television with your younger child, what do you feel it has to offer? While I generally err on the side of caution and tend to agree with the AAP much of the time, I find myself wondering about this one, especially since so many parents are obviously creating demand for the DVDs and this type of programming for younger kids. Please share your thoughts, either way...
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My youngest, who is 2, watches tv. She has since she was small, not so much on purpose but because her older brother watches it. It is a lot easier to keep young eyes off of TV when they are your oldest or only child. Once the siblings come along, it is a challenge. My kids only watch two shows a day (one so I can take a shower in the morning and one so I can make dinner) and they must agree on which show to watch (thereby developing good negotiating skills). But I do think TV has some good things to offer. My 2 yr old can count to 10 in Spanish (thanks, Dora!), knows her shapes and colors and has learned quite a bit from watching certain shows. Children’s TV these days has a lot of education to it – not like the Bugs Bunny we watched as kids!
I have a 4 month old that loves the Baby Einstein series. I think that these videos are a great tool. The only educational stimulation he gets right now is his activity gym – which can get kind of boring – If I need to cook dinner and my husband isn’t home – at least my son can learn his colors!
I also have 2 and both my kids watch TV throughout the day. I only have Public Television on so they are only watching the educational. I homeschool them both and my 3 year old son is almost through Preschool level and also knows some Kindergarten level stuff. He even knows how to Teselate (sp)shapes thanks to Cyberchase. Its pretty cool watching him learn things that I didn’t even know. I usually leave the TV on in the livingroom and they watch it when they want to and play most of the time. He only has certain shows he likes that he will stop for a few minutes to watch but actually never watches the whole show. My daughter is 1 and LOVES Barney and Elmo. She sings along to songs and dances. Also loves Bob the builder and even says OH Spud with them. WHAT 1 year old can talk that well that can copy TV shows. LOL I think its great. I also spend alot of time reading to them and teaching them both the same materials. My son likes to reveiw stuff quite often and therefore she learns it. I will probably go back over it to make sure she knows it when she is older but she is learning now Thanks to TV and her older brother.
My 14-month old daughter has barely seen any TV during her lifetime. We did get a Raffi DVD for her once from the library. She only watched a few seconds at a time, being mostly interested in the music. My wife showers while the baby naps, and we don’t normally turn on the TV until after the baby has gone to bed. I remember hearing somewhere that watching TV predisposes children to become passive (vs active) learners, so I’m always VERY cautious about having the TV on while she’s around. I think the AAP Guidlines are worth following and that they make sense.
There is a TV in my 26 month old’s room, however, it is not connected to the cable, it is ONLY for watching the occaisional movie at night or when cousins are over to play. she probably uses it two, maybe three times a month.
Our 27 month old watches about 30 to 45 minutes of television, which equals to about one show/dvd. She has learned more the most kids her age can do, not bragging here, but like one person said: TV is much more interactive now the it was when Bugs and Tom & Jerry were all the rage! Baby Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Einstein DVD are great tools. At 18 months my daughter was able to sign and recognize the alphabet, as well as sign about 30 to 40 words. This not only gives them exposure to learning but also developing their brain. Don’t get me wrong though, if it 70 degrees or better outside, my daughter does not watch any TV at all for days.
My 2 and 1/2 year old mostly goes to daycare while both my husband and I work. At home since he is very active I will let him watch one or two episodes of Blue’s Clues while I fix dinner. On weekends we’ll watch some educational programs while I get breakfast ready and have my coffee, but otherwise we’re out the door. I second all the comments about educational programing. The options are so much better these days, and many of the educational channels have no commercials. But I would not put a TV in his room (nor in our bedroom). I feel it has an unhealthy effect on sleep habits and encourages poor habits re: future schoolwork and reduces parental controls over programs watched.
My two year old has watched TV (Sesame Street only) since he was about one year. He has been watching “Your Baby Can Read” DVDs since about 6 months. We recently introduced Thomas the Train and Electric Company (new to DVD). He is able to read about 20 words or so. He first began reading simple words about 8 months ago, and been able to identify letters in the alphabet. Lately, he is beginning to learn phonics. I believe that the dvds we’ve shown has made him excited about reading. No, I do not believe that these DVDs are going to turn any child into Einstein, but our only wish is that he is never intimidated by reading and spelling.I am a firm believer that TV and DVD’s can encourage children to be excited about learning.
My 4 young children- ages 6mo, 18mo, 2, and 3- watch TV frequently during the day. They enjoy the music, and learn shapes, colors, numbers, and letters in a fun way. However, my kids are very active, and never sit and stare blankly at the TV. They talked very early, and speak 3 languages. The shows my kids watch (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Dora & Deigo) show excellent examples of manners, sharing, and problem solving.
i have a 16 mth old and a 4 month old my 16 mth old has a television in her room and about 100 dvds she first started watching the baby einstien then she began showing interest in others such as dora, backyardagans,doodlebops,max and ruby now she can sit and watch a regular movie with me and he my 4 mth old son now will sit in his sisters room and watch all movies with her and pay attention i think that tv has helped my child learn alot all her shows have a lil something to show from dancing to potty training and sometimes parents could use a lil help
My kids are 2 and 3 and I would prefer if the t.v. were off and they know it. When daddy is home and I walk through the door my boys run for the remote to turn it off. The good news is they are too busy to watch it. It may be on but they arent watching it. I do let them watch sesame street, mickey mouse, dora and blues clues but they really watch them like once a month. I believe its easy to put kids in front of the tv so you as a parent can get things done. Luckily my kids love to vacuum, cook dinner, grate cheese, set the table and dishes and I have to beg them to just go play sometimes.
Despite the marketing claims of DVDs like Baby Einstein, there’s been no research-backed proof that TV is good for young children’s development. But there’s plenty of research to suggest the reverse. For an overview (and reality check) I recommend this great article by Josh Golin, “Breaking Free from Baby TV”:
http://www.mothering.com/guest_editors/kids_commercialism/kids_commercialism_archive.html
I am glad to see that most of us agree that toddlers can learn from the TV. I had to leave another comment because some people seem to overreact when it comes to this issue. I had read the linked article before and, frankly, it is just hype. None of the DVD’s or shows that my daughter watch indicate that she will simply jump off the sofa and interact on her own. These shows only become interactive if the parents watch them with the kids and encourage interaction. That is the only way my daughter watches anything. I think most of us agree that no one ever just picks a DVD and lets their kid just sit there without knowing that their kid nows how to interact with the DVD. Again, all other activities outside or inside are better, but a little TV, when done the correct way does not hurt! The people that cry about commercialism are the same ones that freak out at the thought of giving their kids a Popsicle!