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As far as I've heard, the consensus is none at all before age 2. I've never bothered to research the hard science of it, since I had no problem following the recommendation.
That said, we did DVR a short program called "Classical Baby" from HBO that worked wonders for calming our son down at times. I think we used it about once a week from around 7 months until he was around 20 months.
It was slow paced and arty, with classical masterpieces as the only sound. They were various short animations set to compliment the music. He'd go from having a fit to sitting in calm serenity after a minute or two of having that playing.
Now that he's over two, we allow cartoons in the background (so long as its not spongebob!), but usually he only watches short bits of them. They just don't hold his attention, and that's fine, I'd generally rather he play with toys than stare at the TV.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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Xavier, I have heard (not scientifically) that watching TV can actually help with language development, in addition to causing ADD.
Posts: 468 | Registered: Mar 2008
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quote:Good evidence suggests that screen viewing before age 2 has lasting negative effects on children’s language development...
I don't know what evidence they are referring to here, but I'd probably do a fair amount of googling before accepting what you've been told as being legit.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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Are you talking about Baby Einstein or Sesame Street? Or are you worried about the baby in the room when you are watching your shows?
More than likely the tv itself does not cause harm, but the lack of parent interaction when they are left in front of it.
Talk to your baby, play with your baby, interact with your baby, and read to your baby and he/she will be fine. Don't use the tv as a babysitter.
If you have it on for an hour or two for your shows, and the baby happens to be in the room you should be ok. Use that time to get down on the floor and play together.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Xavier: The link I posted says this:
quote:Good evidence suggests that screen viewing before age 2 has lasting negative effects on children’s language development...
I don't know what evidence they are referring to here, but I'd probably do a fair amount of googling before accepting what you've been told as being legit.
It is in the book written by the american pediatricians for the first year of life. I got the impression reading it that they were more worried about the tv as a babysitter.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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A lot of this controversy was initiated from a study of baby DVDs, specifically Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby. One highly publicized study showed delayed language skills in babies that watched these films regularly before 24 months. A lot of other research contradicts said study.
There have been a lot of other studies done on regular television watching, and none of them have shown any negative developmental effects. A few, on the other hand, showed a minor positive effect (but there wasn't a huge statistical correlation).
I learned to read at 2.5, and my kids both learned at 4. For me, I learned a lot from Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, and Sesame Street. I taught my kids to read with the Leapfrog videos and the Dick and Jane books.
I'd highly recommend the Baby Einstein videos -- but some are better than others. I'd steer clear of the repetitive patterns and music stuff. Others do repetition of words, describing animals and such. Those ones are great.
Some info on the studies done can be found at the Wikipedia entry for Baby Einstein:
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My daughter doesn't watch T.V directly, but is exposed to it regularly, we generally watch things like family feud, movies, and of course national geographic.
From all the things I've read, the biggest warnings for ADD/ADHD developement in children related to T.V. exposure is from fast paced shows like spongebob squarepants..
So my recommendation is anything that's slow paced and educational is fine for younger ages, but fast paced crap, should be held off till after age 10 or so, my recommendation is also to keep your child away from the t.v. when they are sleeping, as it has a significant impact on long term health.
-Watched too many cartoons as a kid, now I have a hard time writing paragraphs, it's a mystery whether these things are related or not.
Posts: 461 | Registered: Nov 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Samprimary: I am pretty sure we also agreed 100% on hell houses
and like most everything else
Actually, we only sort of agreed on hell houses, IIRC, and we definitely don't agree on spanking and several other parenting topics.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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When I tutored little kids (like first grade), I used to wish I could just have the kids watch blue's clues. The reasoning skills are actually taught very well and those are useful skills that are rather difficult to teach. But my kid didn't start watching that until 2.
Posts: 2223 | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
The worst part of young people television is that kids won't remember it, even with all of the repetition. And parents are stuck with the stupid songs in their heads for years.
The other day, I was all like "Here's the mail, it never fails, it makes me want to wag my tail. When it comes, I want to yell . . . MAIL!!!!!" My kids just looked at me like I was crazy. "What's that from?" my son asked. I just shook my head.
Posts: 1204 | Registered: Mar 2003
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No TV until two. Then incredibly limited TV after that. The second is based only on my personal experience; if I let my kids watch more than a couple hours of TV, they forget how to entertain themselves for about 48 hours. The two-hour "break" that I thought I needed isn't worth two days of having them endlessly crawl through my hair. I home school so the effect is a lot more obvious because they're with me all day.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Aros: The worst part of young people television is that kids won't remember it, even with all of the repetition. And parents are stuck with the stupid songs in their heads for years.
The other day, I was all like "Here's the mail, it never fails, it makes me want to wag my tail. When it comes, I want to yell . . . MAIL!!!!!" My kids just looked at me like I was crazy. "What's that from?" my son asked. I just shook my head.
i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map̯̺̜ͪ i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a ma̢̕p i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i'm a map i͏'͜m ą ͘ma͢p̢ ̀i͜'̡m̢ ͝a͘ ̡map i'm̵ ̛a̡ m̴a͢p̶ i'̵m a ͝ḿap ̴ i͠'̶m͏ ̴a ma͠p̨ ͘i̵'҉m ̷a ̧m͟a̧p͘ ̛i͠'m a̴ ̨m̧a͝p ̧i'm a̛ ͟map̷ ̕ i'm̨ ͏̵a̶̛͢ ̵́m̨a̛͘̕p̸҉ ̛͘i̧'̢̧͟m҉ ͜͡͝a ̷m͠a҉p̨̛ ҉i'͞m̶̷ ̸́a͏̛͞ ͟m͠a͜p ̨́i̵̧'̵̷m̢͠ ̷̛͜à̴͡ m͏a͝p̨͞ ͟ i̠̤̬̞͇'̺̜̝̳͈́ͪ͐̐͆m̸̻̤̗̍̄͌̋̽ͭ ̙͚̜͇͉̺̮͑̔͗́a͎͎͔̜͇̻ͅ ͈͖͊͆m͚̦̠̮̳̗͕ͨͭ͐͘ȧ͎͚p͍͈͗̉͟ ҉̮͔̹̙i̔ͭ̍̋̐ͧ͘'̢m̤̺͎̹͔̙̳͝ ͣ̉̾ͬ̌̎͗͏̳̘̹̣̳͔͕a̾́ ͚̭̀̿̀̎͗ͬ͘m̧̼̑̔a̩͍̼͉̍̕p͔̫̼̣̉ ̛͉̗̫̣̯̼͛ͥi͇̜̐̓ͮ'̼͔̺̯ͮ̓ͥ͐m̸͑ͧ̇͐̊ͅ ̨̹̣̗̟̥̘͑ͥ͌͐̐ͫͅa̺̣ ̭̍̈̓̈m͕̤̘̦̈́͌̏ͭ͛ͅả̼ͮͨ̂̂̆̕p̞͎̦͕̭ 00;ͪ ̞̪̹̫͈͇͔͑ͧ̀̆i̴̺̮̦̟͂̿̑'̦̖̏ͦ̒͗ͦ͒́m͙ 10;̳̠̩̐ͣ ̸̍̿́̌a͓͚ͦ͐̆͆̽̉ͧ́ ͆̈́̎ͥ̂̚m̟͚̠͇̠̯̄̾a͍̱̠̝̦ͥ͂̌ͅp͉͈̠͍̝ 68;̎ͩ̃ͧ̚ ̮͉̬̙̦ͣ͋͐͗̐ͥͦ͠ i͇̥̱̫̗̲̝̹͒̀͗́̂͐́̑̚'̵͚̫̻̏̄ͩ̍ͅm̈́̾ 75;҉̜̘̞ ̷̢̢̯̪̥͒̓ͧ̇̂͆a̟̜̍̽̋͂̾͊̃̉̀ ̳͚͖̺̎ͨͩ̒͋̍͢ͅm͉̞̂ͬ̈́̕ä̵̯̭͇͖̙̰́ͬ̂W 8;͟͝p̻̳̩͔͍̫̔͆̕͜͞ͅ ̙̼̈́̂͡i̴̳̤̜̺̥̠̞͍̼͒̈́̕'̙͔̳̦̘̱̻͛̕m 20;̡͓̹͓̭̘͇ͩ͑̎̏ ͙͎̬̼̤̗̭̙̍ͭ̾̆͂ͪͫ͟͢͝a̝̫̼̫͚̿̀͗͌͡͞ ̫̺̜͚̼͕͔̥ͤ͑ͣͧ͛ͬ͗̚m̟͔̜̫̯̥̹͎͛ͧ̊ā̸͎ ;̟̜ͨͭ̈͝p̭̰͎̎́ͫ̍ͫͧ̀́͠ ̨̖͍͇͖̼͍̞̫̍̑̌̈́͜i̷̲̬͙͓̮͉͈̯̽ͤͫ̔͆̍ ;͊̿͑͘'̗̺̦̩̝͍͕̎̒̂ͭ͌̒̚͠m̛̗̳̓̑̒̔̎ͣ̈ 68; ̷̱̥ͤ̃̌̌͐̓̓̀a̧̳͙̪̫̻̖̻ͬ͢ ͓́͑̚͡͝m̴̻̞͈͎͍͇͓͌̃͛͋ͧ̏̓͊ͤ̕a̡͋̽҉̧ 09;̖p̴͎̦̬̝̤̳͚ͩ͑̈́̓́̉ͣͬ͜ ̧̖̬͔̪̖ͪ̀͊̈̊͗ͫ͂i̭̱͓͊̇̾͟ͅ'͇͓͔̟̙̥̥P 6;͍̊͗̒ͮ́̾m̷͖̯̘̖̺̆̔ͤ̄͗ͅ ̖ͣ̇̋͛̃̄͛͟͞ạͭ̈ͦ͗̌͐͐͑͡ ̝̩̘̭̂ͮ̈́ͦ͆̿́m̡̡̥̟͔̰̜̟ͨ͗ͦ͑̍̍̀ͫ͞aR 3;͊͆̒̽ͦ́҉͖̹̲̜͉ͅp̴͚̹̘̖̑͗̇̄ ͔̰͓̤̠̔̌̏͑͘ i͖̭̟̭̤͎̓̊ͭ̈̌̋͂̄ͪ'̨̭͖̗͚̬͕̎̀ͩ̆ͯ̐ͮM 3;̓m̵̰̝͕͕̉̅̾͐͛̉͂͜ ̳̺̒ͮͤ͟͠a̡͎̰̍̌͝͠ ̧͎̟̺͍̥̩̥̐͐̎́m̑̍ͩ͟҉͈̹͈̙̘̣̬ḁ̧̩̭̬ 54;̤͖̂͑͛̔̊́̋̎̀̚p͕̦͂ͯ̍̋ͩͬ̅͛͘ ͤ̈́͒̎̌͂̿҉̡̮̳͚̀i̶̱̜͖̝͖ͬͫ͡ͅ'͖̠̫͉̬ 00;̥̑ͣ͐ͩ͠͡m̦̠̪̳̻̮̺̹̺̈́ͪ̓ͩ͝ ̓̀͏͏̦͔̼̣̣a̡͕͉̜̰̬̝̺͍ͦͭ̾ ̡͎̩̠͚͗ͫ͒̾̃͘͝ͅm̸̨͈͉̘̽ͩa͓̗̗ͨ͠p̥͔̱̬ 27;̜̋͂̅̽̎ͩ̆ ̛̫̘̬͇̊̽̓̔ͧ͘ị̵̴̲͔ͧ̎'̼̰̝͙͚̂̃͊̊͢͟m 23;̵̗̳̻̺͔͎̝̰͌ͣͫ͂̾̀ ͚̥̪̼̱͚̍͑̅̒͐̈́̚ȧ̐ͥ́͋̂̀͏̤͕͈ ̩̯̖̤̯̮̿̑̿̋͊̔̃͜m̊̍͏͇̙̱̖̜á̡͍ͫ̎̀p̙̥ 26;̱̄ͯͭ̊ͤ̓͆ ͫͨ͏̨͏͔̩̱͖i̶̷͕̲̱̲̫̤̬͑͆̅͐̓̽͟'̭̮̫̽N 8;̍̎̉̒m̴͎͎̭͔͈̮̊͋ͩ̋̕ ̩̯̟̰̪͂̏̕͢ͅa̖̬̖̖̘̜ͬ̽͒́͐́̚ ̦̤̻̠̬̘͒ͪͬ̎́̓̄́͝m͈̪̭̥̭ͯ̏̋̚̚a̧͈͉̩P 4;͕͆ͮ͡p̥̗͍̻̿ͪ͌̇̇̆̐̑ ̸̪͕̽ͩ̈́̈́ͭ̚͠ i̶̢͉̭̼̙̹̔ͦ͊̃͒̑͆̔͒͐̾͆ͫ̽̇̈́̕'̶̧̨̹U 1;̦̼̜̗̩̞̘͓̮̜͎̘̩̿̓̌̂ͯ͗̐͗͂̐ͪͧͭ́͌̎M 3;ͣ̚m̢̩̮̥̖͊̄̑ͪ̓̆ͪ̎̚ ̌̑ͦ͆͗͏̟̩͉̱̳̤͖̻̘͎͈͍̻a̡̨̛̹̜̟̫̖͇͔̰ ;͛̂̎̋̓̑͋͌͢ ̨̻̮̪̺͕͕̙̯̮͚͈̯ͤ͊͗ͩ͆ͯ͛ͪ͝ͅm̮̫̙̪͎̗͓ ;͎̗̻͙ͪ̅̔͌̀͘͡a̢̢͑̾͐͌͆̋̍̃ͥ̅ͬ̉̈͡҉̮ 10;̹͍̩̠͙p̧͙̭̫͙͈͖̖̦̆̑͐̆ͩ̓ͩ̓̿̾ͨ̾̈̓̋&# 862; ̷̛̝͚̣͕̙̂̎̀̀̔ͥ̽́̀ͯ̒̌ͣ̅̕͡ȉ͇̩͉ͬͯ̈ ͌̃͑̈́̆̒̓ͧ̒̂ͣͦ̃̓͢͡ͅ'̘͕͕͔̗̬͖͙̓̑̐̈ ;́̊̄̎͑̀̕͘͜͝m̷̿̂̓̋́̈͒̏̾̓ͦͥ̑̍ͯ̊̌̑ 61;̴͔̼̣̭̣̥̺̺̲̣͍̖͇̮̦̟̕ ̸̧̛̱̥͓͙͚̆̏ͦͧ̍͐̿ͯ̃̑̂̂ͩ̄͒̂ͫ̓̄a̧͍̘ ;̰̪ͧͭ̔͌ͭ̔̿͐͛ͭ̏ͯ͂̎͂̓͞ ̵̞͍͔̻̗̪͍͇̲̖̞̮̪̯̺͕́ͦ͐̆ͨͧ͑̔͢͟ͅm̶̧ ;̾̈͛̂ͥ̊̚͏̬̩͇̻͎̺̀ă̵̶̲̞̥̫̼͔͖̳̬̯̖̖ ;̣̗̞͚̤͕ͩ͋͒̍͗͌́́p̷̴̡͓̳̠̞̞̮̮̤͉͙̩̙P 0;̟̹͖̓͗̔͌̒͐̈́̐̽ͩ̐̽͊͜͢ ̢̾ͩ̀͆ͩͫ̓͒ͧ͗̀ͣ̎͜͏̛̹̦͍̬̣i̶̛̩̼̝͈͍̯ ;̯̩̮̼̲̱ͯ̉ͦ̔̆͋'̶̻̟͈͈̙̼͉̮̮͍̹͂͌̅̂ͧM 9;̋̓̔̈́ͨͪͧ̀͜m̦͖͈̫̣̣͉͈͕͍͔͓̠̩͉͙̌̈ͬ 74;̎̑ͣ͋ͥ̿̏͢͡ ̸̯̭̖̦̙̜̩͔̫͕͙͖̿͗ͪ͐̈̍͗̑̊ͪ͋̕͞a̵̸̵͚ ;͓̮̻̹̙̠͇̻͈͇̪͎̟̞̮ͣ͑̓͒͌ͥͣͤͩ̏ͣͤ̕ͅ ̷̧̜̤̠̱̙̝̲̭̻̟̫̜ͮ̃͊̋ͅm̸̶̛̤͇̹̥̘̯̙͙ ;̞̤̗͙̳̱͍ͪ̔̓ͥ̀͊ͤ̔̋̓͒̆̏̐̈́ͬͭ̌̓́́ą ;̋͐͛͛ͥ̋̅̏̒ͣͩͩ̓͊ͭ̃͟͞͠҉̫̝͎̤̟̘̪͈͚T 6;̖͔̹͇̙p̢̠̗̳̻̗̩̼͉̫̟̰͔͎̋ͯ͌̃ͨ͒̀̀̀͘ ̨̙̼͔̫̯̜̹̮̐̀̂͊̃ͪ͑̅ͪͭ́̚͘ͅĩ͎̠̩̬̪̙ ̼͕͇̰͕͉̤̣͍͇͕̰ͪ̋ͪ͋ͨͤ͊̀́̚͠͡ͅ'́ͪ̂̒ͩ ;̉ͦ̃̑̎͝͏̱̜̰̬̱͙̥͖̭̠͙͕͞ͅm̶̛͇̪̜͕̣̻P 5;̺̜͇̟̰̤̤̄͊̂ͅ ̷̪͔͉̙̄̀̔̓ͭͫ̉͗̇͌̀͗̍̍͂̚̚̚͟͡a̡͔͖̮̱ ;̰͚̝̣͙̻̱̮͚̙̭̦͍͕ͮͭͤ̋̎̃͊̉͌̚̚̕͟ ͥ̎̾͑ͥͭ͒͏̷̻̟̰̰͍͖͙̭͚̥m̴̸̠̹̫͓͇͓ͭ̅ͩ ;́̒ͨ̉ͥͦ͂͆ͨ̕a̵̜̱̤͉̼͇̥͚̣͎̅ͪ͐ͥ̽͋͌̎N 0;ͧ̈̄́ͦ͋̊ͣ̀͟ͅp̄̐̀̓̑ͬ͋͒ͨͥ̾̑ͬͭ̅͒͏̧ 161;̵̱̺̟̮̠̻̭͈̪͇̻͓ͅ ̶̻͓̬̜͈͇̓͒ͭͮͯ̋̇̑̀́̚̚͡͠ i̸̛̛͇̞̹͎͓̣̠̰̭͇̘̬͈͉̪̩͖̾͗ͨ̈̃͞'̴̬̗P 4;̥̝̙͚̅̎̑̀̈̃͆ͪ̀̚͞͝m̢̼̲͉͓̗͓̲̮͙̪̮̝ 58;̮̫̓͑̌̍͂ͫ̽ͩ̏̾͛ͩ̾́̕͘ ̴̨̡̡͚͔̠̼̺̎ͮ͋̈ͯ͛̍͆ͧ̆̑̌͆́ͣ̄͝ǎ̸̷̗ ̘̼̞̠͉͉̝͖̫̬̩͔͓̥̟̗͈͆ͯ̈́̓͑ͅ ̒̉͋̅̾̑̂̏̓͆̔҉҉҉̬̩̞͍͈͚͇̳m̸̧̛̭͔͇̠&# 803;̌ͫͪͨ̍ͨ̒̊̎ͬͧ͜a̷̡͑̀̔͆̒̌ͪ̄͆ͭ͘͞͏̬̯& #800;̤̪̮̻̺̦̼̬p̧̡̧̫̦̹̬̥̻̫̌̏͒̈̆̉ͩ̾̐̈ͣ ͩ̑̓ͤͭͦ̚ͅ ̨̲̞̞̙͎͈̗̫͈̮̹͗̋́̑̑͒ͧͬ͊̃ͥͣͭ̈̾̅̎̀ ̑͜i̵ͧ̑͑͗̒̌̉͛͑̐̿̈ͪ͋̂ͣ̂ͨ͏͙͈̪͕̞̳͈̺ ;̕͘'͓͚̣̺̻͓̜̗͖̞̲͎͓̰͚̔̾̆͊ͣ̿̓́̕͢͡ͅm 24;̶̢͙̱̪̥͑̓͆̌̏̐͆̈ͅ ̴̲̥̣̬̫̺͉̩̦̠͔̻̝̣̦̭͚̎̀ͦ̂̓͒ͧ̔͊͒ͩͪ ̂̍ͬ́̔ͧ̚͘ͅͅạ̷͚͔̖͎̭͖̲̳̮̩̘͉͕͇͔̪͆ͣ ;̅̔ͧ͑͋̐̆͒̀̋́̚ ̸͔͖͚̜̫͓̮̻͕̂ͯͭ̇̊̓́͢m̆̐ͧ̽͊͛͂͂͒̒ͥͬ ;ͬ͂̚͏̨̪̪͖̮͔͓a̶̴͍̮̝͙͚͔͇͇̙̗̝̜͍̖͚ͭW 0;ͦͫ̾ͬ̃͢͠͞p̴̐̌̊ͤ͆̉̽̒̓̇̓̒̊ͥͫ͛̓҉͉̤&# 837; ̶̸̢͔̬̖͔͎̹̦̜̱̰̺͕̘͓̓͌̏̌ͩͦ̔̌͞͝i̷̴̸ ;̷̙̬͎̳̖ͫ̆͐ͤ̾'̷̝̫̙̗̥͖̟̪̘̥̘̝̭̆ͨ̀ͯM 9;͛̎ͦ̐ͬͬ͗̆ͩ̀ͪͦ͟m̷̻͈͔͙̟̭̲͍̪͎͖̞͔̳̹ 57;͈̱̉̆͒͊ͣ͗̃ͧ̀͜͝ͅ ̧͌̄͒̾ͦ͒ͪ͆̔ͧ̒̇̀͏͉̥̘̰̹̦̤̣̝a̦̪̰̱̬̱ ;̞ͥ̔̆ͬ̑͗̓͊͂̾ͨ̊̍ͬͯͥ͗̕ ̸̬̜̖̟̙͚̤̔̃ͭ͒̇̓̈́ͣ͑ͯ̏͐͌ͣ̐͒̉̀̚m̵̨ ;̠͎͙̜̯͛ͥͬ̄̂̚͠ͅa̍̔ͥ̌̊̌̄̆̆͗̿̔̾͏̶̡R 8;͈̱͙̫̱̟̞̻̮̗͉̫͙p̡̟̠͓̭͍̤͙̳̳̜̦͓̯̞̼ 51;̠̻͓͑ͫ̈̿ͪͪ̌͌ͬͭ̑̈́̃ͮ̑̓̍ͮ ̡̹̪̭̬͎̭̤̺͍̗́͗̀̈́ͪ̒̇̿̍͋̕͟i̋͌̋̃̇ͫ ;̆̿ͪ̏̾̈͐͐̃́̚͝͞҉̠̠̫̱̪̼̗̱̦̠̤̝̙̺̻V 1;'̸̳̫̱̜̫̳̬̘̰͍͇̲̫̠̇̾̊̎̇̊̄ͩ̔ͯ́͠͠ͅm&# 812;͕̝̮̦̼̲̪̐̎̊̍͒̌̚͢ ̴̵͍͈̖̠̯̘͚̗͔͔̜̥̦͙̱̖̩ͬ̔̏ͧͪͣ̅̒̓͢͡ a̸̵̶̬͔͍̟͚̲̙͉̲̖̘̬̲̿̏̂͐ͥ̃ͤͤ͗̕ ̔ͯ͑ͬ̓̆ͣ̿̅̉͞͏̴̞̲͔̪̫̜͍͖̞̲m͋́͗ͩ̑̑ͨ ;ͣͩ͊͋̄͂͏̶̛̫̗̼̙̪̖̣̝̤̟̟̲͟a̅̉ͫͬ͆͆̑N 0;ͨ͂ͬ̂̍̃҉̧̩͇̟̹̞̟̠̗̭͎̞͞p̶̟̝͎̱͚̟̰͙&# 827;̗̱ͫͭ̏̃̂̏͒̾ͨ͒͌̋͗͆̐̎̚͡ ͧͦͧ͛ͩ̉̑̈̂̄ͦ̚҉̸̷̫̭͉͓
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005
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Everyone else has already clued you into the dangers of letting kids watch too much tv at too young an age.
But what about the dangers of letting your kid read too much? I think that in our decadent, overprivileged society we all too often forget the wisdom of the ancients. They knew that too much reading rots the brain, and that's sadly something that many fat, out-of-touch Americans are all too quick to forget.
Posts: 3580 | Registered: Aug 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Dan_Frank: Everyone else has already clued you into the dangers of letting kids watch too much tv at too young an age.
But what about the dangers of letting your kid read too much? I think that in our decadent, overprivileged society we all too often forget the wisdom of the ancients. They knew that too much reading rots the brain, and that's sadly something that many fat, out-of-touch Americans are all too quick to forget.
Tell me about. My parents couldn't get my nose out of a book. Now I'm a public school teacher. Who knows what I could have been....
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Wow, Samp. That's like a perfect image of what it sounds like when my husband does his Map impression. I didn't know that was possible.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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It looks super horrific on my iPhone. It's actually spilling out garbage text into the other posts. Is that true for regular computers too?
Posts: 3580 | Registered: Aug 2005
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Yeah so I took a picture and uploaded it to my never-used google plus account. Seemed like the easiest way to put it linkable while on my phone. It should be set to public view so hopefully you can access it? Let me know if not.
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Oh and now that I'm on a computer I see it looks pretty much the same, alright then.
Wow. Sam, I've always thought about 50% of what you post was total crap, but now you've really outdone yourself.
Posts: 3580 | Registered: Aug 2005
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I watched very little TV as a kid (It watched a magazine program called Blue Peter which was half an hour three days a week and I am told some Sesame Street as a younger person). We watched movies as a family, but I feel watching something as a family is very different from watching something alone.
I don't ever remember feeling that I was particularly missing out-- playing was always more fun. As a teacher, children say they enjoy watching TV but I think, kind of like adults, they normally find it sort of unsatisfying. Children coming off a weekend of TV don't seem to be inspired in the slightest. I know it increases children's factual knowledge from anecdotal experience, but NOT their ability to apply what they learn-- because what practice do you get watching TV?
I would also think that real life TV is better than cartoons for learning language because the connection between real life situations and images is closer. So reruns of Sharon, Lois and Bram would be better for small language-learners than Blues Clues because there are more real life visual analogues-- altough Blues Clues at least has a real person.
I would speculatively suggest that the more passive your child can be as an actor in life, the worse it probably is. Putting on music and dancing to it while you make dinner while your kid watches you from its bouncy chair is probably considerably better than having them watch cartoons with music because it suggests to the child that there is something that people do in real life to music. Singing along would have the same effect.
I also suspect that if you put on the tv with music and had people dancing in the tv and people dancing in the room, a small person would consider what was going on in the room much more interesting because your dancing is human and potentially responsive to your 'audience'.
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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My kids range in age from 1 to 12 years old. Because of this, the younger ones inevitably watched television at a younger age than the older ones, because the older ones can work the DVR and start their own programs. We also have a DVD player in the minivan (the kind that folds up into the ceiling when not in use) and the younger kids are exposed to that from infant age, although their car seats face backward for the first year or so...
So far, I haven't seen any problems with ADD or lack of imagination or anything else in the younger ones compared to their older siblings who were exposed to less television. In fact, my two-and-a-half-year-old will watch shows sometimes, but other times wants nothing to do with the TV and wants to play with the dollhouse.
Also, I have a sister who is 13 years younger than me and she grew up watching Barney over and over and over when she was little, but she seems fine and is getting a Master's degree in opera currently.
So my own anecdotal experience says that it's not as big of a deal as some people think, as long as you actually interact with your kids and don't use the TV as a babysitter (as mentioned by others).
The Internet, on the other hand, seems to be detrimental to my older kids... My eldest wants to be on Pinterest every free second of every day and it drives me nuts.
Posts: 298 | Registered: Sep 2011
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Strangely, my younger watched less tv than my older. My older had figured out the tv and DVD at like 18 months but the younger at 25 months still doesn't know how to do any of it. The tv was on around her but she completely ignored it. The older's tv just didn't interest her. When she was two, we put on blues clues and now she is hooked.
Posts: 2223 | Registered: Mar 2008
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