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I'm wondering if anyone else plops their kid down in front of the tv and just let's them watch the "baby" channel (Not cartoons.... but on DirectTV there's a specific channel called "Baby First").....
My friend has been doing that with her 10 month old since he was like 3-4 months. Sometimes she plops him down and just goes about her business and does other stuff while not really keeping an eye on him....... Only when he gets fussy will she pick him up and interact with him.....
Is it just me or is that just getting a child addicted to TV REALLLLLLY early on in his life! I know these channels are suppose to "help" with the development and everything (they're sort of like watching baby einstein) but seriously....... whenever she brings him around the TV he gets REALLY fussy until you turn it on to that channel and then he's fine.......
It's like the only thing that will keep his attention for a long time, but I sort of think it would do more harm then good to have him watching this channel like 70% of the day (which is usually how long he watches it!) ....... She'll interact with him a little, but for the most part his eyes are glued to the boob tube.......
I guess for some parents the tv is a huge "life saver." This seems a little excessive though. I'm not in the ladies head though, don't know the full situation.
I use the tv. My kitchen and living room are combined practically, so I can keep an eye on her.
She only watches things she can "interact" with, for example "touch your nose," or counting activities.
I was lucky enough for a friend of mine to give me her "your baby can read" videos, so she watches those. She watches them while I clean up breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, whenever she is watching tv, I interact with her while doing so. Like "look at the pretty colors," or can you clap your hands like that?" She also occasionally watches sesame street, wheel of fortune, and baby einstein.
I'd say total though, all added up she watches around 45 minutes of something on the tv. She's up for 10 hours of the day so that is less than 10% of the day.
Some people may find that the amount MY child watches is excessive. I do think that there is a definite limit. No more than an hour a day maybe?
I guess for some parents the tv is a huge "life saver." This seems a little excessive though. I'm not in the ladies head though, don't know the full situation.
I use the tv. My kitchen and living room are combined practically, so I can keep an eye on her.
She only watches things she can "interact" with, for example "touch your nose," or counting activities.
I was lucky enough for a friend of mine to give me her "your baby can read" videos, so she watches those. She watches them while I clean up breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, whenever she is watching tv, I interact with her while doing so. Like "look at the pretty colors," or can you clap your hands like that?" She also occasionally watches sesame street, wheel of fortune, and baby einstein.
I'd say total though, all added up she watches around 45 minutes of something on the tv. She's up for 10 hours of the day so that is less than 10% of the day.
Some people may find that the amount MY child watches is excessive. I do think that there is a definite limit. No more than an hour a day maybe?
What do you think of the "YOur Baby Can Read" videos? I saw an infomercial for them recently and I am very intrigued. Are you seeing results?
ETA: I am legitimately interested-- not trying to slam you for using it. Just wanted to be clear on that...
Last edited by 2girlsand2boys; 01-27-2009 at 06:47 PM..
Reason: Not attacking miasmommy
I guess for some parents the tv is a huge "life saver." This seems a little excessive though. I'm not in the ladies head though, don't know the full situation.
I use the tv. My kitchen and living room are combined practically, so I can keep an eye on her.
She only watches things she can "interact" with, for example "touch your nose," or counting activities.
I was lucky enough for a friend of mine to give me her "your baby can read" videos, so she watches those. She watches them while I clean up breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, whenever she is watching tv, I interact with her while doing so. Like "look at the pretty colors," or can you clap your hands like that?" She also occasionally watches sesame street, wheel of fortune, and baby einstein.
I'd say total though, all added up she watches around 45 minutes of something on the tv. She's up for 10 hours of the day so that is less than 10% of the day.
Some people may find that the amount MY child watches is excessive. I do think that there is a definite limit. No more than an hour a day maybe?
See your amount of time doesn't seem excessive to me at all....... but when I go over to her house to hang out with her (Mind you, we're both 25, and she lives in the new addition of her parents 2.6 million dollar house..... so "her" house is really the "apartment" her parents built on to their BIG as* house)..... we will sit there with the kid and sort of play with him but while me and her are talking or doing something she just flicks on the tv and sits him in this little bouncer and lets him watch while we do our thing. (We'll either make food, or she'll show me something on the internet or SOMETHING)....... so while we're busy doing something he's out there bouncing in his chair watching the baby channel........ (if she's busy doing something like cooking or something and just kind of leaves me with him I'll play with him as much as possible and interact and stuff..... which I honestly never really see her do. She plops him down, surrounds him with toys, or plops him in front of the tv and doesn't actually JOIN him in interacting..... I've never really seen her do that........ i on the other hand take every opportunity I have to interact with him and like "show" him how to do things and stuff).........
I just feel that the amount of time that she (AND her husband) plops the kid in front of the tv is excessive. I mean she's home with him all day, so i'm sure a little break here and there while she finishes something is ok....... but it seems like when I'm there he's pretty much watching that the WHOLE time. And then the husband will come home and play with him for a minute and then ALSO plop the kid in front of the tv........ (mind you the husband is at work all day, so wouldn't you think he'd wana spend time with the kid???????..... he DOES, but usually within a half hour plops the kid in front of the tv).........
I don't have any children of my own, but when I was 7 my mom had my brother, so I know what it's like raising an infant/baby/toddler........ and I don't ever remember my mom using the tv as a means to entertain my brother.
I do understand "to each their own"......... but this kind of excessive tv watching just seemed strange and maybe a little wrong to me
What do you think of the "YOur Baby Can Read" videos? I saw an infomercial for them recently and I am very intrigued. Are you seeing results?
ETA: I am legitimately interested-- not trying to slam you for using it. Just wanted to be clear on that...
Well, the first month is very strict. You are supposed to watch the 10 minute video twice a day. There is a beginner book for the intro you must read once a day. There are cards you must show after the video. There are flash/slider cards you are supposed to show "several" times a day. You're also supposed to restrict them from other television.
A friend gave it to me. She has a 4 year old. I knew him when he was 9 months old and he was reading. He was reading words I couldn't pronounce when he was 3!!! He is so well adjusted and LOVES to learn, especially since he can read and comprehend almost anything!!!
When my friend gave it to me a month ago, I tried it out and my little girl was slightly into it. I was about to give up and the last week she wants to watch the video ALL OF THE TIME. She looks at the tv and says "baby." She can "read" the words hi, dog, cat, mouth and eyes. WHen the motions for "arms up" comes on she does it. She is ten months old.
They say that once the first month is over and they recognize the first 50 words from the starter video, the rest is smooth sailing.
I feel it IS working. Would I send for it and pay for it? Yes. If it was a trial I might send it back. I want to give it the full month. Ask me in two weeks
I agree Miasmom
[quote=miasmommy;7202868]I guess for some parents the tv is a huge "life saver." This seems a little excessive though. I'm not in the ladies head though, don't know the full situation.
quote]
My son whos 2 wakes up asking for Elmo... he watches it as I'm getting everyone ready for work/School/Babysitters.... It makes it easier... he doesnt watch tv all day and when he gets home occasionally he'll watch tv as i'm cooking dinner but usually he's too busy making a mess to sit still
I will admit though when times are really rough around the house... all i have to do it pop in toy story and he just loves wood and buzz - I regain my sanity then he's back to making a mess.... LOL
My pediatrician says no TV under age 2 as it contributes to ADD & ADHD. Could be true. That said, I do let my 18 month old watch Yo Gabba Gabba and Jack's Big Music Show. We dance to the music, and he enjoys it. Of course, I'm not plopping him down and leaving the room. He also loves HBO's - Classical Baby series while I rock him and he drinks a bottle before bed (soothing classical music and shapes).
When Son was a baby... he absolutely loved Good Morning America. Diane Sawyer in particular. when I was getting up, drinking my coffee and getting ready for the day he's watch it with me. I'd have him in the bouncie seat (before he could sit up) beside me. He would always turn toward the screen and get excited when he heard her voice. As he got older he'd play and talk back to her. I was/am a very hands on/interactive momma, so I wouldn't just plop him down and go about my business... but the tv was usually on. When son was 3 a family member gave us an old console tv. We put it in Son's room with a vcr.... he fell in love with Lion King. Granted, he'd watck the movie, but not exclusive to playing or running back into the livingroom/kitchen. It was like a background for his play. He'd often get his toys and act them out along with the movie.
As for these baby tv shows.... eh. I feel they are like pull ups.... great if used properly, but can become a crutch if overused. I agree with the doctor who said it can contribute to ADD. I mean serioulsly... think about it, it's logical that a child who, from infancy, is given constant stimulation cannot learn to adjust when there is little/no stimulation, thus the the child doesn't learn to think for him/herself without outside influences. You'll end up with a child who cannot entertain themselves at school age.
When you have no children of your own, it's particularly easy to watch somebody else raising their children and say "No, that's too much!" or "Don't do that, it's not good", ad nauseum. When I have guests over, as a mother it leaves me in a twist. I no longer just have to tend to my children's needs but I also need to tend to my guest and be a gracious host. Sometimes that simply means handing my child a DVD and saying "Go watch your favorite movie for a little bit." so that I can have some time to interact with my guest and not make them feel like I snubbing them.
So they may be sitting the kid infront of the TV while you're there, but that doesn't mean she's doing it excessively. Unless you're there 24/7, you don't really know how much time the kid is spending watching TV.
That said, 10 month olds don't really have the attention span to really watch excessive amounts of TV anyway. They can really only stay interested in one thing for a few minutes before they're off to the next thing. Chances are he's watching the TV a moment, then playing with his toys, then babbling and playing with his hands, then maybe a moment or two watching TV..so on and so forth.
In addition to that, it's also good to leave young children to 'unstructured play' as it develops creativity and fosters imagination.
When you have no children of your own, it's particularly easy to watch somebody else raising their children and say "No, that's too much!" or "Don't do that, it's not good", ad nauseum. When I have guests over, as a mother it leaves me in a twist. I no longer just have to tend to my children's needs but I also need to tend to my guest and be a gracious host. Sometimes that simply means handing my child a DVD and saying "Go watch your favorite movie for a little bit." so that I can have some time to interact with my guest and not make them feel like I snubbing them.
So they may be sitting the kid infront of the TV while you're there, but that doesn't mean she's doing it excessively. Unless you're there 24/7, you don't really know how much time the kid is spending watching TV.
That said, 10 month olds don't really have the attention span to really watch excessive amounts of TV anyway. They can really only stay interested in one thing for a few minutes before they're off to the next thing. Chances are he's watching the TV a moment, then playing with his toys, then babbling and playing with his hands, then maybe a moment or two watching TV..so on and so forth.
In addition to that, it's also good to leave young children to 'unstructured play' as it develops creativity and fosters imagination.
This is my best friend who is like a sister to me so I am there A LOT. That said, even when I'm talking with her on the phone I hear the baby channel on in the background. I've sat there and observed while she was doing dishes or laundry. THe baby sits in the bouncy seat and WATCHES Tv.... he doesn't start playing with anything else. He will literally sit there for like a half hour before he starts to get fidgety. I know how MOST 10 months old are in that they go from one thing to the next. Not him. He WATCHES the tv. AND When a particular episode comes on on the baby channel that he KNOWS and LIKES and he isn't paying attention to the tv.... he will TURN because he hears it and starts watching! I watched him have that reaction when he was like 6-7 months old! He would RECOGNIZE the little jingles or the voices of certain characters! That is scary to me.... the baby actually recognizes these sounds and KNOWS that it's the TV.
AND I have to add that when I'm there, it's not like I'm a GUEST that my friend has to entertain. Like I said above, I'm like a sister because we're so close. So she doesn't feel obligated to "entertain" me. And I don't feel as though she HAS to entertain me. So she will go about her normal business as if I'm not there.
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