do you let your child watch TV?

When DD was born I did a lot of research about babies and how TV can affect their little brains and my DH and I decided that we wouldn't let her watch TV at all, at least not until she is about a year old or so maybe 2 , just now a friend of mine emailed me this:
A new policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urges parents to avoid television for children under 2 years old. How can TV negatively affect early brain development? First, TV takes away from the precious time babies have to interact with people and explore their environment. Second, possible links have been found between early television exposure and subsequent attentional problems in children. (See the AAP Study) Could TV cause ADD? The subject needs further research, but the current information is enough to elicit the strong response from the AAP.Researchers don't yet have a crystal clear picture of how bad, or good, television is for infants, though researchers say evidence suggests it's harmful.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

No, we don't. DD is just about 8 months and has never 'watched' TV. I'll have it on at times during the day and she'll catch glances and will hear it (although I keep it low). We just didn't see the need. But I have tons of friends who would let their babies/kids watch it (along w/Baby Einstein videos, etc), and their kids are all happy, smart & great kids, so I don't personally think there's any harm, we just choose not to.

When DD does catch a glance, she becomes such a zombie starring at it-- but it's probably b/c she doesn't see it often, so it's new & exciting.

Message edited 2/25/2008 2:40:21 PM.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

DS is easily bored and ALWAYS has been and likes "exploring" and try new things all the time.

He watches some TV (backyardigans!). He is not alwasy interested in it. Most of the time the TV is on but he plays with his toys or interact with us.

Like right now, I played the backyardigans on TV for him, he watched the beginning and could not care less about it now.

I think it's good to expose them to different things (TV included) but we do play lots of things, sings, read books, tell stories/tales at night.

He is very inquisisitve about everything.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

I have read this before too...our tv is on a lot, but they will only watch when certain shows come on, or if we are watching the news, and those subtitles come aross the botton, Christopher tries to garb them, or look to where they are coming or going on the tv.
I feel bad today because they are BOTH sick and letting them veg out a little in front of the t.v

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

My older son loved the Baby Einstein videos. They gave me 20 minutes to prep dinner or whatever I needed to do. I completely admire the mom's who are able to avoid TV completely - but I was just not that good!

I tried to get my 2nd son to watch them - but he had absolutely ZERO interest in them.

Both my kids are fine now. My little TV watcher is now 6. He is considered advanced. He does amazingly well at school and has a wide variety of interests. It doesn't seem like TV has had a lasting negative impact.

I think those studies may be more or less aimed at the kind of folks who let the TV 'raise' their kids - but I still think it is fantastic that so many moms are able to make it work without any television help! Kudos to you!

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

I just wanted to say that, I hope some moms don't take the original post the wrong way, I don't mean that there is anything wrong with your child b/c he/she watches TV and that my DD is perfect b/c she doesn't I just wanted to get other people's opinions and post the email that my friend sent me b/c I thought it was very interesting .

Message edited 2/25/2008 3:00:35 PM.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

no... he will sometimes look at the tv when I watch hockey but he really isnt all that interested in it and I prefer it that way for now...

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Not really. The TV is only on in the am to watch the today show for an hour or so and then it's off until nighttime.

Mostly the tv is on at night when they're in bed or when DH has to watch something on the weekend.

DD and DH i think are going through sunday football withdrawal


ETA: i think do what's best for your family. My girls hardly watch ANY TV and my 22 month old is/was always advanced in vocabulary and speech.

I don't think there's a a right or wrong, i think it just has to do with how much ADULT interaction your child has with you.

Message edited 2/25/2008 3:25:10 PM.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

DS is almost 6 mos and I don't see the harm in letting him watch a dvd on his playmat while I make dinner. Its not like we sit in front of the TV all day long.

I think letting him watch a little bit is part of exposing him to the world. I don't think its a bad thing, in moderation.

I know someone who has the mini dvd player on ALLLL day long while their child is in the playroom ..and that I think is really bad. The kid will play w/toys, interact w/others but if he hears something on the dvd that catches his attention he immediately will turn his head from all the way across the room to watch the TV. Their child seems so addicted to it, I think in that case it can be unhealthy.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Both of our DC watch quite a bit of TV. We have closed captioning on all the time, and we interact with DC constantly. DS is easily several years ahead of most of his peers. He has been reading without assistance since about age 3 or so. His imagination is amazing. He can take a storyline from a show and expand on it to unbelievable depth. He is learning multiple languages (Spanish and Chinese) from TV.

I think TV is a tool, and if used correctly, can be very beneficial, but if used incorrectly, can cause problems. Nuclear fuel can either make cheap clean energy, or devastating bombs....

I don't get offended when people say TV is bad. I see first-hand how beneficial it has been for DS, so I will keep doing what works for us.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

We too have the tv on most of the day. It's usually on Noggin, PBS or Nickelodeon. There are only a few shows that DS actually pays 1/2 attention too. He plays with toys, "walks" along the couch, etc; but when certain characters or songs come on he stops and watches and/or dances.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Posted by GoldenRod

Both of our DC watch quite a bit of TV. We have closed captioning on all the time, and we interact with DC constantly. DS is easily several years ahead of most of his peers. He has been reading without assistance since about age 3 or so. His imagination is amazing. He can take a storyline from a show and expand on it to unbelievable depth. He is learning multiple languages (Spanish and Chinese) from TV.

I think TV is a tool, and if used correctly, can be very beneficial, but if used incorrectly, can cause problems. Nuclear fuel can either make cheap clean energy, or devastating bombs....

I don't get offended when people say TV is bad. I see first-hand how beneficial it has been for DS, so I will keep doing what works for us.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

yes...too much! It's always on...we are all tv junkies!

I need the tv to sleep

I try to limit it...I tell him it's broken that holds him off for a couple of hours

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

DD is five months and we haven't introduced it yet and probably won't for a while. I do think maybe once a day (so I can shower or something) is okay though, provided it's geared for her age.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

We always have TV on in the background. He will watch it then play or do both at the same time.

I see nothing wrong with it. I watched it when I was little. And I turned out ok

I think he has learned so much more then I could teach him from TV and his vocab has exploded, I feel, because of TV.

Message edited 2/25/2008 3:53:24 PM.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Posted by GoldenRod

Both of our DC watch quite a bit of TV. We have closed captioning on all the time, and we interact with DC constantly. DS is easily several years ahead of most of his peers. He has been reading without assistance since about age 3 or so. His imagination is amazing. He can take a storyline from a show and expand on it to unbelievable depth. He is learning multiple languages (Spanish and Chinese) from TV.

I think TV is a tool, and if used correctly, can be very beneficial, but if used incorrectly, can cause problems. Nuclear fuel can either make cheap clean energy, or devastating bombs....

I don't get offended when people say TV is bad. I see first-hand how beneficial it has been for DS, so I will keep doing what works for us.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Yup, DD watches TV (she is almost 2), but she also plays, reads books, colors, goes to school 3x/week, a gym class etc... It's just another activity... As a SAHM I honestly can't entertain her all day... I also have a 3 month old and it's nice that DD can watch some TV while I tend to the baby...

She loves Dora and started counting in Spanish and saying some spanish words, too cute!

In the nicer weather she watches less TV since we are at the park a lot...

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

the tv is always on but dd does not sit there and "wacth" it. Sometimes she will look at the TV if music is playing or something

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Message edited 2/25/2008 3:44:27 PM.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Posted by 5ofClubs

We always have TV on in the background. He will watch it then play or do both at the same time.

I see nothing wrong with it. I watched it when I was little. And I turned out ok

I think he has learned so much more then I could teach him from TV and his vocab has exploded, if feel, because of TV.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Posted by MrsSchwags

Posted by 5ofClubs

We always have TV on in the background. He will watch it then play or do both at the same time.

I see nothing wrong with it. I watched it when I was little. And I turned out ok

I think he has learned so much more then I could teach him from TV and his vocab has exploded, if feel, because of TV.

same here.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

Posted by MrsSchwags

Posted by 5ofClubs

We always have TV on in the background. He will watch it then play or do both at the same time.

I see nothing wrong with it. I watched it when I was little. And I turned out ok

I think he has learned so much more then I could teach him from TV and his vocab has exploded, if feel, because of TV.

same here.

Re: do you let your child watch TV?

My DH and I did a lot of research about TV too. We also read what you posted and decided our DS would not watch TV for awhile. He is almost 5 months. I don't even have it on in the background. When he was about 2 mos. I noticed when I had it on he would focus on it, so now I have stopped putting it on when he is in the room. We keep the radio on all the time.

Message edited 2/25/2008 4:10:34 PM.