When can babies can watch some tv?

I have heard all different answers for this, so i'm just curious when you all started to let your DC watch some tv. My boys are 3 months and stare in amazement at it. It lets me get some laundry done here and there but I am nervous it's not good this young.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

what babies should not watch tv? Is this a new Dr. Spock chapter? oh well...bad mommy here...my son loves tv...and I have no problem letting him watch it...

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

Ok good lol.....some people have said and i've also read that it's not good for their development because tv moves "fast" and real life is much slower.....who knows....all I know is that they seem to love it!

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

kay has watched tv since around 2months....very little of it but a few mins to entertain her bc she was so interested in it

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I leave the tv on in the morning while feeding DS so I can catch up on the news. DS still has no interest in the tv. He'd rather play with his toys

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She has been watching Thomas the Train ever since she came home from the hospital with Big Brother Andrew

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DS watches TV and honestly, it allows me to wash bottles and eat something in the morning. He seems to enjoy it too, especially Jacks Big Music Show. I hear him "talking" to the TV, its so cute!

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if letting babies watch tv is bad then im a horrible mom. DD has been watching it since shes about 2 months. yo gabba gabba and sesame street work wonders when i have a cranky baby

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Landon started watching TV at 7-8 months. He only watches 1/2 hour per day.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

The AAP recomends no TV till they are two. I think a lot of mommies throw that out the window though

Message edited 2/14/2009 9:46:50 AM.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

Posted by Stacey1403

The AAP recomends no TV till they are two. I think a lot of mommies throw that out the window though

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

My plan was not to let DD watch TV under 2yr. BUt it didn't work,lol. DD didn't watch ANY TV until she was about 13-14 mos. Once she started running around and became more active, I couldn't get a break for a sec so I let her watch little bit like 15 min a day. Now at almost 18 mo she is allowd to watch up to 1 hr a day or less . so I let her watch few min in the morning and few min in the evening. But no TV while eating.
BTW The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

LOL, my DD loves Yo Gabba Gabba..she is fascinated with the colors and songs..
She is 11 weeks

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

Ryleigh is FASCINATED with the TV. She watched the Superbowl with Daddy! I don't see the harm in it right now--I plan on starting to limit TV time in a few months.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

DD started watching Baby Einstein when she was 3 months. It was like a drug that stopped her from screaming....It was great! Around 9 months she started watching The Wiggles and it has snowballed from there. She is a Mickey and Dora freak now! She dances and laughts...it is so cute.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

FYI so you can make your own decision:


The AAP has the following very clear position on kids/babies and television:

“Children of all ages are constantly learning new things. The first 2 years of life are especially important in the growth and development of your child's brain. During this time, children need good, positive interaction with other children and adults. Too much television can negatively affect early brain development. This is especially true at younger ages, when learning to talk and play with others is so important.

Until more research is done about the effects of TV on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television for children age 2 or younger. For older children, the Academy recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs. “

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.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

Sydnie has always watched TV. It's how I am able to schedule in showers and meals.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

I started letting DS watch some TV around 13 mos - he is allowed to watch it when he drinks his milk sippys and that is it. Sometimes it takes a little longer and sometimes a little less but overall I would say the most tv he is getting is 15-20 min per day. There are SOME days however when I need the tv for one reason or another so he watches in addition to this - if i need to take a shower and couldn't fit in elsewhere or have something i need to do

That said, my original plan was to follow what the AAP said but, I am happy to say that I have found TV not to be terrible for my DS - I think when you interact with them and the show they are watching (of course it depends on the show) TV can actually be a good thing. I cannot tell you how many words my DS has learned from the tv in the limited amount of time he watches it! I was amazed around 15 (he is 17 mos now) mos when my sister came over and he pointed to her back pack and said it loudly "back pack" - amazed, b/c the only place he ever saw this was on Dora. Starting around then he would repeat the words after Dora when she said to - so he was interacting with the tv and now knows Dora, boots, the fox, the map, the backpack etc. etc. Even b/f this around 13 mos he was repeating "moose" and "zee" from noggin and asking to watch "blue." I usually only let him watch one show for a period of time and then switch to a new one. Obviously he learns more words from his daily life but I can't say he learns nothing from tv so in my book - some tv as long as it is interactive is a-ok but i guess every parent has to make their own call on that!

Message edited 2/14/2009 12:35:26 PM.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

Ds is 8 months tomorrow........We just in the last 2 weeks started letting DS watch Handy Manny & some Mickey show in the AM after his bottle. It's always with one of us.....and we interact with him during it!


But it is your decision & what you are comfy with!!

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

ds occasionally watches shows that are on io.... usually when i notice that he is trying to watch whatever i have on the tv....

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he watches sesame, and will crane his neck to sneak a peak. he loves TV, I can't stop it bc my inlaws watch him all day, who knows what goes on!

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We hang out in the living room most of the day and I usually have the tv on so DS who is 3 months is always staring at it, he seems to love it. I turn it off sometimes because all he wants to do is look up at it. I'm not ready to sit him in front of it to actually watch a cartoon or tv show of his own yet.

Message edited 2/14/2009 9:43:02 PM.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

We try to follow the AAP guidelines so generally TV is off if DD is up. She has watched some TV but it is pretty rare and we don't go crazy if we are at other homes and they have the TV on. We figure she watches so little it can't hurt.

Recently, I actually turned on a couple cartoons for her and she did not have much interest anyway. She is 18 months.

Re: When can babies can watch some tv?

DD didn't watch TV until she was just about a year...and then, it was only Sesame Street on the days when we were around to watch it in the a.m. Then she started watching Max & Ruby in the evening and she LOVES that show...it helps her unwind right before bed.

So, she has shows she "watches" for about 1.5 hours a day...but she's never sitting down the entire time, she often gets bored during Sesame Street , but she is glued to Max & Ruby She'll see something else occasionally, but I was really not into letting her watch a ton of TV, and still am not into it personally.

But I was surprised when I got the paperwork from my pediatrician that said something like "AAP suggests no more than 5 hours of TV per week for her age (18 months)"