Category: Parent Talk
Hi! I was reading a parenting comm and I came across a post about TV and kids. The poster asked if it was okay for her six-month-old to watch a little TV while she, Mom, does the dishes. She explained that her MIL said it was wrong and not to allow it. I tried to post my thoughts on it, but I wasn’t’ able to, so I’m doing it here. Feel free to comment freely!
In re: to kids watching TV before they’re two, I don’t think it’s wrong as long as it’s done in moderation.
When I was little, Liz put me in front of the TV starting at one year or so and I wasn’t' damaged. I didn't really start paying attention to it until I was around four or five or so. That was when I started watching My Little Pony, along with Punky Brewster and Full House. I watched shows occasionally before that, but I wasn't really into it until I was a little older.
I was more into books and listening to stories on tape and CD's of music, especially Disney music.
As for other kids, I don't see anything wrong with letting them watch a little TV here and there even as early as six months old.
I've been around some two-year-old’s who loved watching shows like Gullah Gullah Island, Sesame Street and Barney. My personal favorites were Allegra’s Window and Gullah Gullah Island. My niece loved watching GGI with me. She would try to say the character’s names and sing the songs right along with Natalie and Ron and the kids. It taught her a lot and she loved it. Her sister is the same way. They also loved anything Ariel and would sit down and watch the TLM TV Series and really know what was going on every time. Like some posters said above, everything in moderation.
I have fond memories of hanging out with my great grandparents and watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Not just wanting them, but playing along and getting the kid friendly questions right!
How about the rest of you out there? What are your thoughts on the subject?
While books on tape are great, I don't think that children at six-months-old could really understand them. The same holds true for television, but so long as it's a truly child-friendly program and has a lot of nice visuals, if the child can see, or interesting sounds if not, then I don't see the problem in letting a child watch television. As he/she gets older, though, I do think that it's important to sit with him/her and explain the difference between make believe and reality and to insure that he/she doesn't accidentally watch something with a lot of violence or that's adult-oriented. Things like Jeoperdy, Wheel of Fortune, Sesame Street, they're truly wonderful for opening the minds of young children and I highly recommend them.
I am more on the older philosophy on parenting quit being lazy and stop allowing the tube to be misses mummy actually mother your own kids wash your dishes when they are asleep and hey don't do your thing when they are awake I believe in old style where the boys and girls were so much more disciplined and and less bratty and please take your kid out once in a while sstop making them so damn attached to the tube or technology. I remember running outside and being holy hell bossing other children around and jumping all about and running around, most kids today don't have a clue what that pure fun is like.
I agree. While I do have fond memories of watching TV with my parents (i.e. Wheel or Fortune and Jeopardy), I think that was what I was allowed to watch. Occasionally I would be allowed to watch Sesame Street or Mr. Dress-up, but I was mostly encouraged to play with toys or outside with the neighborhood kids. While I think in today's society there are very few really kid-friendly TV shows, I think they do exist, and I think it's important for parents to explain things to their kids and not just have the TV act as babysitter while Mom/nanny/babysitter makes lunch.
Kate
As a parent I must disagree somewhat with you guys.
You are forgetting (or perhaps you don't know about) channels like Nic Jr, all educational shows, all with a message. Our two kids watch a fair bit of it (day care is too expensive, and I am a programmer, so I have to work while they are home, we don't have a choice). Our younger son, who just turned 3, knows the numbers, can count to 20, knows the alphabet, and can write a lot of different words, plus he talks in entire sentences, and knows a lot of Spanish phrases. A lot of that comes from shows like Dora, Kailan, Team Uumizumi etc. I think these types of completely dedicated kids education channels did not exist until a few years ago, or so I am given to understand from Wikipedia. I don't like shows like Spungebob, and the whole superhero, Captain America stuff, and our kids don't like it too much either, the occasional Spungebob is ok, but definitely in moderation.
I am not pro tv all the time, of course not, and we make a point of reading to our kids, talk with them and take them out as much as possible, but I cannot agree with parents who label tv evil and just take the kids out to play. I think tv can be beneficial, and I see it in our kids, who are way ahead of the curve for their skills at their age, and I don't think they are super sart or something, they just got the right stimulouts and were naturally crious enough to follow up on it.
(note: my Jaws and IE is utterly messed up,so I cannot go back in this post and edit for spelling mistakes and typos, sorry).
My daughter is 15 months, and will very rarely sit and watch tv unless someone sits with her.
I do agree with what a previous poster said, and I get the majority of things done when she is asleep
But I also do agree that nic jr is excellent, in that it is educational, and it encourages kids to get up and join in, which my daughter is just beginning to do.
But yes, I don't know yet if it is just her age, or her personality, but she would much rather go outside and play, or sit down and look at a book or get me to read it to her, than sit and watch tv.
Hi I think it is ok for a child to watch tv.
but not all.l of the time.
It is not a baby sitter for a kid but some parents do do that.
I agree with the old fashion ones
The TV was my babysetter and that is why I don't care for it today!
Just me!
I believe that tv in moderation on those kid friendly shows like Dora are fun, important, and educational. I though was never allowed to watch to much tv when young and also had a privacy lock on what I could see as I got older. The older I became the more freedom I was allowed. I still did not get mtv and fox and all those until I was 14 or so. My mom just felt that things don't get watched until you are of proper age. I have to thank her for it. I will never use it as a babysitter and hate babysitters like my cousins when they were small who let them watch it all day.