29 replies to this topic

[nhardy]

Thought I would bring this up since my other thread on flying with Infants had a couple of responses suggesting DVD players.

How old should a child be before allowing them to watch TV/DVDs?

I know people that have plopped their children in front of TVs since day one. I understand that some of the newer DVDs such as Baby Einstein are quite popular, but don't you think that allowing a child to be stimulated by a parents interaction and their own imagination rather then a DVD is healthier for them in the long run?

My wife and I do not let our child watch TV. Instead she loves to listen to music and just explore. She's at the age now where she can see the TV when it's on, but has no interest in it (which is fine with us).

[traceyl]

Thought I would bring this up since my other thread on flying with Infants had a couple of responses suggesting DVD players.

How old should a child be before allowing them to watch TV/DVDs?

I know people that have plopped their children in front of TVs since day one. I understand that some of the newer DVDs such as Baby Einstein are quite popular, but don't you think that allowing a child to be stimulated by a parents interaction and their own imagination rather then a DVD is healthier for them in the long run?

My wife and I do not let our child watch TV. Instead she loves to listen to music and just explore. She's at the age now where she can see the TV when it's on, but has no interest in it (which is fine with us).

Sometimes it helps in times of need... trying to get stuff done around the house, etc. Baby Mozart and Baby Einstein would keep my now 7 yr old occupied for 1/2 hr or so. My 3 yr old was not, and still isn't, interested in TV... unless there is music on it.

There is such thing as too much TV and there are those that use it as a continual babysitter, which I don't agree with. But I don't think that there's anything wrong with some (monitored) television.

[Mommy2Sydni]

I have a 3 month old who will occasionally watch Baby Einstein, as Traceyl said, sometimes you have to get stuff done. He will watch about 20 minutes (long enough to fold laundry) and then he is done. I don't worry too much about TV or even what they watch...I may regret it later, but we are fine for now.

[3heningers]

I think as long as there is balance TV is fine. I let my two-year-old watch for 30min to an hour in the morning when he first gets up (he is not a morning person) and then we spend the rest of the morning at the park, playing with toys or reading books. He usually watches one more show while I'm cooking dinner. He is very active and healthy. He likes the TV but doesnt freak when I turn it off or tell him he cant watch right now. He has learned a lot of great things from Dora and Blues clues. I am not saying he couldnt have learned them by playing with me, but it is good reinforcement. Its a touchy subject, I used to think I would never let my kids watch TV so young. Things change when you actually have them !

[Cloud9]

Well, I guess the alternative is that it can be like the "old days" that my parents tell me about.

My father says that all he remembers about us before the age of 5 is constant crying and screaming - we didn't have a TV back then and my mother would put us in the crib so we don't get hurt while she cleaned, vacuumed, did laundry, cooked meals, etc.

And once we got a TV, we were glued to it. We survived - Baby Einstein won't kill anybody or take away their creativity....

[Folsom Daycare Provider]

It's all about balance. I let my daycare watch 30 min. in the morning while I'm cooking breakfast. My clients don't have a problem with this because I am actually preparing a breakfast, not throwing them a breakfast bar or cold cereal and it wouldn't be safe to have them at my feet while cooking. I don't however let become vid-e-otts

[Cloud9]

That's what I keep telling everyone! It's all about balance, the first 10yrs 24x7 TV and the next 90yrs no TV.

[swmr545]

I didn't watch much TV growing up since I was always grounded so I learned to love books. To this day, I still dont' watch much TV. I find myself emersed into a world created by the words of the author.

However when I finally have children of my own (assuming this new law doesn't pass), I would hope to wait at least 3 years or so before they are allowed to watch TV for more than an hour.

[TheCourtJester]

Growing up, I never watched TV with teh exception of the Bugs Bunny and Tweety show on Saturday monrings, and Star Trek TNG once I got a old enough to understand it

Once all Looney Tunes cartons were pulled and I started realizing HOW MANY ads were on TV, I lost interest altogether. The only TV I've watched in teh past four or five years has been watching the very occasional CSI with the "significant other."

As it's already been said, moderation is the key.

Oh, the exception is MTV. The station that's single-handedly dumbed down the pre-teen/teen populace. MTV should NEVER be allowed.

[Cloud9]

Question for the folks that don't watch much TV.... do you listen to music much?


My wife rarely if ever watches TV, but loves music - not that she gets much of a chance to listen to it, but if it were a choice between those two she'd pick music.

[Bolt]

Sort of along the lines of what Cloud9 was saying... force your kids to watch TV when they're little and maybe they'll hate it as they grow older. I don't really think that's a good strategy to hedge your bets on, though.
Personally, my parents didn't really set any guidelines on TV when I was little; I could watch it if I wanted, but there was so much more to do in the house, and I didn't watch much then (or now). I do listen to a lot of music, but it's mostly a background thing, and the only time I do critical listening is in bed when I'm drifting off to sleep, so it doesn't really take time out of my day.

I'm not really sure what I'm getting at. Don't actually stop them from watching TV, but make sure that your kids are never so bored that they actually have to resort to that. Or something.

[nhardy]

Question for the folks that don't watch much TV....  do you listen to music much?
My wife rarely if ever watches TV, but loves music - not that she gets much of a chance to listen to it, but if it were a choice between those two she'd pick music.

I pretty much listen to music all day. When I'm am work I put on the headphones and away I go.

As for TV, it seems like in the fall I watch it more often. Probably cause of Football season, but there is just so much crap on the glow box these days, it's no wonder some people get so lazy.

Since when did the American Dream become getting onto a reality show, looking for the quick buck or rise to stardom? The only thing enjoyable about watching that, is to see these morons get there dreams crushed by some no talent a** clown judges.

Sorry, minor rant...No I do not watch a lot of television.

[Gina99]

My son loves Dora the Explorer and Maisy so he gets one in the morning when I am in the shower/working out and one in the evening when I am making dinner. Thank goodness for Tivo!

[Cloud9]

I have another question for the "no TV" parents.

We're constantly fighting the "no TV" battle, and after some discussions with parents who proudly proclaim that their kids watch absolutely no TV we find that some of these also apply.

1. Their kids are in full time preschool from 7am - 6pm M-F, come home, eat dinner, watch one show (or none), have a bath, bedtime story and off to sleep at 7 or 8pm. (we can do that schedule with no tv standing on our heads)

2. Parents unintentionally understate the amount of TV (half hour here and there adds up) some of it being in the car while driving around town or at a friend's house during play dates, etc.

3. The kid is on the computer instead of the TV and/or is playing a video game (some parents don't count that as TV time)

I'll assume that most of the parents here mean no TV, video games, computer. So what do you do with the kids all day long? How are the kids entertained? I'm curious to know.

Our kids have been home all summer and we're pretty much out of ideas. We have a 4yr and 2 1/2 yr old boys that wake up at 6am every morning and go to sleep at 7:30pm every night.

That's 13.5hrs or 67.5hrs a week (m-f) that needs to be filled with an attention span measured in minutes. So lets hear all the ideas out there.

Note: I work from home full-time, so I can't take them anywhere until after work, and then it's too hot for the kids outside. My wife's mobility is limited, and we've had our last play date for a while.