I recently received a recent issue of Parenting Magazine: The Early Years (I've gotten several issues from them, but I didn't sign up for the magazine...weird.) I was very interested in the results a little poll that the editors had posted on their website. The question was something like, "Do you think children would be better off without TV?" To which one mother replied, "No, because then they'd have a cranky mommy on their hands, worn out from 'entertaining' them all day long."
Yeah, because Heaven forbid that you actually spend time with your children. Gomez Addams once said, "Why have children if you're just going to get rid of them?" I think he had a better handle on parenting than most.
I think we all heard about how Disney is offering refunds on Baby Einstein videos because of the realization that, oh, yeah, they don't really boost children's brain power. Study after study has shown that what really helps children in their cognitive development is one-on-one interaction with a parent, and that television, even Baby Einstein, can be harmful to children under two. I would go so far as to say that using your TV to babysit your 9-month-old is like putting controlled substances in his baby bottle. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes let my infant watch TV with me, but I have yet to find anything that captures his interest. Usually he'll look at the screen for a minute or two and then turn back to me and say, "Hey, Mom, this is boring. How come you're looking at THAT and not at ME?"
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I so completely agree!!!!! Besides- who needs TV when you have kids?? They are SO much more interesting and entertaining---especially if their imaginations are developed by not watching TV. ;-)
ReplyDeleteTo teach children to be "entertained" by either the television or a parent is equally unhealthy. Children need time to explore and they learn best when they figure things out for themselves. Self-directed play is best. My children all learned their colors, numbers, shapes not by ridiculous flashcards, but by playing.
ReplyDelete"like putting controlled substances in his baby bottle" Seriously? That's a ridiculous and completely outrageous comment. Why make T.V. into something evil like that? Even if you let your 9 month old watch Barney (or some other appropriate program) and the parent watches it with the child, then I fully believe it's ANOTHER good way of teaching. My children enjoyed learning their ABC's, shapes, etc. from these programs and I enjoyed singing the songs with them. And oh yes, songs! If your going to have the gall to write that comment about T.V., go ahead and attack the rest of the media like the radio and computer, both of which my children learn a great deal from. And guess what, I'm right there with them and we have FUN learning and singing. My son just turned two and he knows his ABC's, shapes, and colors and it wasn't JUST me that taught him. I had those so called 'controlled substances' help me out and you know what? He's not a zombie. It's like the internet - there's a lot of good and a lot of bad in it. Maybe it's right to attack the parents that let the T.V. on 24/7, but not EVERY single one that enjoys a good, healthy program to watch with their child, even one younger than two for a half hour.
ReplyDeleteWhoops - 'you're', not 'your'
ReplyDelete