Is TV that bad?

[LDC]

All I know is we all have different opinions on things.

Just because people choose to do different things people are criticised, so actually reading this thread it's a bit like a back lash. People say "we do things differently" but then you have someone quoting things making people feel bad because of their strong opinions against it.

Goodness I might put some peppy pig on for lo whilst I go to the loo so she doesn't scream the house down in her play pen. I'm not interacting with her whilst I go to the loo for a few minutes. What an awful mother I must be!! Maybe I should take her with me, sit her in the toilet (asides from being unhygienic but also with her crawling she'll probably tumble, smash her head off the bath and I'm in the middle of a wee...) and have a sing song to educate her...

Jeez.

One of the things I can't stand about bnb is things like this. There are far more worrying things than whether my child watches tv during a day, op do what you feel is best and don't allow people to make you feel bad. Everyone is trying to do their best yet they're made to feel bad, why can't people state their opinion once, then leave it?

*leaving the thread*

 

[Larkspur]

All I know is we all have different opinions on things.

Just because people choose to do different things people are criticised, so actually reading this thread it's a bit like a back lash. People say "we do things differently" but then you have someone quoting things making people feel bad because of their strong opinions against it.

Goodness I might put some peppy pig on for lo whilst I go to the loo so she doesn't scream the house down in her play pen. I'm not interacting with her whilst I go to the loo for a few minutes. What an awful mother I must be!! Maybe I should take her with me, sit her in the toilet (asides from being unhygienic but also with her crawling she'll probably tumble, smash her head off the bath and I'm in the middle of a wee...) and have a sing song to educate her...

Jeez.

One of the things I can't stand about bnb is things like this. There are far more worrying things than whether my child watches tv during a day, op do what you feel is best and don't allow people to make you feel bad. Everyone is trying to do their best yet they're made to feel bad, why can't people state their opinion once, then leave it?

*leaving the thread*

FFS, nobody said if you put a kid in front of a kids show for a couple of minutes while you go to the loo you're a crap parent.

If you start a thread called Is TV That Bad? you are going to get a range of response. The drama is when people get offended by anyone suggesting that what they happen to do might be in way less than perfect, and put on exaggerated displays of martyrdom before flouncing off.

 

[LDC]

I know I'm not a perfect parent. No one is.

It actually seems like people put their opinion on here and you come back with 10000285658 reasons as to why that's not acceptable.

I don't care what you think of my parenting style, but there are people on here who are worried about how others react to their decisions. Maybe have a think about that one, you never once in your replies say "it's ok to do this, I'd just do this", you spiel off a load of negativity which can make people feel bad. So yes you can have a range of responses but when someone does something that I wouldn't do I don't keep harping on, nor do I usually, answer to the thread. As I said you said your opinion the first time, other people said theirs but you repeatedly come back with how they're wrong - at least that's how your threads read.

And I wasn't flouncing off, it's so that an argument doesn't erupt, it's called being an adult.

 

[HanaK]

Well I personally don't see anything wrong with a bit of debate... We're all adults and debate is how opinions evolve (unless you're so closed minded that you remain completely unmoved by well put together arguments).

Me? I'm on the fence with TV: my LO LOVES watching sport with his daddy (must be the colours) and they often enjoy cuddles on rainy days in front of the cricket (football now the new season has started). Never for an extended period of time but it's a bond they'll share for the rest of their life and which will develop into a love of physical activity.

However, kids TV? The odd programme when he's older fine; a bit of a rite of passage I suppose; sick days in front of the telly with a quilt, fine. I do think though that TV as a baby had NOTHING educational to offer. I imagine it creates a dependence on lots of the wrong type if mental stimulation and definitely hinders the development of imagination. I just don't see the point - my LO is just as fascinated by looking out of the window or facing me and having a little chat.

Larkspur I'm glad you mentioned Baby Einstein as it's the bloody bane of my life. My SIL swears by it but I just don't see how it creates anything other than a child with a penchant for sitting with their eyes wide and brain switched off. Having said that, if I had a particularly high needs baby and it calmed them for a few minutes? Well I'm not so pig headed to never say never.

 

[Larkspur]

I know I'm not a perfect parent. No one is.

It actually seems like people put their opinion on here and you come back with 10000285658 reasons as to why that's not acceptable.

I don't care what you think of my parenting style, but there are people on here who are worried about how others react to their decisions. Maybe have a think about that one, you never once in your replies say "it's ok to do this, I'd just do this", you spiel off a load of negativity which can make people feel bad. So yes you can have a range of responses but when someone does something that I wouldn't do I don't keep harping on, nor do I usually, answer to the thread. As I said you said your opinion the first time, other people said theirs but you repeatedly come back with how they're wrong - at least that's how your threads read.

And I wasn't flouncing off, it's so that an argument doesn't erupt, it's called being an adult.

I'm certain that even replying to your post I'll get accused of continuing to harp on, but too bad.

In this thread I've asked questions, suggested that a bit of age-appropriate stuff isn't going to hurt anyone but half an hour or more a day is probably getting up there, responded to a supposedly genuine question about the exact effects of television and then replied to a couple of hair-flinging, self-pitying drama posts about how I'm telling people they're crap parents, which at no point anywhere in this thread have I have done.

If people are really so insecure that they cannot read an opinion different to their own without crying about how they must be the worst parent in the world or that to do anything other than what they do would probably result in their baby injuring themselves terribly, or cannot deal with the thought that somewhere out there in the world there is a stranger who disagrees with their parenting approach, then all I can suggest most kindly is that they need to harden up or get off the internet.

As for me being endlessly negative, I invite you to read back through my past posts, the VAST majority of them are supportive and or informative, and I think probably my thanks count tells you something about whether most people find me helpful or not. Alternatively, I strongly encourage you to use the IGNORE function.

 

[HoneyBee144]

I've just read through this whole thread and found it really interesting.

I am one of the people who has to have the tv on, I hate silence but also I have a very nervous dog and the background noise soothes her. My LO does like tv but he doesn't watch it 24/7. I personally feel it's up to the parent, I have no problem with him watching tv but I respect that others may not feel the same.

I grew up watching a lot of tv and adored the Disney movies (and still do!). I would never say they were educational by any stretch of the imagination but I have lovely childhood memories of watching them. I look back now and I'm shocked by the story lines/plot, they're very twisted but I didn't understand this when I was little and I've grown up fine

I believe it's each to their own. It's important to know the facts and what the research shows so that you can make an informed decision but at the end of the day you have to do what you feel is right. It wouldn't do for us all to be the same!

 

[AngelofTroy]

Really interesting thanks Larkspur for posting the info about the negative effects of tv. It'll make me think about letting Micah watch tv in the future. He already watches what I consider to be quite a small amount, but it's made me want to limit it even more (although I doubt I'll manage none at all, I still think it's occasionally useful for me).

 

[readytotry]

All in moderation. I'm pregnant and exhausted and my daughter probably watche too much tv at the moment.

Just a thought on the OP though, at 12 weeks I wouldn't bother worrying about educational programmes, just put on what you want to watch. It's all just lights, colours and sounds for your Lo.

 

[Foogirl]

Abby watches a lot of TV. I used to be very uncomfortable with it but she is a bright, articulate confident child and her educational adviser has no concerns over things like attention span etc. It certainly helps with her massive vocabulary!

There are always studies about everything. I tend to glance over them and look for warning signs. Sure she can be distracted by it, but she can be distracted by a fly. So if we need her full attention we can always turn it off. As I see it, distractions like TV, phones etc are all around us. Learning how to deal with it is important.

I think people can be too pious about it.

 

[Conundrum]

As others have said, I am a SAHM and t.v. is necessary at least for me. I stay at home 16hours a day by myself and though we do daily outings it is still nice to hear other human voices while I go about my day.

LO has had t.v. on since day one, and actually I am pretty appreciative of it since she has no concern with it what so ever. If she is awake she wants to be in her bouncer with someone sitting beside her talking to her. Her bouncer is all of eight feet away from our 60" and she does not even turn towards it. After her GERD and colic became under control she is rarely fussy, takes two naps a day and sleeps through the night.

Honestly I believe it just depends on your parenting choices and your child. Really trying to make every individual person follow a set path rarely works since each person is an individual. Do what you think is best, as long as she is not being left alone to just stare at it all day I really do not think it is a problem.

 

[Louise88]

My daughter loves TV! Whenever were in the house il get all her toys out and put cbeebies on in the background and my daughter always sits herself in front of the TV usually the same programmes such as 'show me show me' I have no problems with her watching tv as I varie her day so we go to the park and soft play places aswell so she's not just learning about TV if that makes sense I'd be abit worried if I never left the house and she spent 6am-6pm every day in front of the TV.

 

[_jellybean_]

I let my son watch t.v., but feel much better about things when he's outside playing.

 

[Natsku]

I don't think small amounts here and there will do much harm (and Maria watched quite a bit of ice hockey as a baby) but I don't let her watch much at all these days (don't have a tv anyway, so she just watches on youtube) - one 20 minute episode every few days. We listen to a lot of music though - she loves music!

I wonder if the people who need background noise grew up with tv on a lot when they were children? Just a theory of mine that if as a baby/child you get used to background noise from tv etc then you're more likely to 'need' it as an adult.

 

[kit10grl]

I used to be quite fussy about the amount of time Ds watched tv but now with having two, one of whom is very time consuming we rely on the tv sometimes. Now I understand a huge amount of research time and money has gone into the statistics and findings quoted in this thread but In my personal experience I find the opposite in a lot of circumstances.

DS watches Thomas the tank regularly. And we have learned tonnes of new words purely from this show. The one being most noticeable was one day we left the house and he pointed up and said 'sky' Not something I have EVER talked to him about. I asked DH about it and he hasn't either. Turns out the episode of Thomas he watched that day had a lot of balloons escaping into the sky. That's where he learned the word.

My friends child watches Oso and one day had an episode about how to approach strangers dogs. She was amazed later that week when her son followed the steps in real life by asking the owner if he could talk to the dog.

Also some of the shows I put on are actually beneficial to ME. Mr. Tumble has such a wide range of Makaton signs introduced each episode I always learn at least one new sign. This has been fantastic as I am learning this to help DD with her communication but there is only so much time reading books you can manage with two kids.

So yes while my examples are all anecdotal and not scientifically worth much I would disagree that children learn nothing from TV.

Saying that I also don't leave them in front of the TV for hours on end and love switching it off and having some quiet time in the house too as it helps DD focus with her hearing on our sounds without the background interference

 

[meli1981]

I love mickeys clubhouse and little einsteins for my lo, she has learned tonnes from them

 

[lhancock90]

Oh gosh I dump the kids in front of Peppa 12 hours a day.
Joke. Common sense is all thats required here. Half an hour? Whilst I tidy or bath or cook something is hardly the end of the world. Evelyn tends to prefer films anyway.
It's been part of my children's life and I have one very happy and imaginative toddler who loves to be outside.

 

[meli1981]

Me too!

 

[kissesandhugs]

When babysitting my ex's niece and nephew their mom always had baby Einstein on in the background and they would watch it for 15-20 mins here and there. And I know there's obviously debate on this but it really did teach them quite a bit. Especially animal sounds and colors!

 

[MommyJogger]

The thing I don't understand about how people say that toddlers learn new vocabulary (for example) from television is this: in the 20-30 min they're watching TV and learning new words, what would be so bad about having them with you and teaching them about what you're doing? The new word doesn't have to be "sky" (I don't mean to single you out, whoever this was, just an example). It could be "bowl" or "soap" or "scrub" or "rake" or something learned from watching what you're doing and having you explain it to them and let them help in some way. I guess I'm not in much of a rush anymore when I do things? I just feel like it's worth it to take the time to slow down and teach them about day-to-day activities rather than them learning about engines or porcine relations.
And if the parent is sitting there watching, too, wouldn't it be more educational and psychologically calming to stroll around the neighborhood pointing out things and talking about them? Teaching to stop at stop signs and look both ways or "I spying" something new every day? Or starting a little "garden" to talk about seeds and plants and fruit/vegetables?
I guess I just feel like if there's so much empirical evidence that it's not good and that evidence doesn't have serious flaws, why do it if it's not somehow an absolute necessity or a one-off-type deal? I totally get using it if you're sick and just need a few minutes for some medicine to kick in or you have multiple kids and the other one is sick and demanding an unusual amount of attention, but as a daily/regular thing? I feel like it would be healthier all around to figure out another solution, like a busy box or a selection of little toys rarely rotated in so they're kept fresh. We have a crawly tunnel and tiny party tambourines that only ever come out if we really, really need to get something done, for example. Or we throw the spice jars into a box and give him the box. Maybe look into making some busy baby toys that can easily be reset? (We collected old hinge-top formula buckets and cut different sized holes, then collected different sized recycled caps that were too big to swallow. We put stickers (letters, numbers, animals) on the caps and dump the caps so he can put them back in, shape-sorter style. When he finishes, we just dump them back out and he can shove them back in again. We can cruise by in the middle of what we're doing and talk to him about the different colored letters and noises the animals make.) Just a thought for those who happen to be concerned about the amount of television their los get and would like to think of replacements.

 

[JASMAK]

My kids have full enriched lives. They all belong to a sport club, well, K is in ballet. They got to child care twice a week (quality childcare). The older two have school most days, then swim club three times a week. They ride their bikes until dinner is ready, and after dinner until bathtime. I read stories, play with them, take them on hikes, to beaches, to parks, they have been overseas, and on numerous vcations and ski trips. They have playdates regularly. i highly doubt a few hours of TV is going to screw them up or make them dumb. When its raining, or they are tired....yes, they most certainly can and do watch tv or play video games (age appropriate).

To add....I grew up without a TV. Its was harmful and embarassing. I couldnt join in conversations, complete homework, and I still dont know what people are talking about. I hav nver seen Bambi. I just saw Cinderella the first time recently. I was teased and FELT dumb!! This is the world we live in. The people we interact ith daily. I am still upset about that part of my childhood (birth to 16 when we got our first tv). I am sure no one gets it, but it was a big deal.