Babies: 9 - 12 Months
JWSchwarz
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TV?
JWSchwarz
member
DS has never really watched TV, except for football when DH's college team is playing. We don't watch TV usually either so this is the reason why he doesn't really have exposure to it. I mean I let him watch a Sesame Street YouTube video when he wouldn't stop crying once, but that's about it.
When will you let LO watch TV and why? How often? I have heard that it is best to wait until 2 but I don't really know why.
I don't want my LO to be distracted by this when he could be learning and experiencing other (better) things, but I also don't want to be the freak mom that won't let her kid watch TV!!
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Re: TV?
BFP 3.8.16 EDD 11.20.16
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages TV exposure for children under 2. They re-affirmed their position in 2011 based on updated research suggesting a correlation between TV exposure (even background while parents are watching) and delayed language skills as well as irregular sleep patterns.
Studies have not been able to establish causation yet, so it could turn out that infants/toddlers with these issues are more attracted to TV, or it could be that the TV watching causes the issues. There's no way to know for sure, so I don't want to take the chance. We have the TV off anytime DD is in the room. Here's a link to the article: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/5/1040.full#sec-6
But sometimes that just isn't possible. This morning, for example, we had to keep the news on to see if schools, and thus his day care were closed. He played almost the entire time.
I let Eli watch TV. We don't watch it all day long, but we'll watch it for a little bit. Most of the time, I'm watching with him and he is snuggling with me.
I let DS watch a childrens show in the morning while I get ready for work. He is fine.
I think the problem is when people plant their kids (and usually themselves) in front of TV for the majority of their time together. If everyone is sitting in front of the TV they are not really talking and interacting well enough for their child to learn the behavior.
If a few hours of TV is as dangerous as knives and toilet water then I think I would have a ton of issues. My family watched TV all the time when I was growing up.
They say that at two they can start watching TV in moderation without a lack of terrible side effects...I'll be interested to see how the study changes in a few years. My guess is that the age will be changed. Most likely to 3 or 4 years.
I think the point is to interact with your child and not plant them in front of the TV. Honestly I like the idea. We don't watch a ton of TV anyway and I prefer to be out and about with LO exploring. However, I am not going to be militant about a few hours of TV.
This is something DH and I really disagree on. I am not a TV person at all. I watch about 1 hour of tv a week. My favorite show on Thursday nights. That's it. I would be perfectly fine not having a tv in the house and just watching my show on hulu.
DH is a tv person and always has to have the tv on. When I am home with DD by myself the tv is never on once, not even as background. When DH is home, the tv is always on either because he is watching it or as background. I also don't like when the tv is on at my inlaws. They take care of DD once a week and the tv is always on the entire day because they are watching it. I want to limit her exposure but it is hard when she is with DH or his parents. Or even my mom said to me today, "Oh, we watched 10 minutes of sesame street this morning." I know it's just 10 minutes but I just don't like it.
I try not to stress about it too much since I grew up around tv and I am a perfectly intelligent adult but I just really don't like it. There are so many more fulfilling things to do with your time than watch tv.
Having said that I am a SAHM so yes we have "story time", "play time" "half an hour tv time" which is mostly Micky just because it is tv but it also teaches shapes, colors, etc. "bath time" "check the mail time" "breakfast lunch and dinner time". I think you get the picture.
If your child is in daycare I can promise tv is on. They may not necessarily be forced to sit and watch it but it is on as background noise either way.
Again, I think this is more of a personal decision. If your routine or day involves a little tv, I do not think anyone is going to say your a bad mom. If your day doesn't involve tv, I don't think anyone is going to think your a bad mother either. To each their own!
I just wanted to add that I have the tv on for LO for about an hour when we get home. I admit that I use the TV (specifically Big Jack's Music Show on Nick Jr.) for a few minutes to get myself organized (let the dogs out, go the bathroom, heat up his bottle, etc.), but then I try to sing along with the songs while doing these tasks, and when I am done, I pick him up and we dance and sing together to the rest of the show. It feels just like another activity to add to the mix and to cheer us both up that we made it through a hectic day.
My ped said tv in moderation, certainly not as a babysitter, and if you have it on, use it as a learning tool to engage with your child. Talk to them about what's going on in the age-appropriate program; do an activity inspired by it, even if it's dancing. To me, tv is not *that* much different than listening to music...one's visual, one's based on hearing...when used in moderation, of course.
Did you really just equate watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with grabbing a knife from the dishwasher and splashing water in the toilet. Get a grip people. Watching tv is not going to spoil your child. Just don't use it as way to avoid parenting or as a babysitter. DD1 watches tv, and has no delayed speech or communication.
No, a pp definitely said that tv under 2 correlates with language delays.
PP didn't say she thought that tv under 2 correlates with language delays, she said that is what the American Academy of Pediatrics uses when discouraging tv under 2 years. They are using current research to make their recommendation, and PP was just sharing that recommendation.
BFP 3.8.16 EDD 11.20.16
I see that you clarified it. My post was a few hours before yours so I wouldn't have been able to see that when I created my response.
I don't think the pp meant "oh it makes her happy...so I'll let her do anything she wants". Simply that she didn't let her LO watch a ton of TV but would allow a short childrens show because she noticed her child liked it. I don't see how there is anything amiss with the statement.
ETA: also, no one is stating that watching TV helps or is beneficial. It is simply a recreation. So there is no argument there.
Since I almost never watch TV myself, and daycare does not have a TV i guess i'll just keep doing what i am doing. Except Virginia Tech football games. DH gets DS all dressed up in his jersey and they watch the games together. I would find divorce papers if I tried to put a stop to that:
i didn't use the argument "but it makes her happy" and comparing watching tv to grabbing a knife or splashing in the toilet is just a little silly. But hey we are all entitled to our opinions!