...Is this stuff really a good investment? I'm interested in it, but I also sort of was just hoping my kid would be born a genius, and we'd not have to worry about educating her. No?
Anyway, if you enter TODAYBABY today, you get like 75% off a set of 5 DVDs and 5 CDs, so I was thinking about it. But. Not if it's just like everything else, and just a gimmick, and I'd be fine to just leave my baby with some normal cartoon-type things.
So, would you get the set? Or, just pass?
Not that I'm all about just plunking the kid in front of the TV. But. It will happen from time to time.
I also swore I would not be the mom who listens to kid CDs in the car, but. This might change that, I GUESS. Kids probably shouldn't listen to gangster rap and techno.
Re: This Baby Genius Crap...
ETA - I am guilty of letting her use my iPad when I shower so I wasn't able to totally avoid everything. We also occasionally let her watch online videos of trains or animals because that is something her grandparents started. But we don't do that often.
I just don't want to buy into it for the amount of time we will probably use it unless it really is awesome. I'm thinking of keeping her occupied when, like someone else mentioned, I shower, or my husband is cooking dinner (I do not cook). So, I'm wondering if it's really necessary, or if just the regular cartoon network would be fine as far as some interesting shapes/sounds/colors for her.
I believe I will be her best teacher. Using creative outlets (cooking, crafts, music) is extremely important to me. Target had some flash cards in their dollar section which are for shapes, counting, and colors. I figured that when she is in her high chair or something, we can look at those.
I'm not looking to raise a Harvard grad (unless that's the path she wants) I just want my child and future children to be creative, critical thinkers.
The other day, DD jammed out to Anthrax/Public Enemy's Bring Tha Noize. It was pretty rad to see her headbanging in her car seat. We mostly listen to rock, blues and reggae in the car. DD adores "Uncle Bob" Marley. DH puts on kids music for her, and whenever she asks for it in my car, I tell her that we don't have any of that in my car. She's getting wise, though, because a couple of weeks ago, she said "no Mommy, on your phone. Put it on your phone." So I had to explain that only Daddy's phone has that music in it, not mine. I watch Frozen enough at home, I don't need to listen to the soundtrack in the car, too.
RE: Baby Genius - I assume it's just like the baby einstein stuff? I think it's kind of all the same as most kids programming, only geared towards babies - plus it's hella boring for adults to watch. At least there's some kind of a story line on Daniel Tiger, that baby stuff is just some colors jumping around on the screen. There's plenty of that stuff on Netflix; I wouldn't buy it.
We are trying REALLY hard to do the no screen time for DD until she is at least 2 except my MIL (who watches her during the week) begged me to let her watch Dora every once and a while, so that is the only show she can watch. But I know plenty of people who have their toddler watch TV and they have said that if the show is educational it has actually helped their LO. TETO
Secondly...After our trip to Atlantic City over the weekend where we were stuck in stand still traffic for over an hour and my 1 yr old was screaming "OUT, OUT!"... I will say I understand why parents have soo many children CDs in the car. They really help soothe babies (usually) and I plan on buying more!! At one point (the trip took twice as long as it should have because of a fatal car crash) my husband had on some Jay Z and I told him that we need to get the radio edit version so that the cursing wasn't on there!! We play hip hop, techno, jazz and classical all the time but nothing like the nursery rhymes will shut her up!
I think it's cool how most of the kids shows out there (the ones geared towards toddlers, anyway) really are pretty educational, but nothing compares to kids learning by living. TV for toddlers is not without benefits, though.
Some of the ridiculous Daniel Tiger songs have helped DD understand and deal with her own behavior. She understands the feeling of frustration after watching that episode of the show, and when we remind her that's what she's feeling, she reacts more appropriately and leaves off on the tantrum-ish behavior. It also allows us to tell her when we are frustrated, and she gets it.
I honestly don't know the answer. I think I decided against ordering it at this point in time--especially since someone mentioned Netflix, I should look into that, we have that, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. I just wasn't sure if THIS would be a better alternative than some of the random shows.
I'm trying to figure out how to have these without being at the mercy of "whatever is just on at the time," which is why DVDs appeal to me. But I guess I could TIVO stuff.
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
I'm pretty lax with TV. DD watches probably 2 hours a day regularly (spread out from 7am-730pm) and I don't have a problem with it. We play outside, at the park, go to the river, etc. so frequently that I'm fine with her watching cartoons in the morning while I wake up/bump and when I'm cooking dinner.
But, I also agree with you @Nicb13 - TV isn't what "makes" your child smart. They learn from experiences.
He loves his Baby Einstein and Baby Genius CDs in the car and knows it's time to relax and nap when they're on. Those were the only thing that made the car bearable for us for the longest time.
She would definitely watch more tv if I SAH so believe me I don't judge anyone whose kids watch tv. Like I said she does watch some animal and train videos on YouTube and will occasionally see some tv when we have it on. But, if your question is it a good investment education wise I would definitely say no. Like other people said they learn so much from books and us. Reading to them, talking to them, explaining what things are goes a long way. It's crazy how much they will absorb from you. They will pick up on things that you don't even realize. I am constantly amazed by what my 19 month old knows. Watching her learn each new thing has been one of the most amazing things about being a parent.
We had a sign language board book, but mostly taught simple signs like milk, more, ear mommy, daddy as we said the word in the appropriate context. Daycare teaches signs by showing flash cards, saying the word, and doing the sign.
I've always wanted to learn sign language myself, so I'm maybe more excited about myself learning, than my kid. Is that wrong?
I also learned and taught her sign language for basic stuff to help her communicate before she could form the words - more, please, thank you, eat, drink, all done, etc. I just googled and found stuff on line and on youtube to help - no DVDs or anything. But again, I just wanted to learn some basics to help her communicate her needs, I wasn't trying to teach her sign language, kwim?
@JessAnnJ is right about how they learn so much from us and that TV isn't necessary as a learning tool.
Also important, I think, it allowing babies the chance to "be bored" and figure out what to do with those moments when not a lot is happening. I used to throw my son a couple of measuring cups while I cooked dinner, or put him on the floor of the bathroom while I showered and sang to him, or wrap him up in a carrier while I did the dishes (they like to watch)... those are sweet memories for me, now, too.
It is totally overwhelming not being able to walk away from your baby, but it also feels pretty good to come up with low-tech solutions and see how bright-eyed and curious they are about a regular day in the life.
I have no issues with some TV watching and it's certainly no "worse" than iPads and smartphones etc. I think everyone needs some mental downtime, including kids. It's ok not to be mentally engaged every second of every day. I know DD has learned some from TV...and from books, from us, from my parents who watch her, from daycare, from her little toddler friends. We talk to her constantly and have read to her from the time we brought her home from the hospital. She is, and I must brag, super smart and retains concepts we didn't think she would. I credit all of these things to some extent.
My kid doesn't like to watch any TV or movies for more than 10 min aside from that blasted Caillou. I haven't observed and increased whining from her watching that but I have heard that complaint before. Sometimes I watch back to back Forensic Files or 48 Hours Mystery, am I learning anything? Probably not but sometimes it just feels good to sit back and watch.
Read a lot, talk to them a ton! Even if you think they are too little to understand. They absorb everything, which is so amazing and fun to see.
Totally. The TV in our kitchen remodel was a hugely awesome decision. We don't have an open concept house (old house) so I can put her with some measuring cups and beans and put on the TV or let her color while watching TV so I can cook without her wanting to "help" by putting her hand in a hot oven.
I want to retroactively apologize for all of the "I'll nevers" I said to myself before I had kids. Oh, the ignorance!
I have heard a lot of people complain about Caillou causing whining! I think his voice is annoying as hell, especially the older episodes. We watch the newer ones which aren't as bad but his laugh will haunt my nightmares forever. DD just loves that bald kid though.