what age do babies become aware of tv?

V. wrote:

Thanks for the info and advice. I do need to lessen our TV exposure,
although getting DH to go along with it is going to be nearly
impossible (I am actually thinking about finding a house that if
configured better for DH to have a TV watching area separate from our
living space!) I'm hoping that as she becomes more active that will be
easier since she'll be demanding more of his attention, not just mine.

You know, I was really worried about DH too, but when I spoke to him
about it in a moment of calm (not in a moment of, "Turn off that damn
TV and pay attention to your family, you slug!!" but when we were both
happy and peaceful and just talking...), he really responded. I
explained that I had started turning the TV off more during the day,
and that I felt better about the way I was with the baby as a result
(we were playing more, I was tuned in to her, we were getting more
accomplished around the house, etc.). I told him that I thought it
would be good for us as a family if we *tried* (I made it an
experiment, not an ultimatum) turning off the TV more in the evenings.
I said, "You get home between 5:30 and 6, by the time we get her fed,
ourselves fed, her bath, and a little play, it's time for her to go to
bed, anyway. Wouldn't it be better for her if we were focused on her
for that brief time (note the "we," not "you") instead of focused on
the TV? What would you think about trying to turn the TV off until
she's in bed, just for a little while? After a week, if you don't
think it's working, we can renegotiate..."

After a week, HE came to ME and said, "I really like the way things are
more now that the TV is off, I'm so glad we've done this." I was
stunned. This is a guy who LOVES his TV, and has shows that he watches
religiously. We have a digital video recorder (basically, a homemade
TiVo) that he built, so we're not missing anything (nothing good is on
before 8 pm here, anyway, and even after 8 pm, it's not really anything
good!!).

I did have to laugh at the "My Humps" thing though....first time I
heard that song I thought it must be a joke...I mean, what are they
thinking? It even sounds like a parody!
Just bizarre what will pass for music these days....ugh!

Can you imagine what kind of trash our babies are going to be listening
to in 15 years?

Jeez, get my cane, some Metamucil, and a pair of bifocals, I'm headed
for the old folks' home. Comments like that mean I am definitely old!!

Amy (celebrating the first anniversary of her 29th birthday in about a
month)

Linda wrote:
Ok I don't mean when they are happy to lie there watching the flashing
lights and hearing the sounds, I mean when is it no longer ok to cuddle them
while watching a movie with violence, language etc as they might be picking
up on it? I don't want to be exposing my DD to things that might be
influencing her before I'm aware of it - anyone have any data on this?

I can think of a popular book you might be interested in:

_Endangered Minds_, by Jane Healey

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068...lance&n=283155

--
C, mama to three year old nursling

Very interesting to read what everyone had to say, I think we'd rather err
on the side of cautiousness and not let her watch it from now! Before I was
pregnant we didn't watch a whole lot of tv, but I was really sick for most
of my pregnancy and ended up just lying on the couch watching tv. This then
of course continued when I got home as I had a pretty traumatic labour as
well and took a while to recover. Probably time to turn it off more often,
and when it is on when she's around have it down low and have her faced the
other way unless it's something I would let her watch when she's a bit older
anyway.
thanks