CTTD (sort of)

At the tender age of just 10 weeks, our little bean has discovered the
television. He's not just watching, but cooing in response.

sigh

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.


--
Deirdre, in the company of Baby Beastie

Without meaning to sound as if I'm scolding or being negative, one way to
avoid this is not to watch TV when the child is in the room. DD barely
notices the TV, so we still have it on in the morning and watch the news
while she plays in the den with us. However, once she starts noticing, we've
already agreed to stop watching while she's in the room. We also watch
sports without the sound, which also doesn't seem to affect her at all. YMMV
and you may not mind your child watching some TV. Although the AAP says not
to watch any TV until age two, all of my friends allow their children to
watch videos (alone without parental supervision; the kids are from 6-12
months old) and all of the kids seem to be happy and well-adjusted. OTOH, DD
doesn't own any videos and we don't plan to start watching anything until
her second birthday.

--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

"Deirdre" wrote in message
...
At the tender age of just 10 weeks, our little bean has discovered the
television. He's not just watching, but cooing in response.

sigh

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.


--
Deirdre, in the company of Baby Beastie

We intend to curtail his exposure, absolutely, I'm just surprised that the
discovery has happened already!
Our god kids have been raised on TV (the eldest has had his own TV/VCR since
he was 4!) and listening to cartoon drivel come out of their mouths just
makes my skin crawl. While I appreciate the need some parents have to park
the little one in front of a video in order to get a few things done around
the house, it always struck me as a slippery slope that leads to the TV
babysitting the child all day. I'd sooner shut off our electricity than do
that!
My husband and I are complete homebodies, so the TV is on quite a bit, but
we'll be taking steps to change that. It's not as if we don't have better
things to do ourselves, you know? And when it IS on, we'll be hyper
conscious about what we're watching. I was raised on PBS and my vocabulary
was the most profound beneficiary. I hope to do the same for my little man
wherever possible.

Melissa wrote:
Without meaning to sound as if I'm scolding or being negative, one
way to avoid this is not to watch TV when the child is in the room.
DD barely notices the TV, so we still have it on in the morning and
watch the news while she plays in the den with us. However, once she
starts noticing, we've already agreed to stop watching while she's
in the room. We also watch sports without the sound, which also
doesn't seem to affect her at all. YMMV and you may not mind your
child watching some TV. Although the AAP says not to watch any TV
until age two, all of my friends allow their children to watch
videos (alone without parental supervision; the kids are from 6-12
months old) and all of the kids seem to be happy and well-adjusted.
OTOH, DD doesn't own any videos and we don't plan to start watching
anything until her second birthday.

--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

"Deirdre" wrote in message
...
At the tender age of just 10 weeks, our little bean has discovered
the television. He's not just watching, but cooing in response.

sigh

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.


--
Deirdre, in the company of Baby Beastie

In article , "Deirdre"
wrote:

While I appreciate the need some parents have to park
the little one in front of a video in order to get a few things done around
the house, it always struck me as a slippery slope that leads to the TV
babysitting the child all day.

This happened to a friend of mine. Her 2 children started off just watching
Playschool (a long-running educational programme), and it was so easy for her
to Get Things Done that the time just expanded and expanded. Finally, she bit
the bullet and the TV went on a holiday. She noticed that their play became
far more imaginative than it had been. Now she has 4, and the TV is back, but
under very strict control.

Seems to me that a collaborative approach to doing household work (ie,
involving your children) probably makes the electronic babysitting phenomenon
less likely.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

Deirdre" wrote:
While I appreciate the need some parents have to park
the little one in front of a video in order to get a few things done
around
the house, it always struck me as a slippery slope that leads to the TV
babysitting the child all day.

"Chookie" wrote
This happened to a friend of mine. Her 2 children started off just
watching
Playschool (a long-running educational programme), and it was so easy for
her
to Get Things Done that the time just expanded and expanded. Finally, she
bit
the bullet and the TV went on a holiday. She noticed that their play
became
far more imaginative than it had been. Now she has 4, and the TV is back,
but
under very strict control.

In my experience (very limited), I've found this to be true as well. DD
watches no TV during the day and 'helps' me with chores. She wanders around
the kitchen while I do dishes, plays in the bedroom while I make the bed and
plays on her bed while I fold laundry. Other things are left until when DH
is home because it's too labor intensive to do with her or it's something
that I can't stop in the middle if she falls or otherwise needs me.

I've found that the people with the longest naps tend to be the ones who
talk about needing to Get Things Done as an excuse for TV the most. DD naps
1.5 hours a day, total, so I've found ways to do things with her. My neice
naps for 3 hours every day (plus nearly 12 at night) but, at 2 yrs., she
watches 1.5 hrs. of TV each day so her mom can Get Things Done. YMMV
--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

Melissa wrote in message
In my experience (very limited), I've found this to be true as well. DD
watches no TV during the day and 'helps' me with chores. She wanders
around the kitchen while I do dishes, plays in the bedroom while I make
the bed and plays on her bed while I fold laundry. Other things are left
until when DH is home because it's too labor intensive to do with her or
it's something that I can't stop in the middle if she falls or otherwise
needs me.

I've found that the people with the longest naps tend to be the ones who
talk about needing to Get Things Done as an excuse for TV the most. DD
naps 1.5 hours a day, total, so I've found ways to do things with her. My
neice naps for 3 hours every day (plus nearly 12 at night) but, at 2 yrs.,
she watches 1.5 hrs. of TV each day so her mom can Get Things Done. YMMV

Yep, YMMV. I have found with my children (ages 11, 8 and 7) that since I
didn't do a whole lot of restricting their TV watching that they still have
wonderful imaginations and are able to go and play without me prodding them
to turn off the TV. When it is too cold or rainy, they will watch a bit more
TV, but still will go on and do their play acting that they do. My middle
daughter is the most crafty, imaginative person that I know. In the summer
time, they are way too busy to watch it at all. I have noticed though with
my daughter's friends that those children who have been really restricted in
watching TV are the ones that when they come over here to visit are the ones
that we can't get them away from the TV at all to play. My daughter hates
that. (that's not to say that I don't just go and turn it off, I do) I find
that when they were really little that there was too much to do during the
day to watch it. Yes, I let them watch Barney or another show while I had my
shower, but that was around 2 years of age. Most of the time though, I
listened to the radio during the day. I think it is ironic that when I was a
kid, I was a total TV nut and watched it all the time. But, I still was an
avid reader though, funny how it really didn't stunt my imagination. I still
managed to pretend play all the time with my dolls and stuff. Now as an
adult, I don't watch it all until I go to bed and then I watch nick@night
with the shows that I used to watch when I was younger. However, I love
watching movies. When my girls were small, I included them in my day with
things that needed to be done. But, I don't get too worked up in restricting
anything and really truly stick with moderation in everything, it seems to
have worked so far in my 11 years experience in being a parent. )
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Chookie wrote:
In article , "Deirdre"
wrote:

While I appreciate the need some parents have to park
the little one in front of a video in order to get a few things
done around the house, it always struck me as a slippery slope that
leads to the TV babysitting the child all day.

This happened to a friend of mine. Her 2 children started off just
watching Playschool (a long-running educational programme), and it
was so easy for her to Get Things Done that the time just expanded
and expanded. Finally, she bit the bullet and the TV went on a
holiday. She noticed that their play became far more imaginative
than it had been. Now she has 4, and the TV is back, but under very
strict control.

Seems to me that a collaborative approach to doing household work
(ie, involving your children) probably makes the electronic
babysitting phenomenon less likely.

I look forward to being able to involve my little man. At this rate, he
"helps with dinner" by watching from his bouncy on the kitchen counter. g
He seems to like it, though. Well, that and the ceiling fan that's in
there. LOL

Just have to say that it's really not realistic unless you are extremely
vigilant to not allow a baby to watch any TV until the age of two, despite
what the AAP says...


"Melissa" wrote in message
news:VIn2c.57562$ko6.405860@attbi_s02...
Without meaning to sound as if I'm scolding or being negative, one way to
avoid this is not to watch TV when the child is in the room. DD barely
notices the TV, so we still have it on in the morning and watch the news
while she plays in the den with us. However, once she starts noticing,
we've
already agreed to stop watching while she's in the room. We also watch
sports without the sound, which also doesn't seem to affect her at all.
YMMV
and you may not mind your child watching some TV. Although the AAP says
not
to watch any TV until age two, all of my friends allow their children to
watch videos (alone without parental supervision; the kids are from 6-12
months old) and all of the kids seem to be happy and well-adjusted. OTOH,
DD
doesn't own any videos and we don't plan to start watching anything until
her second birthday.

--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

"Deirdre" wrote in message
...
At the tender age of just 10 weeks, our little bean has discovered the
television. He's not just watching, but cooing in response.

sigh

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.


--
Deirdre, in the company of Baby Beastie

New York Jen wrote:
Just have to say that it's really not realistic unless you are extremely
vigilant to not allow a baby to watch any TV until the age of two, despite
what the AAP says...


If you mean outside your own home, I agree. If it's in your own home,
why would it not be realistic?

Clisby

I dont watch tv, its easy for me, the tv is never on.. Though when I was in
school, Little Bear on Nickelodeon was a lifesaver.

"New York Jen" wrote in message
t...
Just have to say that it's really not realistic unless you are extremely
vigilant to not allow a baby to watch any TV until the age of two, despite
what the AAP says...


"Melissa" wrote in message
news:VIn2c.57562$ko6.405860@attbi_s02...
Without meaning to sound as if I'm scolding or being negative, one way
to
avoid this is not to watch TV when the child is in the room. DD barely
notices the TV, so we still have it on in the morning and watch the news
while she plays in the den with us. However, once she starts noticing,
we've
already agreed to stop watching while she's in the room. We also watch
sports without the sound, which also doesn't seem to affect her at all.
YMMV
and you may not mind your child watching some TV. Although the AAP says
not
to watch any TV until age two, all of my friends allow their children to
watch videos (alone without parental supervision; the kids are from 6-12
months old) and all of the kids seem to be happy and well-adjusted.
OTOH,
DD
doesn't own any videos and we don't plan to start watching anything
until
her second birthday.

--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

"Deirdre" wrote in message
...
At the tender age of just 10 weeks, our little bean has discovered the
television. He's not just watching, but cooing in response.

sigh

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.


--
Deirdre, in the company of Baby Beastie