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

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

Jessi was like that too, but now at 9 months she is not interested in
it. At that young age I think the lights of it excite some of the
babies.

KC


"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.

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...

Sure it's realistic -- as long as the parents aren't themselves addicted to TV,
or don't mind watching only at night after the baby's in bed.

It's more difficult to avoid using TV if there are older children in the
household, and no TV seems to be less likely if there's an at-home parent or if
the child is in a home daycare than if the child is with a nanny or in a
daycare center. But it's nowhere near as difficult as most people seem to
imagine it is to simply not watch TV. Once you're out of the habit of
watching, you find you watch, and care, less and less.

Holly
Mom to Camden, 3yo
EDD #2 6/8/04

KC wrote:
Jessi was like that too, but now at 9 months she is not interested in
it. At that young age I think the lights of it excite some of the
babies.

KC

I thought as much too. Although there were leopards on the screen today
that he was cooing & smiling at quite a bit. If it was "personal", our cats
will be so pleased. grin

"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.

I share your sentiments. Even though I knew it was just the colors
and lights that interested her at that age, it still creeped me out to
see how fascinated by the TV the Bug was (and is). I hate the dang
thing and a part of me would happily get rid of it altogether, but DH
feels quite differently. Oh well. So far she only watches it in case
of meltdown when she's being babysat, and it's been months since that
happened.

Kate
and the Bug, 9 months