OK, I feel like such a bad Mom but the ONLY thing that my girls will get into is the TV ... we have EVERY baby gadget in the world ... 3 swings, 2 exersaucers, a jumperoo, 2 bouncies, 2 Bumbos, 2 tummy mats, 2 activity mats ... but the only thing that will hold their attn for even 20 minutes while I do dishes or laundry or feed the "other one" (I do solids one on one b/c it is just easier for me that way) is the TV. They probably watch an hour a day ... accumulated over 3 or 4 times in front of it in their bouncies. Is this horrible??? Sometimes they are SO SO SO fussy and the only thing that will make them stop fussing is to watch TV for a little while ... Honestly, how much TV do your twins watch ... am I a horrible Mom?
I'll be the first to confess. About the same as you. Sometimes I do feel guilty about it but my boys are just not big "players". They much prefer for me to be right in their face grinning from ear to ear, making cooky voices, reading silly stories, etc. I don't know about you other SAHM's but to do that for 8-10 hours straight is litgrally painful...my jaws actually start to hurt. I don't think it's anything to beat ourselves up about.
I don't think you're a horrible mom at all. An hour is not going to do them any harm, especially if it means it's giving you an hour to either relax or get other things done. They'll end up with a happier mommy in the end... Eventually something else will get their interest, too- especially when they start to crawl or walk- you'll end up wishing they'd sit still in front of the tv for 10 minutes!! Good luck!
i plop em in front of the tv for about 30min to 1 hour every day, usually when i'm running around with the laundry or folding it--when i sit to fold the laundry i do talk to them about what's coming on, but that's really just to make myself feel better, cuz they couldn't care less! if they could talk, they would probably tell me to be quiet so they can watch tv!! i don't think it's bad at all, given that every child deserves a sane mother sandra
I just found out today that mine like TV. I hardly ever watch TV but today I put them on the living room floor to play and turned on the TV and they were glued to it. I ordered the baby einstein dvd. My babies never give me a break so if TV will occupy them for a few minutes so I can eat or go pee then why not let them?
You are a horrible mom! just kidding, lol. I think you have to do what you have to do to keep your sanity. If having them watch tv is what allows you to be able to get some things done then I don't know why that wouldn't be okay. Sometimes I feel guilty for putting mine in the swing and bouncy seats so that I can have free time....right now I am bouncing Lily with my foot while typing this. Edited to add - I wish mine would lie quietly and watch tv sometimes...they will do it, but only if they've just eaten and are wide awake and happy, and then it's for 10 minutes MAX - most of the time it won't hold their attention.
THank God someone started this cuz it has been driving me nuts and I haven't wanted to CONFESS............. We just got a fifty inch high def lcd put up on our living room wall this past Saturday.. Ever since-- the kids are like entranced by IT! It wasn't because I started them watching it-- they are amazed by it! At first, I thought it was funny and now I'm scared!! They LOOK for the tv! And if it's not on-- they're like "what the he** mom??" J/K but I imagine that they are thinking this. They are 10 weeks old adjusted so I doubt that is happening. My boys would literally w/o exaggeration probably sit in front of the tv ALL day if I let them. They are soo happy when they watch cartoons that it's AMAZING! Laughing like mad at Dora the Explorer!! I think it's cute! The problem is that I hear all of these horror stories about television causing ADHD and autism and stuff--- is that true or just something to scare us?? I let my kids watch about an hour per day depending on THEIR mood and MINE! I only watch kid shows when they're watching tho.. Or I try to! I kind of figure that I spend the majority (23 hours...) doing other stuff w/ them so it's okay.. Right?? Just wanted to let you know that-- I think MOST of us do this or lots of us at least!!
Go ahead and judge me but my tv is on all day. Its on for me not them though, I love tv/movies! Mostly I have movies on, lots of comic movies and cartoons, and they are entranced by the colors. SO BE IT!! I do not plop them down in front of the tv and use it as a babysitter. And when they are awake I am right there with them on the floor telling them stories, or making goofy faces at them, or helping them roll over or sit up, cuddling, whatever! If they happen to watch the tv for a few minutes then whatever, they're stimulated!! Thats what its there for, audio and visual stimulation! I really dont think that it causes ADD or autism, I watched tv as a child, and so did my brothers and sisters and we are all incredibly smart and have done well in school/college. None of us are ADD! I think its just a scare tactic or something someone who didnt watch tv came up with! :good:
My children had just turned two when they got into the Kid Song videos Nana had saved from when her children were little. Prior to that the tv was never on when they were awake. My personal preference was to do the majority of household chores while the children slept.
From 3 months to 16 months, my boys would take 2 2 hour naps a day, so I used that time to do chores, cook, do laundry, etc. As infants, they were happy for me to play a CD. At a little over a year, they started watching a bit of TV in the mornings, mostly the Wiggles, and usually they only paid attention to the songs and dances, otherwise they were busy moving around and playing. At 6-7 months, their favorite activity was lying on the floor and figuring out how to move.
I posted something similar a few days ago about the Baby Einstein videos! My girls are now fascinated with them and are starting to pay more attention to the t.v. when we watch it now. So I've been doing some research trying to put my mind at ease that 30 minutes a day or less is not going to harm them. There's really nothing conclusive either way, but I'll list some of the more credible sites/research I found below. Basically, I think it is probably fine in moderation (less than an hour a day?), ESPECIALLY if it makes you a better parent in the long run Autism ADHD Vocabulary Development Statement from Baby Einstein Creator Also, FWIW, "...The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no television viewing for children under age 2, and no more than two hours of daily media exposure for ages 2 and older..." (http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/oct07studies.htm)
QUOTE(Outnumbered @ Jan 18 2008, 12:27 AM) [snapback]577730[/snapback] I posted something similar a few days ago about the Baby Einstein videos! My girls are now fascinated with them and are starting to pay more attention to the t.v. when we watch it now. So I've been doing some research trying to put my mind at ease that 30 minutes a day or less is not going to harm them. There's really nothing conclusive either way, but I'll list some of the more credible sites/research I found below. Basically, I think it is probably fine in moderation (less than an hour a day?), ESPECIALLY if it makes you a better parent in the long run Autism ADHD Vocabulary Development Statement from Baby Einstein Creator Also, FWIW, "...The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no television viewing for children under age 2, and no more than two hours of daily media exposure for ages 2 and older..." (http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/oct07studies.htm) Thanks for all the useful info!
I turn it on for my 3 yo and my boys will sit and watch for a few minutes then go play. I guess as long as you aren't forcing them to sit and watch and they glance at it every now and again it's not a big deal. All things in moderation....
I did about the same at that age. You do what you need to do at this point. I think the important thing is to keep interacting with them whenever possible, and it sounds like you are doing that! I found it easier to start turning it off as they got a little bit older and now we usually only put it on for Sesame Street before lunch and nap.
QUOTE(ehm @ Jan 17 2008, 09:56 PM) [snapback]577535[/snapback] My children had just turned two when they got into the Kid Song videos Nana had saved from when her children were little. Prior to that the tv was never on when they were awake. My personal preference was to do the majority of household chores while the children slept. Oh, I wish mine would sleep at the same time ... and for more than 30 minutes at a time!!! They are really into the 30 minute nap ... I have tried letting them cry, I have tried rocking and re-rocking ... which, still, doesn't allow for time for household chores. Anyway, LOL ... whole different story!
yep, mine watch... They love it to be honest and we sit donw with them at times and watch it too. The BE are their favs, along with sponge bob and dora... I dont see harm in it, i watched TV i am a-ok... I can say that we have our TV on for the biggest part of the day, if they want to watch it or look at it they can but they rather crawl everywhere so we have set times that they can watch a DVD...
OMG!! A WHOLE HOUR!??! Seriously, my girls LIVED (and still do) in front of the tv. We always had the tv on for them (and for us as background noise). They didn't always watch it but it was on. They would play with their toys and kind of glance over at it now and then. Some things caught their attention more than others. The first thing that they really started watching was a Wiggles dvd and they loved it and would watch it daily (sometimes more than once a day). I know there are some people out there who are anti tv for children. And they have every right to their opinion and thought on the subject. They can do whatever they want for THEIR kids. Just don't judge me for how I decided to do things for mine. That being said, recent studies (seen on a morning news program) indicate that it's not HOW MUCH tv children watch but the kind and quality of tv they are watching. They did a study on children who watched cartoons and shows like Sponge Bob and Mutant Ninja Turtles and Pokemon and Power Rangers and found that children who watched that kind of programming vs. shows like Blue's Clues and Dora, and Mickey Mouse Club House, had a higher rate of ADD. They said the faster paced programs (like the afore mentioned ones), are too fast paced and can not be properly processed by a young child's mind thus affecting them in a negative way. But they found NO problems in children who watched the slower paced shows such as Diego, Blue's Clues and those sorts of shows. I think you have to do what you have to do to have some sanity during the day. If that means letting them watch Blue's Clues, or Baby Einstein or what have you then so be it. I have NO guilt for the amount of tv my girls watch. And let me tell you, my girls have learned SO MUCH from many of those programs. I think some of the shows are brilliant and teach them so much more than I could alone. My favorite channels (which are geared for pre-schoolers and thus much slower paced) are Disney Playhouse (on the Disney Chanel from 6am-12pm), and the Noggin channel which just recently became 24hour programming. Nick Jr. also has some great shows (Blue's Clues, Dora, Diego, Yo Gabba Gabba) but you have to be aware of what's on when because they also show a lot of Sponge Bob (which in my opinion is crap tv). Also, if you get it, Kids 13 is great (Sesame Street and some other really great educational shows).
Hey I'm right there with you sister! When we were in our small little loft apartment, all of their stuff was in our living room and we have a pretty big TV so they were ALWAYS in front of the TV. Now that they we moved and they are crawling, they have a playroom that they just crawl around in an play with their toys. Even now I have a jumperoo in the living room and a pack-n-play that I put them in, in front of the TV if I want to take a shower or make dinner. If they are in their playroom and Spongebob comes on 2 rooms away, they stop what they are doing and listen to the whole song and then go back to what they were doing. They naturally will become more interested in playing and crawling than just staring. If they still just sit and stare at the TV after they start crawling, I'd probably turn it off :lol: . As I'm typing this Jack is sitting in his jumperoo and has watched an entire episode of Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals from beginning to end, I think he has a thing for brunettes like his daddy.
QUOTE(TraciF @ Jan 18 2008, 08:53 AM) [snapback]577879[/snapback] Oh, I wish mine would sleep at the same time ... and for more than 30 minutes at a time!!! They are really into the 30 minute nap ... I have tried letting them cry, I have tried rocking and re-rocking ... which, still, doesn't allow for time for household chores. Anyway, LOL ... whole different story! I was not referring to naps.
My boys started watching TV by 3 months, little einstien, blues clues what ever held their attention or stopped them from crying and I had all the gadgets too..yeah, we took walks, went out places but when we are home and even to this day my TV is always on. My boys just turned two and talk very well, they 'play' along with the shows like Diego, Blue (they are wathing that now and writing clues in their book), Dora and their fav Spongebob...yes we let them watch Spongebob OMG! Anyway, they repeat alot and will point to the letters, numbers etc. they ask you to help them with...so no, I don't think it hinders their development. Also my SD is 10, smartest in her class and we were the same with her.
QUOTE(Shadyfeline @ Jan 18 2008, 04:20 PM) [snapback]578758[/snapback] Also my SD is 10, smartest in her class and we were the same with her. Just curious, but how on earth would you know this?! And what kind of "smart" are you talking about, as there are several types of intelligence. I have a degree in Developmental Psychology and the consensus is that TV is just fine in moderation. From a developmental standpoint, I believe the issue is what children are not doing while they are watching TV (i.e., playing with toys, developing motor skills, being read to). To the original poster, you are obviously not overdoing it if you are concerned about it It's the parents that plop their kids in front of the TV with no consideration of the consequences that worry me.
my kids have been watching Baby Einstein since 3 months - it was the only way to calm 2 colicky infants! They love the colors and the music and to this day will stop what they're doing when ANY music comes on - they are VERY active and will only watch what holds their attention - I keep on PBS Kids Sprout most of the time (Thomas, Play with me Sesame, Noddy and the like) and they LOVE it - and my son now points to letters on your shirt and wants to know what they are and repeats them back...oh and they do love Emeril, Rachael Ray, Giada DeLaurentiis, Paula Deen and Ina Garten - I'm convinced they will learn to cook like the pros! point is is that I could be in the room playing with them 24/7 and I won't hold their attention that long - the toys don't either...they need to wind down and I need a break sometimes too...
QUOTE Just curious, but how on earth would you know this?! And what kind of "smart" are you talking about, as there are several types of intelligence. I have a degree in Developmental Psychology and the consensus is that TV is just fine in moderation. From a developmental standpoint, I believe the issue is what children are not doing while they are watching TV (i.e., playing with toys, developing motor skills, being read to). I understand the question, thanks...What I am saying is that in her class each year she has gotten an award for being top in her class and having all A's when I said "smartest in her class" that's just what I meant, I don't see the confusion...I was saying that she did watch tv she also had the ability to play, develope motor skills and read and that watching TV did not compromise any of those milestones, which to me is what the poster is worried about in the long run. I mean really you tell me...Are there several types of intelligence?! I don't have the Degree
Oh, thank you for the place to confess. Yes, we do watch television most days...no more than half an hour unless Daddy is on duty ( he said today, "if you want to do something around 3 tomorrow, the game's on so it will be easy for me to take care of them..."!) It's usually a Baby Signing Time video cause that relieves most of the guilt - I dance and sing and pretend they're learning to sign We also watch cooking shows 'cause I figure watching real people do things in real time is what babies llike to do most anyway.
since about 2 1/2 months (when becca turned and stared at what i was watching) we have been pretty tv free around the kids (when they were very little, before they could focus, I didnt' care). It's ironic, because i was a HUGE tv watcher as a child. My issue is what another poster mentioned, the fast pace of most shows. I mean compare Mr. Rogers to stuff today, it's completely different. I mean, I watch E! and my brain short circuits with all the mess on-screen..it's too much. We are trying to keep them TV free until they are 2...and right now it isn't too difficult because they have lots of toys and the nanny usually takes them to the park during their most 'awake' period. At other times, we let them play in their room and just listen. As with everything else, do what you need to do, to keep sane, but I would consider *what* they are watching pretty closely. Just my 2 cents.
wow! :shok: My 7 year old and 4 year old each get 1/2 hour per WEEK! The babies have never watched tv but I can't even imagine why I would want them to. I haven't read the latest studies, but in my observations (and that is what matters to my family) is that kids who watch a lot of tv play very differently than kids who do not. I also think that if a kid watches way too much tv and loses his individual sense of imagination, or becomes overly aggressive, that the "damage" is totally reversible by not watching tv. So if you use the tv as a babysitter, I don't think you need to feel guilty as long as you don't plan to always do it. Geez- I would love to sit and watch tv for an hour sometime!!! :winking0009:
Wow, what a relief that I'm not the only one out there letting them watch the TV! My husband and his family LIVE in front of the TV, so it's been one of my fears, but I have to say that my daughter learned to wave from the Teletubbies! haha They really only like that and Baby Einstein, but it does come in handy when all else fails, and I watch that my hubby doesn't plug them into it too much. It's funny, we have one of the Baby Einstein CD's in the car for when they get fussy, and I swear they start "looking" for it when they hear the music....kind of amazing how smart those little brains are so young!
TV watching does not equal bad parenting unless you are using the TV as a total replacement for all interaction with your babies. The recent studies about baby einstein and language development concluded that the correlation between the amount of time watching these videos and the number of words learned was probably due to less time directly interacting with people (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650352,00.html). So if you are reading to your kids, playing with them, letting them play independently, etc, a little tv here and there is not going to have that great an impact. My kiddos watch 1/2-1 hour a day, but not every day. Some days they need to unwind a little before dinner and they are kind of playing with their toys, kind of whining because they are tired, but not tired enough to nap, etc etc. So while I get dinner ready, I might put on a DVD (they love the sesame street christmas dvd that my sister got them for christmas). They usually sit for a little while and watch and then start playing with toys or watch me cook dinner. Like I said I don't do this every day, but you have to do what you have to do sometimes.
QUOTE(Username @ Jan 19 2008, 06:52 PM) [snapback]580192[/snapback] So if you use the tv as a babysitter, I don't think you need to feel guilty as long as you don't plan to always do it. Geez- I would love to sit and watch tv for an hour sometime!!! :winking0009: IMO, it doesn't sound like people are using it to "babysit", I know I didn't. There were just some days where I needed to redirect, and it's the only thing that would work FOR ME. OP mentioned it adds up to one hour over 3-4 times during the day.
Our TV is on all day for me. It's been like that since the day they came home. I'd go crazy with boredom at 3am and then again at 4am for feedings and I've been keeping it on to keep me company during the day. The boys don't even notice it. All of their bouncies/swings/mats are facing away from the tv. I'm not sure how I feel about the Baby Einstein Dvds yet, but I think I'm going to save them for when I get desperate for sanity. I like to listen to kids songs so I can sing along and the music can drown out my awful voice!
Just to throw in my two cents, my oldest son rarely if ever watched TV as a little guy. Didn't interest him. He has very high end ADHD. My twins have always loved TV and watch it much more than their brother, they don't have once ounce of ADHD in there little bodies.
My girls don't watch any tv and my ds didn't watch until 2. This was my preference as a parent but I know many people choose to allow their children to watch which is fine by me! As long as they aren't forcing it on my kiddos it really isn't any concern! Do what you need to do!!
