Should a baby/child watch tv?

[deo09]

How old should a baby/child start to watch television or educational programs?

[byronsmom]

byron's a yr and half and watches clifford, sesame street in the morning.
curious george and yo gabba gabba after his nap.
he doesn't really sit and watch them, but he defently will sit down while elmo's world and yo gabba are on.

[Saphira]

Ruby is three months old and she'll sit in her swing and watch tv. :D

I didn't really let that habit happen, but I didn't prevent it. She's mesmorized by the moving images though, and it keeps her entertained longer.

To actually get them to watch tv... I'd say a year to 18 months is a good place to start with the educational programs.

[Jill_at_StorkRadio]

I have heard that TV for kids under 2 can be detrimental to their development (there was a thing about it on NPR) That said, if it gives the parents some sanity, not sure I am against it.

[lismom2]

We love Yo Gabba Gabba :) I'm a big fan of really limiting TV, almost borderline TV free. DD is 3 1/2 and watches MAYBE 2 hours a day, if that. Usually things like ygg, Sesame Street, Noggin programs (because there are no commercials) or DVD's like Planet Earth.

Here is the AAP recommendation (they say no tv until 2 years old..)
http://www.aap.org/sections/media/toddlerstv.htm

[Jordyn]

My son is 18 months and he watches barney and blues clues in the morning after those two programs he has no interest. Even when he is watching blues clues he a lot of times drifts off and does something else. Barney is really about all he can handle. I don't believe it is horrible for children to watch tv in moderation. And I do not blame the TV for making kids fat. I blame the parents for not parenting and getting them away from the TV. TV is not any kind of enemy unless you make it one. My son gets up and dances with the shows and talks about what's going on while he's watching. I don't see him having any obesity problems anytime soon.

[nkrumpfer]

I dont think there is anything wrong with it. My daughter (18months) actually learns alot from tv. She loves elmo so I use it to my advantage. we bought her an elmo potty and the elmo potty training dvd. She sits and plays with the potty and copies elmo. Its also nice to use the tv to show them things they dont see in their own backyard- Things like tigers, elephants, dolphins, and penguins. They need to learn somehow!

[mommy42boys]

My son watches Playhouse Disney in the mornings. He loves Handy Manny and The Imagination Movers. I think watching these shows has helped him. He can sing along with The Imagination Movers and knows a few spanish words from Handy Manny. He also loves to play with tools now! I can see if your child is not watching age appropriate shows that it might hurt but so far we have not had any problems.

[dragonfly81]

I have two boys 2 and 1/2 and 1. Before I had my second child I would let the older one watch tv here and there, no more than 45 minutes or so a day (unless he was sick, then all the rules go out the door it seems). After 2nd baby came along, we watched a lot more. Probably around 3 hours a day. We are back down to around 2 or so now, but my philosophy is this, if a half an hour extra of tv is going to make the time you spend with your children happier and calmer (because you got a chance to relax or accomplish some things around the house) than it is a good thing. That being said, if you are letting your children watch 2 hours or so of tv then you need to make a point to get kids outside or doing cool other activities like play doh or what not so that they aren't being understimulated. I feel bad about how much time my 1 year old spends watching (probably about 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours cuz his older brother watches some while he isnapping) but I tell myself it is ok because we only watch PBS shows or DVDs that I have screened carefully. like someone else said, it doesn't have to be an enemy. I would definitely NOT reccommend having it in your child's room though. LIke 80% of obese children have a tv in their room. . . . .

[NaomiK]

I think its ok in moderation. I let my daughter watch 1 show in the morning and 1 at night. Sometimes It goes over, but I try my best not to let that happen. Her favorites are Dora and Diego. She also loves the backyardigans. I find that if I let her watch an actual movie, I am hesitant to turn it off after 30 minutes. So I just let her watch tv instead.

I know a couple of people mentioned that it can be bad for a child under 2 to watch. It makes sense, but my husband recently read an article that TV wont have any long lasting effects (like obesity) until age 3 and over. So I am torn on that part.

[big-mouth-burgher]

My 2 boys watched and hour or two when they were toddlers/preschoolers. My youngest loved the back yardigans, I know all the songs too. My rule is that if you watch 1 hour of tv then you need 1 hour of physical activity. I'm big on going outside and running around. Now I mean my kids run around, I sit and read, visit with a neighbor, or chat on the phone. Sometimes I'm even typing away on here while they play outside, I'm a laptop girl! Any way just have some balance in their lives, they need to chill and watch tv and they also need to run, jump, and yell too. There ain't nothing like a jump in a great big pile of leaves.
Which reminds me, my boys are really into Peanuts, you know Charlie Brown, Snoopy, etc. Their DVD's are great for the elementary age set.

[NoAdditives]

My daughter's pediatrician said that tv before 1 or 2 years cn cause hyperactivity because babies don't see tv the way we do, their brains can't process the pictures fast enough so it just looks like flashing lights. Audrey has been watching tv since she was bout 2 months old (she's 10 months now) because she woke early and I'm not a morning person. She's always had preferences for shows, at 2 months she loved Clifford and would scream if she didn't get to watch it first thing. (After about a month she learned that tv had a specific schedule and she wouldn't get to watch Clifford if she woke up late.) Now her favorites are Sid the Science Kid and Super Why. She just sits and watches them intently, it's very cute. She ignores most other tv, she's just not interested in it. Oh, and she has always hated Sesame Street, which I think is really funny!

She's not at all hyperactive and she's more advanced than a lot of babies I know. At 10 months she's almost walking, fascinated with small buttons, snaps and buckles and is always exploring everything she can. She's very smart, is always trying to talk with us and even laughs at jokes on SpongeBob when no one else is paying attention to the show. I don't feel that tv is negatively affecting her in any way. The tv is on for a lot of the day because I'm a stay at home mom and would die of boredom without it, but she ignores it for the most part.