tv watching

[zumbamama]

I let mine watch 1-2hrs a day, and yes it has stretched to 3 at times. DS is at the top of his class in reading and math, and does a million other constructive things from reading, writing, art, physics class, hip hop class, baseball, playing with neighbors, teaching his little sister her ABCs, etc. Little sister picks up alot of Spanish from Dora and helps teach older sister! I don't think an extra hour of TV here and there is going to warp his brain for life, especially if I'm there to monitor what he is watching.

[Anonymous]

Oh my god, I watched General Hospital from DAY ONE with ciggs being blown in my face.

Hilarious, and so true! I used to spend summers with my great-grandmother, who watched her soaps all day long, and I was right there with her. The "kids shows" we had were laden with violence - take a look at Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry sometime.

So I am not going to get all uptight about my kids watching a little bit of educational, made-for-preschoolers television. Get over it already.

[Anonymous]

Kids need to unwind and there is nothing wrong with appropriate shows. They need to learn to sit and relax as well as be active. Everything in moderation is KEY!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i wonder what kind of tv show gets a 3yo hypnotized for 3 yours...

your son must have a problem...

Not the OP, but it's actually you with the problem. Ick.

[Anonymous]

Recently my 3 yo daughter saw a picture of one of those horn-shaped baskets with fruit in it and said clear as day “That’s a cornucopia.”

I was pretty shocked so I asked her where she learned such a big word.

Her response - “Max and Ruby”. I guess tv isn’t all bad!!

[Anonymous]

All things in moderation.

And ditto to letting kids just do "nothing" part of the day.

[Anonymous]

My almost 2yo loves Blues Clues and Dora right now. He has been watching a few shows on Noggin or Sprout since he was 18 mos. Started with Thomas the Train -- he now owns many of the trains and knows the names of each train.

I'm a fan of good preschool learning shows.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I used to watch a few mindless tv shows just to chill. Now that we have Netflix, we spend the time watching incredible documentaries. I think once we became purporseful with our television time, it was great. (Not to say we don't watch crap now and again, which we enjoy as well.)

In my opinion, same with kids (except for the crap part.) As a child, I began to love music watching Mary Poppins, saw generosity of spirit from Charlotte's Web, and learned Spanish from Seasame Street.

Not shabby things to be exposed to as a young child.

[Anonymous]

my god- To go by your posts you all let your children watch unlimited amounts of TV at any age and try to take solace in the fact that their thirsty little brains remember what they've seen.

Of course they do. But they aren't learning any spatial relationships or social skills, they aren't problem solving, and they aren't getting any exercise.

Don't kid yourselves. If you want to allow your children to watch television as occasional entertainment, that's one thing, but to live under the delusion that they are being "educated" is another.

Obviously nobody has a perfect day every day. Any parent will sometimes let their kid do something to excess from time to time- and no, these occasions do not make you a bad parent. No, not everyone who was babysat by a TV turned into a vegetable or an axe murderer, but that does NOT mean it is good for you.

Now we're even putting DVD players in cars. Recently on NPR was a story about how the mechanism which causes ADHD is not fully understood, but that high amounts of time spent in front of the TV at a young age correlate to high rates of ADHD diagnosis later. ADHD kids are clearly not stupid, but why wouldn't you limit your kids' TV time if there's even the slightest chance that it will contribute to ADHD? ADHD can be crippling for some kids, either at school or with their peers or both.

This thread is nuts! You think the people who are down on TV are irrational, but they at least have some empirical evidence to back them up.

[Anonymous]

15:59, we're talking about TV in moderation, not as a substitute for exercise or social interaction, sheesh.

[Anonymous]

[quote]If you want to allow your children to watch television as occasional entertainment, that's one thing,

Re-read the majority (if not all) of these posts.......this is exactly what everyone is saying: they..... allow your/their children to watch television as occasional entertainment. Your words and theirs, too

[Anonymous]

I'm a reformed no-tv parent - my kids are grade school now and allowed to watch in moderation, but they watched very little (never during the week) until they were in 2nd -3rd grade - not even videos. That said, I have definitely lightened up, and I can't help but smile when I hear them all together laughing over a show. Reminds me of my own very normal childhood. This will sound very snarky, but to me, nothing is worse then when the no-tv kids with micromanaging parents come over to play and make a big deal about it if I let them all watch something at the end of a long visit playing outside (yes, prepare yourselves, the no-tv kids will make you feel as bad as their parents - like you are offering them crack (but they love every minute.....). They will feign disbelief even after playing make believe (or whatever) for the hours they have been here on a sat. afternoon. I'm over feeling guilty about the snide kid remarks (hmmm - wonder where they picked that up....) or, when the doorbell rings and the anti - tv mom is at the door ready to rescue her kids from the "screen". If she wants to think thats what they did the whole time - so be it. I can assure you, her kids had a great time......my motto remains all things in moderation - my kids still enjoy reading, playing and being kids - tv is part of a much bigger picture. But to the moms that blow a gasket - please - take it down a notch - I've heard about the huge plasma in your bedroom...... God forbid we ever invest in a Wii.....such is the life in neurotic DC......

[jsteele]

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