I had no idea this forum existed!! And a question about youtube...

[t2009]

Hi there!

We are a TV-free family. Actually we have a TV that is over 10 years old. We rarely use it & when we move this summer we won't be taking it with us. And I don't think we'll replace it either -- DH & I watch our shows online or via netflix on our computer & DS doesn't watch TV (save for one morning when we were madly packing for a trip & we realized it was saturday morning & DS confusedly sat in front of a cartoon for 10 minutes while we finished).

So I just wanted to say hello to the other tv-free families!

Here's my thing. About once a week or so, we'll dig around on youtube for a video or two for my son to watch (he's almost 22 months old). Thoughts?

I just get really excited to show him things that he's curious about... For instance, he'll hear a particular instrument on the radio or a CD & I will find a video of someone playing the instrument (I aim to show him just higher-quality stuff, not Jane Doe in her basement practicing ...). 

I'm just so skeptical of "kids" shows... I'd love to show him the real thing & not some cartoon. If he wants to hear a trumpet, I want to show him Miles Davis. If he wants to see a violin, I'll find a video of the London Symphony & not "baby mozart." Bicycles, a clip from the Tour de France. KWIM?

But sometimes I wonder if the kiddy material has a purpose. And if I'm doing him harm by skipping it & going to the real stuff. We really do limit it to about once per week, but even then I sometimes think we should just cut it out too.

Thanks!

[crunchy_mommy]

DH & DS occasionally watch youtube videos together... My 2yo now knows some weird things (like how to remove a car battery lol)... It's only a few minutes and not a daily/regular thing. We also sometimes watch (and do!) animal exercises or yoga videos... Like you, I am not comfortable with children's programming in general and would much prefer if he's going to watch something, that it be 'real' -- I see no benefit to cartoons etc. (aside from the fact that supposedly parents can get things done while their kid watches them!) and I feel they are over-marketed. I also feel that cartoons alter perception in ways that I don't think is healthy for kids. Plus they are hypnotizing (and I think that really is the 'purpose' of that kind of thing!)

I also have a tendency to play youtube videos while I'm working on the computer -- but I don't actually let him watch the video, it's just the music on in the background. There are some 'kid' songs that he likes and I think they are fun for him because they have catchy tunes & easy-to-understand words. So I'm not against ALL kiddie stuff, mainly just TV programing. I do think youtube is 'different' than TV but it can easily become just as bad so we really strive to keep it (as well as computer games etc.) to a minimum -- not every day, and not more than a few minutes (unless it's a workout video, then I feel a little longer is OK as long as he's moving not just watching!) I don't feel comfortable never ever letting him catch so much as a glimpse of a computer or TV screen (though it sounds nice, and could work in a completely TV-free society) because I feel like then it's this mysterious forbidden thing that he will ultimately become fascinated & obsessed with at friends' houses etc...