The grandparents don't understand tv-free. Help!

[henny penny]

Can anyone link me to an article or other information about how tv is soooo inappropriate for young (any!) children. My ds is 3 and all my parents want to do is watch tv with him. I've expressed over and over the reasons we don't have tv and how it is not just a silly notion of mine but I believe it to be damaging to young brains and potentially causes behavior problems. And my ds is a very, very sensitive child so the damage is compounded. This has been going on for 3 years. I'm fed up.

It has gotten contentious. Mom just today argued with me about how I should allow her to take him to a full length "kid's" movie. A movie? Really? Why do I have to explain again and again.

Apparently my authority as my children's mother is not enough for them. Can anyone point me in the direction of some simple article  explaining what I am failing to get across?  Perhaps they need to see a television program about it. (Heehee. Sarcasm.)

Thank you!

(Cross posted in tv-free)

[JudiAU]

The AAP has a lot of good information on its site. How about this research study: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/tvapril.pdf or

http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/protecting.aspx http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/118/6/2563

Also books:

The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commerical World

In our case, we just repeat "the kids are too young. They will watch television later." By which I mean much later, in very modest quantities, without advertising, and without the surrounding advertising hoopla.

[sweetpeppers]

Just tell them that you want your child to spend time with them. If they want to watch TV, they can do it on their own time. You aren't there to watch TV. (as nicely as possible) Bring things to do. Special toys, games, books, suggest outdoor activities, puzzles. I think you need to make it clear that they are not to turn on the TV for him. Children's programming is just awful.

My mom was saying that she wanted to go see one of the Narnia movies and she was surprised that I wouldn't want to take Caleb. Let it be said that we didn't have a TV growing up and we NEVER went to the movies. I couldn't believe it.