[lactationmom]

Here is a Stony Field Farm site talking about this and asking for opinions-voice yours!<br><br><a href="http://www.stonyfield.com/WebLogarchives/BabyBabble/001015.html" target="_blank">http://www.stonyfield.com/WebLogarch...le/001015.html</a>

 

[Llyra]

I am fairly well convinced, through my own background in cognitive psychology and developmental pyschology, and my observations of many children in a school setting, that television is actually damaging for children under 2 or 3. No matter how "quality" the programming. Furthermore, I believe that even if a television show could potentially be educational for babies, face-to-face interaction with a real person, or hands-on experience with a toy or other object, is far more educational at this age. Come to think of it, at any age. There are so many developmental tasks that babies and toddlers need to accomplish, and television takes time away from those tasks.<br><br>
However, many moms claim that TV is the salvation that allows them a few minutes of peace during the day, and I can definitely understand that. I don't think that a few minutes of TV a day is going to do any baby irreversible and serious damage. I just don't think we need to fool ourselves that it's actually "good" for them. It seems like there are a lot of people who believe their children are "deprived" of some crucial kind of enrichment if they don't watch television, and that strikes me as preposterous.<br><br>
There are those who claim that moderation is the key, and I can respect that. Certainly a wise parent can set limits and encourage other activities. However, "if I ran the world" no home with a child would have a TV in it. I realize of course that I don't run the world :LOL but that's just my opinion. I have no TV in my house, and I believe my family is better off without it. My child will see plenty of television at other people's homes when she's older; I don't need it in my house.

 

[LizD]

Well, I don't think TV is appropriate for children, especially very young children, but that doesn't mean that every child who sees TV is harmed by it, nor does it mean I should have to be without a television. We enjoy movies and films and even though we are "Waldorf" parents we also have an enormous HD TV and all the surround sound we can get- dh is an audio engineer. I am interested to see the classical baby show- there should be more appropriate programming for toddlers and young children, not less.

 

[mandalamama]

so is it going to be Baby Mozart, basically? if it's legitimately good programming and not just one long commercial, i'll take a peek at it and see if it's something i want to watch with Willow.<br><br>
we watch Sesame Street together, and i play-act everything that's going on with her, or sing the songs, she gets very excited at my being goofy <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> it gives me happy memories of growing up with Sesame Street, and i also get ideas of things to do the rest of the day. like, if a day is brought to us by the number 7 and the letter A, i count things in 7's and show Willow things that start with the letter A. if nothing else, it keeps ME busy <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"><br><br>
my worry is commercials. they are SO hyper!! i watch the home-improvement shows on TLC, because i get a lot of ideas from them - especially "repurposing" furnitive i've picked from trash, oops, i mean "curbside acquisition" <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"> Willow isn't attracted by the show or the commercials, they're boring. but once i switched to CNN to catch up on news, and i noticed she was STARING, poof that's it, no more of that!

 

[Llyra]

I didn't throw away my TV because of Julia. I threw it away 5 years before she was born. Frankly, I don't miss it at all. Most people regard me as a nutcase for even thinking about no-TV for myself though, even the ones who can see the point of no-TV for children.