In not letting 9mo ds watch children's TV?

[ScoobyC]

I have never put children's TV on for ds, and I haven't bought any Baby Einstein dvds etc and I am suddenly worrying that I am in some way depriving him as I have just realised that (some) other babies do watch TV.
So, this may be a ridiculous question (it really is amazing what you can worry about when you have a child), but does anyone have any thoughts on whether it is good for a baby's development to watch kids TV?
As background, this hasn't been a particularly thought out decision or anything, it's just that ds has never been a baby who sits, he is very active and so he wouldn't just sit and watch TV. For purely selfish reasons, if the tv is on it has adult programs on as I don't want to watch kids tv until I absolutely have to!

oh yeahhhhh hugely unreasonable, your so massively depriving him! wtf?
Were you looking for a serious answer, was that a serious question, really?
How is mind dumbing shit on cbeebies depriving him of anything, seriously????
I have a 15 month old and would never think of putting the telly on to amuse or stimulate her, some music maybe but never the TV.

I'm fully aware that you can buy bob the builder etc in the shops but there is no direct advertising.
A nine month old child isnt going to think 'ive just watched teletubbies, i think il just pop down the town and get one cos the tele told me to'

ds didn't watch childrens tv until after his 2nd birthday he also only had water or milk until then too.

Can't guarantee it will be the same for the dt's when they arrive

Any thoughts on baby einstein dvds?

Powder how do you think the merchandise gets sold then? Do the videos jump off the shelves and into people's bags?

Scooby, they are all crap

your baby doesn't need them

they want you to think he is missing out so they tell you it is educational so you will panic and buy them

your baby needs love, milk, sleep, someone to play with

the odd morsel of steamed courgette

nothing else, stop worrying!

TeeCee
Semi-serious question, honestly! I'm an intelligent person but now I have a child I find myself questioning everything! I'm not saying I'd sit him in front of it for hours, but wondered if a little telly might be good for him. Of course I could just put cbeebies on and see but I'm too selfish, I'd rather watch Des and Carol...

Granted with a 9mo, but I've known 18mo who can sit in a trolley and rattle off 'noddy' 'bob' etc as they see the characters in the aisles. I think pester power starts very early.

Dont patronize me, im completely aware of the tricks that media monkeys play to get you to buy things. Im just able to look past it and see the good things television can do.

I spose an einsteind DVD could get put on now and then if you want to, it's not going to no any harm. I own some einstein and baby bright (didn't buy them, left overs from work) but it wouldn't occour to me to put them on tbh. I sit and look at books with her or she plays with toys.

My god, you make one comment and everone jumps on you for daring to not be a cynic

FrannyandZooey, is the courgette really necessary?!

Which are what, powder?

Children's television is a MONEY MAKING PRODUCT

that's why they make it

they want your money

full stop

if they can con nice concerned parents like Scooby into thinking that their baby needs their product for their development then so much the better

the whole programme is one big advert for their merchandise - they don't need clever tricks, they just need children to watch the programmes then want the STUFF they see everywhere in the shops

Scooby yes the courgette is essential

Well its then up to the parents isnt it?
Are you saying that people are stupid becasue they are being controlled?
Scoobyc was merely wondering if childrens tv would be a good educational tool.

Mm, that's what I was afraid of

I know that there are psychological methods used in advertising and of course television is a fantastic medium for influencing people but everyone is aware of this.
The issue here was about the educational value of television, and while there is a lot of bad stuff on television, it is also useful for raising awareness about things that people would otherwise not be aware of.

errrm.... What's a Baby Einstien DVD and should dd age 8 months have one?

She never has tv on

I think its just another educational tool for kids but i suppose there will be some people that will say it will poison your childs mind. everytime people go on about tv controlling people i think of the demon headmaster like there is some evil man in a room in a tv studio putting out evil mind controlling waves into peoples living rooms.

This webpage links to articles about why tv isnt too great for your kids
here

FWIW cbeebies is a feature of our home - in a limited way 2 hours max a day. I would prefer it to be less but tis tricky atm

I wish id never got onto this subject now!

franny i think il laigh liek a drain when eihter you haeva ntoehr kid or your ds is about 8/9

Not sure whether I have anything else to offer to this debate that hasn't already been said, but my dds have never really watched TV and I have never worried that they miss out.

There are years ahead of them where they will watch TV at home and videos at school. Why not save the novelty till then?

However, when dd2 was a baby (6mo) I did rent the baby einstein DVD from amazon and it helped me to get the housework done while she watched it. Also, when the kids go round to other people's houses and Cbeebies is on, they are glued to it, so that means I get to relax and chat to the hosts.

Pragmatism is always a good thing I think.