i've started watching babytv with dd 5 months

[theresalwaystomorrow]

she likes it, alot. should i be teaching her not to watch tv for when she is older?

Sorry, but I really don't see the point of baby tv. Watching you is much more interesting for her.

There is also a great deal of research on the damage that tv at an early age can do. Lots of paediatricians recommend no tv at all before 2 years. See link here.

A bit of babytv isn't going to be the end of the world so long as it's not too much or too often. e.g. 20 mins every other day.

Without wanting to get too righteous about it, just about anything else you do with your baby will be better than putting him/her in front of the TV.

Frankly it's a waste of time. She cannot process what she sees on the screen. She needs objects to touch and mouth and space to roll around. She needs to watch you doing stuff while you talk yo her about what you are doing.

I don't think they have found TV is harmful to babies have they? Doesn't it depend on what research you read?

Of course you should be teaching her not to watch too much tv when she is older.

Really, honestly, when you think about it, does it feel right to plonk a five MONTH old in front of the tv?!

Does it have ads too?

From the links it seems that what they are saying is that too much TV is bad because it gets in the way of normal developmental behaviour ( ie rolling, touching objects etc) rather than the TV itself is bad.

Am willing to be corrected though

You evil baby abusing bitch. NO baby should be exposed to a few minutes of prety colours, never. Her brain will atrophy in her skull and she will grow up to be a travel agent, and it will be all your fault.

I bet you make her smoke crack, too, don't you? Hmm? Don't you?????

She's not going to learn to watch or not to watch tv by being stuck in front of it now. It is a light and sound show the same as any other bright noisy toy.

It's not going to do her any harm or any good. It's just a bit of entertainment.

She needs to be learning from interacting with the world using all of her senses. She particularly needs to interact socially with you, enjoying taking turns in mini conversations making eye contact and experimenting with copying your facial expressions and tones of voice.

If you want her to watch tv then do it but don't let any marketing persuade you that she is learning from it. She isn't but if you're chatting to her and cuddling her lots and she's playing with lots of different toys and textures she will be learning lots and develop beautifully.

Yes normantebbit- It has no benefits whatsoever and is a barrier to normal developmental behaviour.

IMO putting baby on a rug with some toys while you watch the news/come dine with me at the end of the day is a much better idea.

what kind of mum do you think i am? of course i read to her, play with her, put her in the bouncy while i shower, etc etc etc.

there is still extra time when she is awake. actually i started babytv just because of the music on it, it was just kind of on in the background.

i just don't want her to end up a couch potato, but i feel like if i stop her at around age 4 or 5, she'll still be salavageable.

don't want an angry preteen stuck in front of prime time telly.

Don't feel to bad if it's the odd 10mins while you get on with something-once your dc is a bit older they can occupy themselves more easily without tv anyway. Have you tried sitting dc looking out a window? Not raised up or anything,but out of French windows? My dd will sit and gaze out the window in the same way as she would stare at a tv screen, just watching birds,trees in the wind etc. Sounds strange I know,but it honestly works!

it's my birthday my special day. lallalaa.

BabyTV is the ONLY reason the dishwasher gets unloaded in the morning. DD is 6months

Theresalwaystomorrow - of course you do other things with her abs she will be fine.

But good luck with weaning them off TV aged 4, mine didn't watch it as babies but are glued to Octonauts every night now -18 months, 4 and 6.

Hahaha I had to open up this thread. I just knew what the replies would be like.

Babytv is heaven sent. It was the only way I ever got a lie in . Call social services someone.....

Whatever rocks your boat brettgirl!

I wouldn't though

Did I tell you that you should?

You can do what you like including posting emotionally blackmailing posts 'does it feel right to plonk a five MONTH old in front of the tv'

Keep going, it's funny

If she likes music, why not put music on for her?

My DC's were often put in front of the washing machine whilst I pottered.

They prefer TV now though.

I was given some Baby Einstein DVDs when my 2 DDs were babies, I put them on sometimes, can't really remember how often, but not a lot. (It wasn't really very significant probably why I can't remember!) They were obviously very 'engaged' in them, the visuals had them interested and the music was good too. Now at nearly 4 and 5, there are many days when they don't watch any TV, they are bright and have good concentration, and can entertain themselves perfectly well without TV. I don't think that it matters sometimes, but not everyday.

Well, my 5yo is bright and good concentration and has never watched TV.
Anecdotes don't equal data.

Oh ffs I didn't say that a baby had to do this to develop into a bright child with good concentration, I said in my experience it had not done any harm.

what is this with TV been the root of all evil?? Surely its like anything else in life, moderation??? You will not go through life finding people who cant read or write or walk or function by themselves and say "oh they must have watched too much TV as a baby"
The facts are there is NO hard evidence to prove that those children who are sat in front of the TV for hours on end don't succeed in life, fail at school etc etc.
THE most important thing is that TV is not replacing normal interaction, that you are still doing things with your child.
My 2.5 year old loves to read, bake with me, do jigsaws go to the park, swim etc etc so am I such a bad mother for letting him watch Mickey Mouse? or a DVD? I really hope all the good things we do together and not cancelled out by the evils of TV!
I have a 2.5 year old and a 6month old and I do what I can to get by each day, and that involves some TV.
Baby TV is absolutely fine, everything in small doses!
K

2cats2many - the damage that tv does to babies is the opportunity cost of the interaction with the parent. However, babies and young children shouldn't be exposed to disturbing images on screen - which is why babytv and cbeebies are a good choice.

I hope you were joking about watching the news while your baby entertains his/herself in the same room. I think you'll find that the potential for damage there is much greater than popping babytv on for ten minutes while you load the dishwasher.

We have given up watching tv completely until my 5.5 mo goes to bed. If we have the tv on, she cranes her neck to see it, even when feeding - it just distracts her from doing anything else at all, so we can't have it on till she's in bed asleep.

wait till you have no.2 and he/she is exposed to Ben 10 from birth.

agree with those saying a bit of tv is fine.