TV - Right or wrong?

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Hulababy · 08/12/2003 13:26

I personally do let my DD (now 20m) watch TV. I believe that, like most things, if "used" appropriately it can be as good as any learning tool. That's why schools and colleges use TV as learning resources.

My daughter is very sociable, has an excellent vocab and strings sentences together well, she sings and dances, she is starting to recognise colours, she can play happily with toys and books for ages and ages on her own and with others, etc. BUT she does watch Tweenies, Fimnbles, etc. and she enjoys them. She also loves nature programmes for the animals.

However, again like everything else, if you just leave a child on their own in front of the Tv and don't monitor anything being watched - yes, you may get problems.

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StressyHead · 08/12/2003 13:33

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ThomCat · 08/12/2003 13:43

In moderation I think the TV is another form of toy - it's educational, informative, fun etc. I let Lottie watch a couple of kids shows. I like Bear in BBH for her and another programme all about a little girls and where her shoes take her, teletubbies and maybe one or 2 others depending on the content. I hate Tweenies for instance. I also let her watch MTV and other music channels, and nature/wildlife programmes. However I left her in front of discovery channel the other day while I unloaded the dishwasher and she had got the remote control, had changed channels and was loving watching Hollyoaks! When I tried to change it back she shouted at me!!!!

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StressyHead · 08/12/2003 13:44

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ThomCat · 08/12/2003 13:51

2 on the 17th. I've let her watch TV for the last 8 months or so properly. Before that I had Baby Mozart which I put on for her now and then.

misdee · 08/12/2003 14:00

i let my dd's watch tv in the mornings. teletubbies is dd2 favourite, she can reconise ther theme tune and toddles in to watch it. the rest dont hold her attention much. they play games most of the time, dd1 will watch a film from beginning to end but she is 3.5yrs and can concentrate well. i try to monitor what they watch. dd1 loves staying up later at the weekend to watch pop idol with me, but she loves music and has been able to reconise songs from an early age. when she had just turned on 'castles in the sky' was huge in the charts and was played a lot of my place on the decks, she would jump up and start dancing as soon as the intro started.
ours days are not structered around tv, they watch in the morning whilst i'm bleary eyed and getting ready, then we either go out or the art's and crafts will come out, b4 we take dd1 to nursery.

Angeliz · 08/12/2003 14:08

well i'd be a terrible mother for the last few days as it's all dd has wanted to do! (She is very poorly with cold and seems to have very little energy!) We have just come in from the garden though so at least she's had a run in the fresh air . She's 2.8! StressyHead, i agree with most comments here in that, if used as an additional source of entertainment,(rather than the ONLY source), where's the harm? Misdee my dd loves pop music too, She used to love Bob on in the car but now she loves Avril Lavigne!!Knows ALL the words! Oh well, at least it's not Eminem!

aloha · 08/12/2003 14:10

My ds is also two and really likes the Fimbles, also Tikkabilla & Storymakers. He adores the bedtime hour and really looks forward to it. He does do other stuff as well, honest! At one he didn't really watch any tv except the odd teletubby vid. He's more into it now, and also loves the Disney Peter Pan film, which I also enjoy.

Crunchie · 08/12/2003 14:12

Don't worry about it, the odd bit is not a problem. The bedtime hour is good as it has a bedtime story, no energetic dance-type things, and it can be a good wind down.

Tweeenies at 13 months is probably too advanced, usually about 2+ is better there. Tellietubbies is younger as is fimbles

florenceuk · 08/12/2003 14:13

I found DS didn't really watch TV until he was about 18mths, so we never had it on. Now at 2yrs he loves it, and would sit there all day if I let him, favourite at the moment is Thomas, Bear in the BBH and Teletubbies (not surprising, because that's all I've got on DVD). He also loves anyone playing or singing music, + nature programmes. Because it seems such an all-consuming thing to him, I try to limit it but sometimes the flesh is weak .... and he can be very persistent!! Stressyhead, your DD sounds fantastic - my DS was definitely not as independently occupied at that age. If you don't need it, then stick with it. I personally found it a lifesaver when I was ill or under the weather, but I don't kid myself that it's more educational than other activities - it isn't, it's just extremely well designed to grab your attention and hold it for a reasonable period of time.

bobsmum · 08/12/2003 14:14

Stressyhead - I agree with others. When used properly the TV is an excellent tool and toy for little children. I also agree that the Tweenies are probably a little beyond the grasp of a 13 month old, but the Teletubbies for example would be more appropriate. A guideline for the ages they're aimed at might be the huge amount of toys marketed at this time of year. The majority of Tweenies, Clifford, Bob the builder toys etc are aimed at the over threes (although possibly some over twos might appreciate a tool box!). Fimbles seem to be younger and tubbies younger still.

Having said all that, ds (15 mths this week) loves the music and singing on the programmes that he's a little too young to actually "understand". Much to my dismay he loves the theme tune to "Clifford the Big Red dog" (big pile of pants IMO). He also loves the wildlife slots on Tikkabilla (like Playschool) and any appearance of Pippin the dog on "Come Outside." I force him to watch "Balamory" and "Bits and Bobs" so that he soaks up a nice Scottish accent before being polluted by a Sarf east accent when he starts playgroup

MIL insisted we watch the Record of the year at the weekend (worse than Clifford) and ds was dancing around shouting "DIDO DIDO DIDO" - better than Westlife I spose

florenceuk · 08/12/2003 14:14

I meant, if you don't need it, then stick with not having it!

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StressyHead · 08/12/2003 14:23

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Hulababy · 08/12/2003 17:30

AFter what I said earlier - we got SKY today. I think DD has overdosed on Cbeebies now - the SKy man showed her it was there and that was it! I am hoping that so much exposure at once will curb her desire for it!

Seriously though, I do like the fact that I know have more control over when she watches 'her' programmes in the day - can be done to suit me like when I am cooking her tea, etc.

Now have to persuade DH that it doesn't have to be on all the time. His excuse will be justifying the cost

hmb · 08/12/2003 17:36

Well, both of mine watch TV and seem to be OK. Both of them are limited to childrens TV onlt, and what I consider to be appropriate to their ages, so it is mostly Hoobs, Tweenies, fimbles, but they do both love Scooby Doo. Everything in moderation, I think. We also read loads, and do lots of other things, as I bet everyone on Mumsnet does. DD started to 'watch' telitubbies at 6 months and now at the age of 7 she has a reading age of 9.5, so I don't think that it has stunted her development any.

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StressyHead · 08/12/2003 17:48

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tinyfeet · 08/12/2003 18:50

I wouldn't have felt guilty at all if my DD liked watching tv or videos. Strangely, she doesn't seem to like it - and she is now 21 months. I actually wish she would like it - it actually slightly concerns me that there isn't any tv program that has kept her attention for more than a couple of minutes. . .

Evita · 08/12/2003 21:00

Alas, we swore NO t.v. when I was pregnant but then it was clear that when we had the news on etc. my daughter was an avid viewer. So we got her one of those 'Baby Bright' videos and used to show it to her at the end of the day when she was too tired to do anything else but needed a bit of gentle stimulation and was too young for books (about 7 months). Then she went through this awful stage of refusing to eat and the t.v. became essential. We're in a bit of a trap now though as whenever she sits in the high chair she points at the t.v. and refuses to eat until it goes on! We only show her videos: Teletubbies, Bod, Mary Mungo and Midge and Baby Bright. That way we've got control over what she sees and I try to never let her watch more than 30 mins in one go. She waves sadly at the t.v. when I turn it off ... She's 14 months by the way.

Ghosty · 09/12/2003 01:54

My DS got into the teletubbies at about 15 months ... and at the time it was great ... he loved it ... 20 minutes a day and that was it. As he got older he got into Bob The Builder (thanks to people buying him videos for his 2nd birthday) and again I didn't see it as a problem as long as the length of time was limited.
Once he started talking I discouraged the Teletubbies as I felt he was copying their speech too much "Wittle Wamb" instead of "Little Lamb" ...
He is now 4 and he watches maybe 1/2 an hour in the morning, 1/2 an hour at lunchtime and 1/2 an hour before bed (if we are at home) ....
I don't think telly is bad ... in fact, a lot of DS's wide vocabulary is from the television I am sure ... Blue's Clues is fantastic for words and concepts ... he learned what 'frustrated' meant from Blue's Clues ...
What worries me is that he is getting older and loves things like Cartoon Network and those terrible Japanese cartoons .... and we have battles about what he watches ... as I think those things are too violent.
So ... Mummy is in charge ... and if he wants to watch something it has to be suitable ...

FairyMum · 09/12/2003 07:35

I don't think there is anything worng with TV as long as you do other things as well. DD was never very interested in watching telly, but DS is noq quite into it at 27months He likes Tellytubbies, Tweenies and Little Bear. I don't let him watch anything else than CBeebies. I worry that if I don't let him watch TV, he will be more obsessed about it and watch more. I have noticed that it's when he gets home from nursry in winter than he particularly wants to watch it. He cuddles up with his Teddy in the sofa for half an hour and just "chills". I don't worry about it, but I do find it strange as neither me or DD are into telly-watching.....

FairyMum · 09/12/2003 07:37

Ghosty, yes those Japanese cartoons are horrible. If I have to, I will get rid of the channels they are on. It's mainly SKY isn't it? I can see big argument with DH coming up about SKY now......

musica · 09/12/2003 12:17

Ds (2 and a half) loves Balamory, Tweenies, Tikkabilla and Bob the Builder. I worry that he watches too much, but he does learn from it - for example, he learnt to recognise written numbers up to 6 from the Shiny Show.

Cbeebies is really very harmless I think. Although, dh was a bit shocked the other day when ds got up - dh said 'you're going swimming today' and ds replies - 'no - I want to stay home and watch CBeebies!'.

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StressyHead · 09/12/2003 12:31

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lazyeye · 09/12/2003 12:37

Smarteenies - yes my son loves it ( he is 3) Wonder what the attraction is??

I also find that after a day at nursery (finishing 3.30) he really does just want to watch TV until tea. I've tried other things, but I genuinely feel he is tired and wants to chill. So what the heck - I do it when I'm tired. Do feel slightly guilty though.

Pancake · 09/12/2003 12:52

Trying to get two ds ready for nursery I have found that Milkshake is fabulous and don't feel guilty about it being on at all. DS1 (4.5 yrs) absolutely loves Hi 5 and I think it's really good too ... great stories and great singing (infact we're off to see the live show next Feb in Oxford)!

Also, ds2 (14 months) loves Noddy and claps his hands with glee when it comes on and it means he eats his breakfast with no hassle whatsoever.

They're both happy and so am I !!