Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Is it ok for 9 wk old to watch tv?

97 replies

chickpeamum · 26/11/2006 07:40

I know this is a naff questions, but she seems to enjoy the motion. I just don't know if this is too much stimulation, bad for her etc.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

LoveMyGirls · 26/11/2006 07:42

i wouldnt have a problem with it tbh. as long as shes not sitting too close.

WhenSantaWentQuietlyMad · 26/11/2006 08:23

I wouldn't leave her there all day, but if it gives you a break for ten minutes then it can't be that bad.

jacobliam · 26/11/2006 08:42

If it works great!!! Plus it helps concentration it gives you a break to get on with stuff. I wish mine did!

FrannyandZooey · 26/11/2006 09:00

The Academy of American Paediatrics advises that no child under 2 should watch TV at all. The hazards are described here /

curlew · 26/11/2006 09:30

I know the purists say none at all. But this is real life we're talking about! Why not get one of the Baby Einstein videos for her to watch occasionally. We had Baby Mozart. I can't see that 10 minures or so once a day could do her any harm. The danger is, of course, that it is tempting to use it more often than that. Set yourself a timer, be strict about it, and enjoy the occaional peaceful cup of coffee!

FrannyandZooey · 26/11/2006 09:35

Well, I live in "real life" as well, and never had any problem not leaving my baby in front of the tv. There are lots of other ways to relax and enjoy a peaceful cup of coffee while your baby is little - if the tv distracts them at this age, so would a mobile, some music, or going out to a cafe or park where there are other people to watch and listen to, or trees with waving leaves to follow. A walk in the pram can give you both a nice break and change of scene. It really isn't hard to find things to do that don't involve the tv.

CAMisole · 26/11/2006 09:56

Agree totally with F&Z, it wouldn't even occur to em to put a 9 week old in front of the TV (or even a 9 month old).

CAMisole · 26/11/2006 09:57

"em" ? I mean me obv.

liquidclocks · 26/11/2006 10:06

chickpeamum - both my DS's really enjoyed baby einstein type things from an early age and stuff like boobahs with lots of bright colours and music. Mainly things that were completely boring and slow to me but babies like that. Although I understand what F&Z linked to, there are other schools of thought that there's nothing wrong with a bit of TV, sorry I can't find the links at the moment.

If you're worried though we found those little 'fake' tv toys (where you wind them up and it goes around with a bit of music) and flashy coloured fairy lights equally as effective

hatwoman · 26/11/2006 10:10

both dds used to like Ceefax - bright colours and lots of contrast. I half agree with Fand Z - trees if you're outside, baby toys with black and white geomateric patterns and lots of other stuff are great - but if she's bored of these and you still need another 10 mins to have your cup of tea or finish the washing then I really don;t think a spot of tv will harm

purplemonkeydishwasher · 26/11/2006 10:11

oh feck. my ds is doomed.
and so are the dc of all my friends.

WigWamBam · 26/11/2006 10:11

At nine weeks, why would you want to? Sorry, it probably sounds a bit rude and I don't mean it to, but I just don't get why you would want to sit a two month old in front of the TV. There's plenty of time for that later, and so many more things that you can do with her at this age that are more suitable stimulation.

IvortheEngine · 26/11/2006 10:11

I think Franny has said it much better than I could. I agree with her completely.

GeorginaA · 26/11/2006 10:13

A second child doesn't really get the choice ... they're usually in the same room when the elder is watching. The under two years rule made me laugh - okay, for the first child, next to impossible for the second (think we managed no TV for the first 2 weeks for the second )

FrannyandZooey · 26/11/2006 10:15

But none of it is impossible if you don't choose to have tv on when the children are around (or to have a tv at all). I know that isn't what most people do, but it doesn't mean it is impossible, or even hard.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 26/11/2006 10:16

Aside from the fact that she isnt really going to be "watching it".....

There are plenty of other things that arent drain on your electricity that would keep her amused.

curlew · 26/11/2006 10:26

Mine didn't watch it at this age either. Or even very much now - there are far too many other things to do -pets to torture, walls to draw on and bathrooms to flood. HOWEVER, I don't see any reason why chickpeamum should be made to worry about the occasional 10 minutes her baby isn't having her undivided attention. I am a great believer in the concept of the "good-enough mother"!

CantWaitForTheSnow · 26/11/2006 10:31

Are we talking about sitting in front of it for hours on end? Or for 10 minutes in a day to get a much needed break?

Going back to the op, chickpeamum, in terms of 'badness' do the advantages of tv watching outweigh the disadvantages of a frazzled mum?

GeorginaA · 26/11/2006 10:33

FandZ it's not impossible no, but why would I want to ban my elder child from watching TV just as his sibling arrived?! How to really improve sibling relations! And he gets a lot out of limited TV viewing: boost in imagination, learning and not least of all enjoyment. The baby couldn't give a toss whether the TV was on or not.

(Actually my first did "see" TV as a baby too - I used to breastfeed while watching House Doctor... ... hopefully the fact I breastfed will counteract the fact I scarred him for life with style shows...)

juuule · 26/11/2006 10:38

I can't see how it can do any harm. Agree that if not the first child it gets a bit difficult to avoid anyway. I'm not sure that mine were watching tv at 9weeks. I think they were still swaddled and in the moses basket most of the time or being carried about if they wouldn't settle. But they have been sat alongside my other children at times when the tv has been on. I can't see how it's much different from babies watching anything else.

WideWebWitch · 26/11/2006 10:38

I can't get worked up about this, I really can't, and agree with GeorginaA, it's much harder when you have 2. In all probability DD saw Star Wars before she was one.

Baby Mozart/Einstein are fantastic imo, lots of shapes and patterns and, above all, music I could bear to have on. But I also don't think they need that much stimulation at that age and they're mostly quite happy just watching whatever's going on.

Being in front of the tv ALL day isn't good, of course it's not, but as long as children do other things too I really don't see that tv (CBeebies especially) is the devils work.

lovecloud · 26/11/2006 10:38

My dd watched tv from 4mths old - baby vids. She loved them and it gave me time for dishes etc.

She adored cbeebies - she is 3.5 now and I could not live without her dvds.

I dont have the tv on all day and i limit the time.

she is a very clever child and people always comment on how well behaved she is and her attention span id fantastic.

So that report is not true.

People can be too over the top about some things!

Everything in moderation.

I agree that fast hyperative and noisy cartoons cant be good for their little brains.

WideWebWitch · 26/11/2006 10:40

And I watched This Life back to back when ds was about 10 weeks and I was a very bored sahm.

FrannyandZooey · 26/11/2006 10:55

Georgina I haven't suggested that you ban tv for your older child or indeed that you do anything at all - just that it isn't impossible or even hard not to let your children watch tv if you don't want them to. You said it was "next to impossible". It is actually very simple.

I think there are plenty of other things that would give chickpea a break which haven't been shown to be harmful to children under 2. Oh, except that report is apparently 'not true' because we have the overwhelming anecdotal evidence from lovecloud, which routs it utterly

pointydog · 26/11/2006 11:00

Yes.

Flip

1 2 3 4