Babies and TV

[taliac]

How much is okay? Any? Some as long as its age appropriate / educational? I've researched but can only find scare stories or PR for baby dvds online - does anyone know what the facts are (assuming there are some?)

Any opinions / info appreciated.

I personally really hate it when young children watch television. I have seen my nieces and nephews able to quote whole films and adverts, all from watching endless amounts of TV. DS (13 months) has never watched it, never even been in the room when it's on.

Alberta, my 22 month old can probably go through a whole episode of FiFi with you, but she watches it once a day, and that is all she watches. I hardly think that counts as being "plonked in front of the tv all day" and the OP is about the ocassional TV, not using the TV as a babysitter.

I'm VERY comfortable with my decision about my daughter watching TV, I'm not a uber mother, I'm not perfect, but my daughter is very happy, always chatting, laughing and smiling and developing well. So long as she keeps that up, I'll keep up what I am doing.

FWIW (other posters) I do not think it is useful to bat about the unproven idea that watching TV makes a child autistic. I'm sure a lot of parents who have autistic children (I know a few) go through a period of "it could be my fault because I..." whether it be pregnancy, the MMR jab, or TV or a million other things. Not what they need, I'm sure.

good point elf, I really think its a question of balance and whilst I respect those who say "No TV" a small amount works for us and I don't think it is a bad thing.

When the music starts for In the Night Garden dd starts circling her hand with her finger like the mother and baby in the credits, says Aaaahhhhh at the baby, and settles herself in my arms for a pre bedtime cuddle. Can't see anything wrong with that.

When my dd was a baby she had no interest in TV, unless it was an insurance ad. She would be absolutly captivated. What I never figured out was how she knew which were insurance ads and which ones weren't as all the ads did it for her not just one company.

are you saying babies actually watch TV?? What's wrong with dd and ds?

Please don't ask me to prove it as I haven't the foggiest now where I read it, but I did read a serious and peer-reviewed research article which described finding that the actual movement of the tiny pixels on the tv screen (whether or not the image itself is fast moving, flashy lights or whatever) is too fast/stimulating for children's eyes until they are around 2-3 years old and can be damaging before that age, not only to physical eyesight but also apparently to neural development, concentration etc. I don't turn the tv on during the day at all, hubby turns it on sometimes when he gets home at 6.30, usually to a music channel, but by then we are in the tea/bath/getting ready for bed stage so ds doesn't see it. I do wonder what he sees when dh looks after him when i sometimes work on the weekend as he pointed at a blank screen and went voom voom when I got home - just after the grand prix finished.....

Aviatrix - perhaps I should not have put "" in my last post but I was referring to the "endless amounts of TV" comment (my quotation is limited first thing in the morning ,

I wasn't having a go at anybody, and the references about autism is something I have heard in Real Life, this thread mentions TV could cause ADHD, either way I do not think the comments are useful because the study has not been proven and it could potentially multiply a parents guilt if their child has that.

I think I am going to bow out this thread, as there is nothing else I can say on the situation - dd is happy and healthy, so I'm not going to change anything in our house.