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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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Original poster

Am I a chav parent for putting my 14 week old DS in front of the TV???

54 replies

naturopath · 02/10/2007 16:21

DS currently in front of the TV watching CBeebies or CITV.. kicking his legs and yelping and laughing.. am I a terrible parent or is it good for his development? (Before you suggest it, I have just ordered the Baby Einstein DVDs).

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Tommy · 02/10/2007 16:49

I did (as you can probably tell ) I made DS1 watch the Queem Mother's funeral at about 11 weeks as I thought it was an important historical even I could tell him abou

He still likes the telly but is perfectl;y happy doing other things as well

I wouldn't worry too much that a bit of telly at this age to give you a bit of a break is going to restrict his development - if you left him there all day and never spoke to him, then it would!

Go with the flow

RnB · 02/10/2007 16:52

Message withdrawn

BOOquets · 02/10/2007 16:54

Both my kids used to watch the Sing&Sign and Baby Mozart videos from v small.

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newlifenewname · 02/10/2007 16:58

Isn't the issue what it is that TV replaces rather than the actual act of watching television?

newlifenewname · 02/10/2007 16:59

Baby Mozart, etc. is equivalent of organic McDonald's imo - you know it's bad but the marketing and wholesomeness makes ya feeeeeeel better!

jacobandlysette · 02/10/2007 16:59

we have (sometimes) classic fm tv on in the background for the music and singing and ds generally carries on with his play without paying much attention to it. then something will catch his attention and he'll really look and listen - normally male opera , then when it changes he goes back to what he was doing before.

Original poster

naturopath · 02/10/2007 17:56

interesting.. mine likes The Animals (house of the Rising Sun etc)

OP posts:

msappropriate · 02/10/2007 18:01

I find it ironic that Aric Sigman used to be a regular on kids tv.

I read about a study recently that compared language devlopment of kids who wathced adult tv, those who watched kids tv and those who watched baby einstein. The baby einstein watchers came out worse overall. I'll see if I can find the study.

Spidermama · 02/10/2007 18:06

He didn't say that RnB. I can dig out what he actually said if you like.

msappropriate · 02/10/2007 18:08

www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn12437

FrannyandZombie · 02/10/2007 18:09

There is a lot of difference between a mobile and some music, and a tv screen.

The choice is up to you, but if you think the two things are interchangeable, with the same effects on development, I think you should do some research before you let him watch any more.

Original poster

naturopath · 02/10/2007 18:16

only thinking also of gameboys etc. (which I am also not in favour of) and studies that have shown faster thinking, better reponse times, higher IQs (I think) in gameboy players. And surgeons that play those things are better too. (having never played one not sure which type of games/console they were commenting on).

Also, in my family we always watched tv as children, as did my parents, and it didn't seem to have harmed us. That said, we might have had IQs of 170 had we abstained!

OP posts:

Acinonyx · 02/10/2007 19:23

Dd watched about 20-30 mins at that age and now watches about an hour or so a day at 26 mo. I like to watch TV and I think it's absolutely fine in moderation. I don't let dd watch adult TV or adverts though - almost only dvds - some cbeebies.

Personally, as someone whose research is based partly on the study of autism, I think the link between autism and telly is extremely tenuous (at best) and it is as likely that children on the autistic spectrum are want to watch TV (especially rather than other more interactive pursuits) as the other way around.

According to a test that was going around I am 28% chav.

Original poster

naturopath · 02/10/2007 19:46

that's interesting re autism - I suspect that's correct.

OP posts:

chloesmumtoo · 02/10/2007 20:22

My ds watched Tv when he was very young. He loved it and have to say learnt lots from it! Done him no harm at all and is actually 10 yrs now and still ahead in most subjects.

hana · 02/10/2007 20:24

at that age it's pointless
save it for when you need it ie when they are older
and those dvds also waste of money!!

fihi · 02/10/2007 20:33

in response to OP - it depends whether he is dressed from head to toe in burberry while he watches....

i don't think they actually "watch" anything so young. When my eldest was born we didn't even have a tv (we got one when he was about 10mo), and by the time the youngest arrived there was an amazing thing called cbeebies bedtime hour, which they all watch some of depending on their mood. it's purely as a chill-out whilst they get bathed in turn, then go up for stories. With varying amounts of tv 'exposure', from various ages i would say none of my DC are more or less interested in it than the others

Original poster

naturopath · 02/10/2007 21:00

what about their eyesight? Any studies anyone knows of?

(and ooops re Baby Einstein - just bought 24 DVDs.. thought they were supposed to be excellent)

OP posts:

Acinonyx · 02/10/2007 21:07

24!! Hope you got them cheap! I have 4 and I think that's enough - there are so many great dvds out there.

Wrt eyesight - I think that is a valid concern especially due to the rapid images and being 2-D (which is why I have no adult tv or adverts). I also have trained dd from an early age not to be too close to the screen and now she automatically tells herself 'not too close' and moves back.

But actually - reading books is terrible for your eyesight (she says adjusting her specs) and no-one advocates limiting reading.

sheepgomeep · 02/10/2007 22:13

I put dd aged 19 weeks in front of cbeebies the other day for 5 minutes. I do find her very hard going, no sleeping, refluxy, difficult to feed and just about the most wriggly and high needs baby I have ever met.

I desperately needed a poo and thats where c beebies came in.

I had 5 minutes peace on the bog. Heaven!

Original poster

naturopath · 02/10/2007 23:57

sheepgomeep! Someone who sees where I'm coming from. Ommitted fact that DS has reflux so doesn't take well to lying down for too long.. yes, can hardly put him doen - think I originally tried CBeebies when I needed to take care of personal matters as well!

Acinonyx - yes, it's a new boxed set of 24 - £27 on Ebay.

OP posts:

fihi · 03/10/2007 00:21

do what u need to, mummies! You wouldn't have had so many opinions if u had said "i let my baby watch trees in the garden" - but to a tiny baby I think tv,trees and shops have pretty much the same effect, it's just stuff that moves and amuses them for a bit

fortyplus · 03/10/2007 00:24

I think 20 mins or so won't do any harm at all if it keeps him happy! Once he's mobile it may be the only way you ever get to visit the loo alone...

Acinonyx · 03/10/2007 07:43

Well that was a very good price - they are pretty expensive otherwise.

BOOquets · 03/10/2007 10:59

Can't beat a bit of Sesame Street though can you?

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