Should babies watch tv? mines 4 1/2 mo. and she loves tv, its a nice break for me sometimes too???

Erin - posted on 11/18/2009

Quoting Jenifer:

There's no reason to put a baby in front of the tv at that age. They'd be just as entertained by toys on the floor or on a play mat. And putting them in front of the tv does result in delays in language, etc. Pediatricians recommend no tv at all before age 2, so that it doesn't interfere with normal development. I'd find something else to entertain your baby.

my son has been watching educational shows since he was 2 months old, he is now 2 years and 1 month old, he has not had any delays in language or anything else for that matter. he is so smart and i think it has to do with watching Nick Jr. he can count to 10, knows alot of his colors and even knows some Spanish.

pediatricians may recommend no tv until 2 but they do not know everything, but i do agree with alot of moms when they say that they shouldn't be in front of the tv for long periods, you show be playing with the baby too.

Kimberly - posted on 11/18/2009

I don't see a problem with it either. It's not going to kill her. LOL Like everyone said though, it's okay in moderation, not all day long.

Shelley - posted on 11/18/2009

People who thinks that it is not ok for a baby to watch tv is nuts (in my opinion). My daughter was watching tv about the age of yours or maybe even earlier. They love the colors that they see. I would stick with the educational stuff because that is what my daughter watched and she is very smart.

Devon - posted on 11/18/2009

I see nothing wrong with babies watching TV. When my niece was living with us when she was a few months old we bought he baby Einstein DVD's & she LOVED them! (& they are educational also!)

Ayme - posted on 11/14/2009

The programs on Nick Jr. are educational , and after reading many posts and blogs about the false advertising of Baby Einstein videos as being educational, I would save that cash for diapers and bring my child to run errands... because seeing the real world and interacting with others are some of the the most influential experiences they can have...watching a little tv on the side shouldn't be a problem if the child has been exposed to positive stimulation for the better part of their day....

Keneilwe - posted on 11/10/2009

My son will kill for Trace, he is 23 months and just enjoys dancing. funny he even knows the nice songs. I dont think i will allow my child to watch tv at that age....I dont know if its safe for the eys as well as for mental growth. recently it was said that children who watch tv develop slowly than kids who took toher activities like playing outside......do whats best for your child let her/him listen to sounds rather than tv and only introduce it later

Carla - posted on 11/08/2009

In Australia thay are talking about banning t.v for children under 3 as it has been proven to be linked to consentration & behavioural problems. But I let my 21month watch t.v

Charlie - posted on 11/08/2009

the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under two years old stay away from watching screens.

Baby Einstein is being taken to court and they are offering refunds on all their DVD as they falsely claimed they were educational to thousands of parents who were deceived by their claims , Baby Einstein is NOT educational and they no longer claim their DVD's to have any affect on children's learning .

Marci - posted on 11/08/2009

Tv is good stimulation. I recommend baby einstien movies they are great!

Karrington - posted on 11/07/2009

I hope I don't offend anyone BUT a little bit of TV is not going to hurt. My son used to love NCIS (when he was 2 months old) now he never watches TV (couldn't care less about it), he is very smart, very happy, and still very loved. I have discovered that he likes sports on TV. Anyway...I still usually take naps with my son (he is 9 months now) so I would use his "TV time" to get things picked up around the house. Some moms can't sleep when their babies sleep so maybe a break while their baby was entertained would rejuvinate them. I still think it should be educational but don't let the TV be the teacher in your childs life because obviously it is going to "baby-sit" your child for a small period of time so it's important to not let the TV be the teacher although the baby sign language sounds awesome especially if mom is sitting with baby and learning herself because then she can use that to teach baby later in the day.

Stacey - posted on 11/07/2009

I don't see nothing wrong with babies watching television. My son was watching tv at 2 months old and he is very smart/bright for his age. I personally didn't like the baby einstein dvds and my son really had no interest. (plus they are crazy expensive) My son has always watching Noggin (now Nick Jr.) and all the shows on there are educational. They learn everything and anything and besides myself, husband and his grandparents interacting with him teaching him things, the shows also backed everything we have showed him as well. He is about to be one and know most of his shapes, colors, body parts, he can match things and alot more. All these studies of children shouldn't watch tv til the age of 2 is ridculious.

Charlie - posted on 11/07/2009

personally i think 4 and a half months is too young , she should be rolling around on the floor trying to crawl , even listening to music would be better .

Iysha - posted on 11/07/2009

LOL...I just looked back, my daughter is watchin TV with her daddy. Told you, there's no escaping it!

Iysha - posted on 11/07/2009

The TV is on all the time in my house...there's no escaping it, there are 3 TVs in the household and 4 adults who watch TV a lot. My daughter tries to talk to it. I don't see any harm in it...it's not like she's put there all day, even thought he TV is on all day shich is bad because even though she's not watching it, it is on in the background and I have read that children in environments where the TV is on and they are interacting with people babble 7% more than children in a quiet environment while interacting with people. People learn to speak with/without the TV on so That doesn't bother me... Plenty of people have done it...you're not the first mommy to want a break and put their baby in front of the TV and you won't be the last.

Meagan - posted on 11/07/2009

There are some experts who are theorizing that children exposed to T.V. too early could be the reason behind Autism. There's obviously no way to know for sure, but my baby is 8 months old and I don't let him look at the t.v. screen for more than a minute. She is seeing the movement and that's what's keeping her attention - but the reality is that her vision and her hearing aren't synced yet, so she could be getting too much stimulation.

Carol - posted on 11/07/2009

When our children were little we had no TV and I noticed that our kids were more creative in their play than their friends who watched. Babies especially need personal interaction with a human being who looks into their eyes and speaks to them. When you need a break, give the baby something interactive to play with instead.

Diana - posted on 11/07/2009

Just in case you don't know, Baby Einstein is refunding people for the DVDs they purchased because of false advertising. They are NOT educational. This is the info from Disney http://www.babyeinstein.com/parentsguide...

This is the organization that sued them for being so misleading:
http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/b...

(Also, the "Your Baby Can Read" stuff on TV is also bogus junk.)

As for watching TV in general, I believe that's a parents personal choice. We all know that lots of TV is bad, so using your best judgment and maybe studying a little childhood development in the process, is the best any of us can do.

Alisha - posted on 11/05/2009

and yes maybe make it like baby einstein or i use christian baby vidoes that i got from a christian book store. many moms arent sure of baby einstein, but almost all babies love it. and it helps them develop..win win!

Alisha - posted on 11/05/2009

this is what ive noticed...its opkay up to about 8 months of age..after that they start relying on it and always are at the tv. after 2 or 3 years let them have a little tv..not too mouch so they always want to watch it and are always glued to it. just my opinion from experience..one year olds if introduced get extremely addicted..most.

Amanda - posted on 11/05/2009

A little tv is fine as long as she has plenty of time to explore her world and spend time with you.

Kate - posted on 11/05/2009

hi crystal my daughter is 4 months old and loves the tv, its the colours they like, she as got a play gym and things lie that but still likes the tv, i dont see anything wrong with it as long as they not watching it for too long xx

Ayme - posted on 11/05/2009

At 4.5 months, the baby is looking at the shapes and listening to the sounds of whatever is on...I am not underestimating the intelligence of a baby, but I don't think videos like Baby Einstein are ANY different to a child at that age. To them it's all about the pretty colors and sounds...I think moms and dads get more out of telling others that their baby is "watching" all these educational videos than the baby is getting out of the educational video! ANYTHING can be an educational experience to a child as long as we the parents are there to facilitate the learning....Kids are people too..allow them to learn the importance of moderation in daily life activities.

Jennifer - posted on 11/05/2009

It is a nice break for us. Just limit the amount of time she watches and I think it's fine. There are a lot of great educational videos out there too. I think the problem is with the parents who don't control it at all and their kids watch anything and everything. There is a lot of crap on tv so you have to be careful.

Angie - posted on 11/05/2009

I think it's much better to spend time with your child than to plant them in front of the tv. I have to admit, my children were exposed to tv because I watched tv when they were babies. I never intentionally put them in front of the tv.

Stephanie - posted on 11/05/2009

Personally I think watching tv is fine. Our son was watching it at that young. He's definitely no couch potato. Loves to run around & play & is a bright kid. He potty trained before 2 and now at a little over 2 he can count to 20, knows his months, talks about anything and everything, sings entire songs, can tell you any letter of the alphabet when he sees it etc. We let him watch things like kids shows on noggin and he likes to watch those "your baby can read" videos. Keep taking your break. Your kid will be just fine with a moderate amt of tv time.

Jodi - posted on 11/05/2009

Quoting Candy:

When my kids were babies..and I needed a rest for a bit..I'd put them in their carriers (chairs), and turn the tube on to the dang teletubbies..lmao..they always seemed they were REALLY into it..and would giggle and squiggle around like crazy..I don't see the harm in it, as long as you never use the TV as a sitter...

That is using it as a babysitter isn't it? If you are the one needing the rest, you are not doing it for the benefit of you baby, but for the benefit of you, therefore, TV is the babysitter.  That's the way I see it anyway....that if you are using it for any purpose other than the benefit of the baby, it is a babysitter.  But that's just my opinion....

I am not against allowing young children to watch a little bit of TV if it is appropriate, and a few minutes here and there is not going to hurt, but there are many other more appropriate activities to "babysit" if you need the break.

I have also read many studies that have linked too much TV at this age to brain development, language development, development of attention span and ADHD, etc.  From what I have read, there is nothing totally conclusive about it, but it certainly makes sense, and there are obvious causal links. 

Katie - posted on 11/05/2009

"they" say children shouldn't watch any until 2 years. I say yea right!
the little bit of research I have read up on says to make sure what they're watching isn't fast paced. their little eyes and brains can't keep up with it like ours can.
when both my boys were around that age, I got the Baby Einstein series. those videos are educational, slow moving, colorful, and fun. a bit expensive to buy, but if you have netflix or blockbuster online, you should be able to rent them.
and yes, we mommies need breaks!!

Jena - posted on 11/05/2009

Sign language is a great way to communicate with a baby before they begin verbal communication I started with my grand daughter at 3 months she is now 18 months and uses over 200 signs. There are many tapes and books out there to help you so just type in infant sign or American sign into your favorite search engine and be amazed. I personally use see signing exact english because it had the same sentence structure as english American Sign is based on french subject object verb rather than subject verb object. There are sites that have video clips to ensure you are using the sign correctly. If you become fluent be sure to be careful where you sign because sign can be very dialectual meaning you might have a sign that means something nice in your area and somewhere else it means something completely different. Most of all have fun with it. Try signing to music it will help you learn faster.

Tammy - posted on 11/05/2009

I think its okay. color and movement are interesting to them.

Lisa - posted on 11/05/2009

Why conditioner her now to be a couch potato?! If you must get a break use educational videos for short periods of time.

Cherilyn - posted on 11/05/2009

I don't see anything wrong with it either. There is some really educational things on the TV. This comes in handy when we need a brake. Now I wouldn't let her sit there all day long, but from time to time I think it's okay.

Jena - posted on 11/05/2009

I like to use the baby Einstein videos with my granddaughter or if you have sattelite tv try the baby channel they have some great programs that promote speech and learning and if you don't use it all the time it is okay. Drs don't know everything and my baby is not speech delayed even though I have been using the tapes since she was 5 months old. if fact her speech is advanced and she learns new things all the time We also like the sprout channel for the educational cartoons they all teach her something.

Megan - posted on 11/05/2009

My son is almost 5 months old, and he watches probably 15 minutes of tv a day. I have heard all the research saying they shouldn't watch tv that young, but keeping the tv off when he's around isn't always possible. I also have a 6 year old who did the same amount of tv watching as a baby, and he's a very smart, well rounded little guy. So as long as you don't overdo it, it's not something I have a problem with.

Jenifer - posted on 11/05/2009

There's no reason to put a baby in front of the tv at that age. They'd be just as entertained by toys on the floor or on a play mat. And putting them in front of the tv does result in delays in language, etc. Pediatricians recommend no tv at all before age 2, so that it doesn't interfere with normal development. I'd find something else to entertain your baby.

Katie - posted on 11/05/2009

my daughter loves watching the news :)

Sweeney - posted on 11/05/2009

I've always heard that it is not good to let a child watch tv before they are 2 years old. Something to with brain development. My daughter is 3 and I'm just starting to let her watch more tv. I don't think she is any worse for the wear.

Kirsty - posted on 11/05/2009

mine likes to as well, i don't sit him in front of it specifically, but while my partner and i are watching a movie or tv after dinner he sits on our knees having cuddles and chilling with us before bed time. we half watch tv and half watch him!! we are still pretty amazed by him he is more interesting than tv!!! lol, but sometimes he looks at the tv too, he is nearly 4 months. i think they like the lights music noise movement and colour. i dont think they take anything else in yet, but i feel weird if we are watching something with violence in it or swearing etc, and he is there. im worried it could also be habit forming and become hard to change later when he is starting to understand more... maybe then its time for the wiggles etc!! just not too much tv i reckon, gotta have a good ballance of other things and a little tv sometimes shouldnt hurt.

Amy - posted on 11/05/2009

I agree! Also, nother mom made good point about spending time involved with baby too. TV is great to get a quick break or some cleaning done, but baby's need mommy interaction and stimulation too.

Candy - posted on 11/05/2009

When my kids were babies..and I needed a rest for a bit..I'd put them in their carriers (chairs), and turn the tube on to the dang teletubbies..lmao..they always seemed they were REALLY into it..and would giggle and squiggle around like crazy..I don't see the harm in it, as long as you never use the TV as a sitter...

Amy - posted on 11/05/2009

I think it's okay. My son would love to watch anything with animals. Animal planet is safe place to park baby. Also animal videos are good. My son is 18 now and gets excellent grades, doesn't seem to have hurt him in the least.

Ashley - posted on 11/05/2009

its fine for them to watch

Christina - posted on 11/05/2009

If she is watching tv at that age make sure you limit her time to 10-15 mins or less she needs continous stimulation to learn. Especially tactile stimulation. And your constant soothing voice.

August - posted on 11/05/2009

I feel that it's nothing wrong with that as long as it's something that is educational for ur child.And not used as a babysitter.Kids repeat what they hear so choose what she will veiw with care.U can even introduce a second lanuage (make sure u speak it also LOL)

Brinna - posted on 11/05/2009

i put on baby einsteins for both my kids n they loved it. it kept them entertained. n its educational. you can buy them anywhere.

Ashley - posted on 11/05/2009

I don't think watching t.v. is bad, but only if you don't just leave them in front of it by themselves. My son likes cartoons, but I watch it with him. He is seven and a half months old, and really only watches it for a few minutes. He would rather play with me on the floor or listen to me read to him.
Does your daughter take naps? I mean, I am not sure how long you have her watch t.v. by herself, but too long isn't really good for babies... Look at the Baby Einstein issue, that pretty much sums up why leaving a kid in front of a t.v. isn't too healthy...

Brandy - posted on 11/05/2009

I think that if a child is going to watch tv, it should be something educational. My daughter has used the baby einstein videos since she was about your daughters age. The ones for her age are only about 15 min long and I think at that age, they shouldn't be watching more than that at a time. I would watch them with her so that I knew what she was watching. Now she is 18 months and she watches the Baby Einstein's Baby Wordsworth movie which is I think 25-30 minutes long and we are both learning sign language from it. She knows how to say most of the words and do most of the signing that is taught on the video and even I got to learn some sign language. So I think that is okay but watching mindless television, I don't agree with it. It is nice to have a break, but there are other ways. Some of the shows I've seen on treehouse channel are okay, but others I don't approve of for my daughter. So maybe just pay attention to which shows she is watching if you choose to let her watch tv and look into purchasing some more educational programs.

Amanda - posted on 11/05/2009

My 1st 2 kids watched baby sign language dvds and learned baby sign language. My 3rd kid is 2 1/2 and just started to be interested in the tv. But as short as a baby's attention span is... it can't hurt, and as a mother of 4 I definitley think that if gives mom a little time to herself is a plus!! If you spend time to take care of yourself, you are a happier person & a better mother!

Sakeena - posted on 11/05/2009

My baby LOVES to watch TV now. She's 2 1/2 months. They're just absorbing all the sounds, hapes, and colors...nothing wrong with it!

Deborah - posted on 11/05/2009

My 9 month old discovered cartoons at 6 months and it helped me get stuff done like dinner. Even now when I need to get dinner done, put away groceries or anything in a 30min. period, I put in his Baby Einstein World Music video.

Firebird - posted on 11/05/2009

I would say definitely not a lot of tv. Maybe one or two shows a day and not one after the other. Some people would say they didn't let their kids watch any until they're 4 and that's great but I think that a little bit won't hurt.