In my last post I mentioned how much Kaylee loves to watch DVD's. Several people commented and suggested that we limit the amount of TV that we let her watch. We absolutely agree. We do not want her to watch too much TV. And we do not want to get in the habbit of just putting her in front of the TV because it is easy for us.
How much is too much? Does anyone have any data on this? What do the experts say? What do you say?
Posted by Mark at March 7, 2005 08:37 PMMedia influence is one of the most critical issues today," "TV is a powerful values educator, but the values it puts forth are frequently not the values we are trying to instill. In fact, in some instances they are directly opposed to those values." So my thoughts are to proceed with caution......Love AF
Bianca and Lucie are allowed to watch an hour a day +plus extra on the weekends if we watch a family film.
I have to say though Annabel watches more. She usually watches a couple of DVDs in the day and will sit down, but not actively watch what Bianca and Lucie watch. She doesn't sit through the entire time either.
Trying to submerse her in the English Language and I don't think it's really a bad thing as long as they are watching appropriate programs.
We have the time limit to encourage Lucie and Bianca to do find other ways to entertain themselves and also because I got sick and tired of in constantly booming on MTV (we got rid of cable though so that went with that)....
We're not super strict on it, but they don't get to watch much.
It's not expert advice but just letting you know what we do in our house
Katrin
Posted by: Katrin at March 8, 2005 11:59 AMI agree with the others. I don't have expert advice, but I believe T.V. can become an addictive thing and also can send them the wrong message if we aren't careful with what they view. And yes, it can be easier just to set them down in front of anything because it entertains them while we're busy doing other things. What I've done is video taped many different things (without the ads). That way I know they're not watching what is inappropriate. Since all my boys now are at school, they watch very little. I think you can have a lot of educational stuff as well as a few entertaining things for them to view. My personal belief though, is too much T.V. (as well as computer games) can take away the natural imagination that kids have. Very few kids these days get outside and play. There has been some concern with this that I've heard in the media (mainly with the issue of overweight in children).
I don't really have t.v. on for Alisha. She never sits still for anything anyway :-)
We have a thing we do in our house. I made up a chores roster. Whoever's day it is to do the extra chores, get's to choose the video to watch that day. Often we don't end up watching anything though, because they end up going outside to play or do art work or something else, which I prefer.
I believe things we do with our kids in the early days sets a pattern for their lives. It becomes habitual. It also opens up opportunities to share with them why they aren't allowed to watch certain things when other kids at school watch it. I tell you what, it's amazing the kind of things that young kids are watching.
Well that's just my own personal thoughts on this.
Blessings on you!
-Michelle
P.S. I love the latest photo of Kaylee. Very pretty in pink!!
Posted by: Michelle at March 12, 2005 08:17 PMActually I believe the experts say no TV at all until age 2 and then minimal.
Posted by: ModernMother Tamra at March 14, 2005 01:50 PM