In the last couple of decades, there is a growing movement of parents pulling their children away from the television. They are associating television watching with developmental and social problems your infant or toddler may develop later in life. So if you’re like most other parents, you may be really worried about whether there is too much television in your toddler’s life and whether or not there is too much influence on you.
I’m not going to go into the statistics or the social issues associated with television and your older children, you may want to check out the parenting blog for more information on this, what I Want to talk to you about is what’s up with television watching and your infant or toddler.
Television is Not An Evil
Watching television is neither good nor evil. Like most other choices we make in life, it’s whether we overdo it or handle it in moderation. There are some benefits to your toddler watching television, but only in extremely small doses. For example, they can learn simple things like songs and more – but the television should not be the sole source for this.
It’s worth mentioning that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two should not watch any television because they need direct interaction and stimulation for their development. However, most parents, myself included – accept that some television watching is going to be inevitable. It’s important that you make yourself a part of that viewing time. You can discuss, play the games with and in general interact with your child while he or she is watching the show.
Develop Positive Viewing Habits
When my daughter was little, we watched shows that offered a lot of singing and primary colors. She learned a great deal from our interactions watching the television. She was never allowed to then and is still not allowed to view a show without a parent present to check the show out the first few times. She liked the games and the trilling voices of some characters. In fact, one of the ways we practiced our ABCs when she was very small was to watch Sesame Street and other child friendly programming.
If you are concerned about what your toddler watches, then keep the television off. You can select interactive or education DVDs or videos or just keep it off all together. However, I would submit that with the right guidance and involvement from you – the television can be a great asset and teaching tool. Just never make it the babysitter for longer than fifteen to twenty minutes – that’s about how long it takes to do a load of dishes or to switch laundry around or have a few quiet minutes for you.
How much television do you let your baby or toddler watch?
Related Article:
Making Your Home Into a Healthy Zone
Floor Time: Be Your Child’s Personal Play Therapist