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Why TV for Kids Under Two is OK

5 November 2005 by Jeremy Price




I have learned to love Baby Einstein; not for me, but for my son. I always thought that I would never let him watch TV before the age of two. My top three responses to the No TV for Toddlers rule are as follows:

  • I can do things, like breathe, clean, and write guilt-mollifying blog posts such as this one. Seriously, I was able to clean up the porch and even vacuum: he has become quite afraid of the vacuum cleaner, but watching Baby Einstein, he didn’t notice.
  • TV makes you smarter. That is, if you buy Steven Johnson’s argument.
  • Things forbidden are that much more desirable. Otherwise known as the “Forbidden-Toy Paradigm“. I’d agree with that: my mom did a good job of keeping all sorts of candy out of the house while I was growing up. Now I have one wicked sweet tooth.
  • Just one caveat: Everything In Moderation. Baby Einstein on VHS or DVD is self-contained and limited, and is made specifically for toddlers. I would never let him watch CSI, nor do I put the tape on more than once a day (most days, I don’t put it on for him at all). The other option is that I let him play with toilet paper.

    Well, the tape is over, so I think I’m going to go play catch with him now. Yeah, he plays catch.

    Posted in guilt assuagement department, kids, parenting, popular culture | 4 Comments


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    4 Responses to “Why TV for Kids Under Two is OK”

    1. on 05 Nov 2005 at 2:31 pm1    ME "Liz" Strauss

      It’s not a bad thing to let your child watch TV. The moving images are stimulating and the sounds add audio input. What’s a problem is assigning a kid to a TV babysitter. Doesn’t sound like you’re doing that. Every mom needs a breather. Giving yourself room to breathe makes everyone nicer. :)


    2. on 07 Nov 2005 at 5:04 am2    James Farmer

      Fantastic theme, great to se it in action!


    3. on 07 Nov 2005 at 5:13 pm3    LindaH

      Sometimes you just have to be ‘good enough’ parent not super parent. BTW a few bits of masking tape stuck on ends of baby’s fingers can lead to a good 20 mins of peace and some interesting learning about stickiness :-)


    4. on 12 Dec 2005 at 4:04 pm4    amy

      Thanks for making me feel like a non-horrible parent!


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