Television for Children under Age Two

Regarding children under two and television, the AAP explicitly states, "Don’t do it! These early years are crucial in a child’s development. The Academy is concerned about the impact of television…and how it could affect your child’s development…the benefits of parent-child interactions are proven…talking, singing, reading, listening to music or playing are far more important to a child’s development than any TV show." Many pediatricians also inform parents that the television should remain off for babies. So why aren’t more parents heeding the warning?

What Television Does to Young Minds

• Too much television for young viewers has been shown to affect brain development.
• It takes away precious time that babies can be interacting with their parents and their environment.
• Several links have been found between television watching and subsequent attention problems in children.
• Children under two rarely understand the content of a television program, and often confuse pretend with reality.
• Television watching can be addictive – the more they see, the more they want to see! Daily viewing can easily become a habit.
• Children who watch television in their early years have been shown to be at higher risk for obesity, poor social development, and aggressive behavior.
• When the television is on, even if a baby is not watching, it distracts him from allowing him to complete his own thoughts and problem-solve quietly.
• Even quality television aims to teach children things better learned by their own parents or caregivers.

Movies Marketed to Children under Age Two

The Amazon.com search engine has a feature to find movies especially for babies aged 0-2 years. Among the most popular series are Brainy Baby, Baby Einstein, Sesame Street, Elmo’s World, Blue’s Clues, Barney, Teletubbies, Dora the Explorer, Handy Manny, and many more. Why are so many movies and television series marketed to children under two when the AAP has stated loud and clear that it is not wise?

Well, the long and short of it is that movies are a lucrative business. When children becomes obsessed with a program, they become enthralled with the whole franchise, not just one DVD. They want the bed sheets, the comforter, the doll, and all the toys and gadgets with their favorite characters on them. Recommendation or no recommendation, these companies benefit from their early viewers.

Why Some Parents Have Trouble Following The Recommendation

Some parents are simply unaware of the power that television has on a young mind. Others are aware but are desperate for a shower or a minute of relaxation. Parents who do not have a babysitter or help with the daily grind may grow increasingly desperate for a minute to themselves. Some babies are especially high need and require constant attention, which can be draining on parents.

However, if parents can resist the temptation to turn on the television set until at least past age two, their child will reap the benefits for years to come. Parents should also avoid watching their own programming in front of children, and avoid leaving the television set on when no one is watching. It is entirely possible that parents will find that they enjoy these quiet lapses with their baby, and will remember them with happiness.

Parents struggling to find something to do with their baby other than watch television would benefit from reading The Top Toys That Develop Imagination. There is a world of things to do with a child other than succumbing to the flashing, hypnotizing world of television.

Child Watching TV

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