Yet another interesting article on TV watching and kids

[mudder17]

http://www.slate.com/id/2136372?nav=wp

FWIW, I do think TV watching has an impact on attention span in the early years, but of course, that's only based on a small sampling of 8 children in our playgroup! ;) Well, and the fact that the kids of DH's closest friends who watch almost no TV have incredible attention spans (oldest of those kids is now in middle school).

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[elliput]

Happy Birthday, Kaya! I hope you have a great day. Congratulations, Eileen, on your completion of a second year of being a Mama!

[m448]

I'm of the no/low TV opinion but this had me LOL:

"But no one is going to barrage kids with TV for five years and then see if their test scores go down (though I know plenty of kids who would volunteer). "

Marielle


Ian - born 10/03
&
Ryan - born 01/06

[kath68]

Thanks for the link Eileen! And Happy Birthday Kaya!

T.v. is my friend. I freely admit that. But I am also an everything in moderation gal. What freaks me out is when Charlie gets so sucked into some show that you can call his name and he doesn't hear you.

Personally, I think what they watch is as important as *if* they watch. T.v. in the 50's was totally different than now, so to that extent I think that study can only explain so much. Sesame Street -- the epicenter of children's educational programming -- is vastly more frenetic and splashy than it was when I was a kid. Charlie watches it, gets sucked in, and doesn't pop out of the trance until it is over. That can't be good. I try to watch with him, so I can at least have a conversation of sorts with him about what he sees.

Not to mention all the other more spastic shows, violent cartoons, etc that are out there -- the t.v. landscape is certainly different than it used to be. I have no doubt about t.v. acclimating children to violent images, and reinforcing a sedentary lifestyle (I remember reading something about a person's heartrate slowing dramatically when passively watching t.v., which can possibly affect obesity rates). But then, many kids have a sedentary lifestyle because they have no way to play outside -- so they watch t.v. Which way does the causal arrow really go?

Anyway, Charlie has an amazing attention span, and I don't worry in the least about the shows he watches affecting it. What I worry about is him watching violent imagery and watching so much t.v. that he doesn't play outside.

[kijip]

"So, sure, you may cringe when your kid knows every word of the Wiggles' tune "Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy!" That's understandable. Watching TV has taught them many horrible songs, and for that you will suffer. But maybe you don't need to feel too guilty about it."

LOL.