Editor’s Note: Happy Friday! All week long we’re talking about screens – from TV shows to tablets for kids and grownups of all ages. Love ’em or hate ’em, screens and screen time are a hot topic in parenting circles. Read on for one mom’s take, and check back here all week for more screen-related posts!
Now here is something I never thought I would find myself thinking: “Man, I just wish that my baby would be willing to watch a little Sesame Street!”
I always said that I wouldn’t be super crazy strict about TV time, but that I wouldn’t really allow much of it to happen at all. During the day the TV is rarely on at my house. Don’t get me wrong, my hubby and I love to curl up and watch a show together before bed. But during the day- thats time for play, projects, and getting out of the house.
Lately though, I find myself in a weird situation. You see, I have this nephew who is freaky smart. As in, saying insane full sentences before he was two, smart. And guess what? He watches a whole lot of Sesame Street. And plays a whole lot of kid friendly Apps on his mama’s phone. Of course his parents also work with him without devices like TVs and phones, but he seems to learn a lot of what he knows from those things.
I happen to have a child who could care less about the TV. If I put a cartoon on, he will watch it for maybe 1 minute, and then he is off exploring some toy, or more realistically, trying to climb something. He is a mover. Always. And I love that about him. But sometimes I wonder if it would actually benefit him from sitting down and watching some Sesame Street {or something educational}.
So tell me- should I be glad that he has zero interest in TV? Should I really try and get him to be in to it? Or will I just be eating my own words years down the road when I can’t get him away from the TV?!
Do you let your kiddos watch TV? If so- what type of boundaries do you set up for it? Time limits, or at least show limits? Fill this new mama in!
I think every kid is different & you have to do what seems right for your child. I did see this story recently though & found it really interesting! Similar to what you observed with that other child: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children_shealth/10138281/Letting-children-watch-hours-of-TV-improves-academic-ability-study-claims.html
My kids watch tv, and have since they were little. In comparison to their peers they are more than fine. They also love the iPhone/iPad apps we have both educational and not. People learn differently. Some are visual. Some aren’t. I don’t see a problem with it unless it is exclusively used as a baby sitter.
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