As we argue in our editorial today, a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation confirms that parents aren’t doing enough to shield their kids from excessive TV and other electronic media use — in fact, they’re actually encouraging it.
One disturbing finding: About 20 percent of kids under age 2 have a TV in their bedrooms, despite pediatricians’ warning that this age is a crucial period of brain development and that TV can disrupt healthy bedtime routines and sleep patterns.
Parents apparently aren’t getting the message that good parenting is about setting limits.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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13 Comments
I suspect that many parents prefer passive to active - less mess to clean up. My kids have Legos, trucks, cars, houses, etc etc etc in their room. They build things and come up with their cities and all sorts of things. Of course, they end up with everything everywhere. I suppose brainless TV is less messy - an empty room to go along with their empty brain.
Wow! How do these parents get their kids to watch tv? I can’t get my 3 year old to slow down enough. She’ll watch an occasional snipit of Dora or Diego or Sesame Street. She likes VeggieTales. But she’d much rather play with her puzzles or Leggo’s or Dolly or her trike or her bike or pickup.I fully admit - it would be nice to be able to sit down just for 30 minutes and relax in front of the TV but she’s so into other things that I can’t. Otherwise the poor cat will end up with a haircut or the dog will get dressed up in baby clothes.It’s a constant vigilance.
Julie - you need a cat with sharp claws and a Pit Bull!
;^)
The cat has claws. And no pit bulls - my city has an ordinance against them. Besides I couldn’t get rid of my sweet baby chihuahua. He can shake so bad it’s a miracle that she gets him dolled up.
Uh….
I’m probably guilty here. When you have just one you have a choice; serve as their constant companion and playmate of let him watch TV.
I DO wish there were more quality programming. I grew up on Capt. Kangaroo, Sesame Street, and schoolhouse rock.
Wish I could say I grew up on Sesame Street, but I was a freshman in college when it debuted. :(
My kids are grown, but they did enjoy TV. They also enjoyed the freedom of living out in the middle of nowhere. My favorites when they were young (who cares about their favorites?) were Fred Penner’s Place, the Elephant Show, and Fraggle Rock.
My 3 grandkids tear up the house while they watch Dora and whatever is on Noggin, along with Sponge Bob, Pink Panther, and Tom & Jerry. Only one of them watches much, but between them all, they have countless Disney and other movies. Doesn’t matter. They’re still VERY active.
And since we’re on the subject of what kids are viewing and doing, take a look at this:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/29/203330/248
“pastor Rick Warren, best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life.”
Isn’t that Brownback’s bunch?
I think one of problems is that parents are scared to let their kids run free in the neighborhood. When we were growing up, all the kids played outside without any adult supervision. We only watched Saturday morning cartoons and some TV in the evening after supper, otherwise we were in school or outside all the time. The world is different today, no responsible parent would allow their kids to just run free. A parent can’t be a child’s constant companion, that’s not goood for the kid or the parent. I just wish TV wasn’t such a bad influence. My parents never had to worry about what we were watching because there was nothing objectionable to watch. Kids (and many adults)reflect what they see on TV, I think that’s part of why kids seem more rude and out of control today. Also, the images on TV move too fast, and it hard wires the brain to hyperstimulation in the young ones and predisposes them to ADHD. That’s why doctors recommend kids limit their viewing time and those under two not watch it at all.When I make home visits, it’s not uncommon to see kids watching adult TV shows (like Jerry Springer) or watching R rated videos with their parents. I don’t understand it, it’s like many parents just don’t care about what they expose their kids to. It’s really sad.
Talmud-vision is poison for kinder.
Viva La Raza Blanco!!!!
Damoon:”I wish TV wasn’t such a bad influence”.It doesn’t have to be. When I was growing up, we watched the 6:00 news on WIBW in Topeka…as a family, then we talked about it afterwards.Those are some of my finest childhood memories…and it’s a habit I’m going to begin with my son as soon as he and his mommy get over here.The problem today is that Demon Cable wants to stamp out ALL local programming. Ever wonder why you don’t see the likes of Whizzo’s Saturday Circus, or Freddy Fudd Reads the Funnies any more?And if somebody comes back and says, “I don’t let my children watch the news because it’s too negative…” GRRRRRRRRRRR.
“And since we’re on the subject of what kids are viewing and doing, take a look at this:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/29/203330/248“ -RD
“Your mission is “to conduct physical and spiritual warfare”; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice.”
Now there are the traditionaly Christian values this country was founded on!!
Of course TV doesn’t have to be a bad influence, I love the Discovery Channel, etc, but there are too many shows like Jerry Springer or “bathroom humor” sitcoms that kids are watching and learning from because their parents don’t care.I think watching the news should be mandatory in every family, too many people are apathetic when it comes to the issues that affect us all.