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Is It OK For Kids Under 2 To Watch TV?
Filed under: In The News, Research Reveals: Babies
How much is too much when it comes to watching TV? Credit: jupiterimages
Whether they let their kids watch as much TV as they like, or don't allow them to see a screen until middle school, TV is a topic parents are passionate about, particularly when it comes to babies and toddlers.
Just how much TV are children under the age of 2 watching? The answer is a lot.
A story on PBS.org reports 74 percent of all infants and toddlers have watched TV before the age of 2, citing Children and Electronic Media, a study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser also found that more than four in 10 -- or 43 percent -- of children under the age of 2 watch TV every day and nearly one in five -- 18 percent -- watch videos or DVDs every day, according to PBS.
How bad is all of this pre-preschool screen gazing? The answer is unclear. PBS's Web site says studies on the effects of television viewing have focused mainly on preschoolers, while those of "infants and toddlers have received limited attention." Still, PBS does point out that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urges parents "to avoid television viewing for children under the age of 2 years."
So, what should parents do? As with all things, moderation is key.
"There is a big difference between a baby or toddler watching a few minutes of an educational DVD and the two to three hours of viewing per day that the American Academy of Pediatrics found to be potentially unsound for young minds," Julia Pimsleur Levine, creator of the "Little Pim" educational DVD series for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, tells ParentDish.
She also cites a less-publicized AAP finding from aap.org: "Children who watched "Sesame Street" and other educational programs did better in school readiness and had stronger verbal and math abilities."
Let's face it: It is highly likely that your kids are going to watch TV.
"The question we should be considering," Pimsleur Levine says, "is 'what' and 'how much' screen time is right for them? Media literacy should be the issue of the day, not media abstinence."
Related: Preschoolers Benefit From Television And Video Games
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
1-18-2010 @ 6:47PM
bill said...if people studied the "OCCULT", they'd find out that the device itself is harmful because it visualizes for you, which kills your own visualization skills. the mind has a myriad of amazing functions that can be accessed through visualization. the "powers that be" do not want you being smart, hence the aspartame,vaccines, TV,monosodium glutamate,fluoride, sports,organized religion---it's an endless list of an organized effort to slow humanities progress down to idiocy!
Reply
1-19-2010 @ 1:44PM
Mihir said...ummm...yeah. now, where's my tinfoil hat?
1-20-2010 @ 2:53PM
madhellokitty said...Actually...flouride comes from Flourite and if YOU studied the occult Flourite is a channeling crystal, so flouridated water is sound for teeth as well as the mind and channeling....
1-19-2010 @ 8:53AM
Sara said...Conspiracy theories anyone?
I really can't imagine that there is any harm with a parent putting on a kids show for their toddler so they can take a shower or cook dinner. As long as the TV isn't replacing playing, exercise or parental contact and the show is appropriate I don't see the harm.
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1-19-2010 @ 12:28PM
jprmoney said...my 11 month old loves nfl on sundays
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1-19-2010 @ 9:15PM
Emily said...Okay, I'm not even going to enter into the debate....I just want to comment that the kid in the picture is ADORABLE!
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1-20-2010 @ 5:42PM
dr. mama said...The problem is, tv watching is a passive activity that doesn't require kids to engage. They sit and have images and information wash over them. There's no harm as an occasional diversion or respite while mom takes a shower, but as a regular diet it lacks nutrition!
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2-15-2010 @ 5:57PM
MOM_IN_OHIO said...I never really allowed my kids to watch too much television. Besides, with my husband away at work, being able to enjoy my kid's company was something I looked forward to, even on the rough days.
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2-28-2010 @ 2:43PM
Sarah said...i dont think tv for under 2 is a bad thing. my daughter has been watching sesame st and all those shows on pbs for awhile and i believe she has benefited from them. she can say her abc's and count to 10 at 2 years old.
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3-01-2010 @ 12:45AM
mike said...Sara - I think you're joking? If not, you should look at this post and especially the video (Http://bit.ly/axk3SH) of a baby learning while playing -- without TV -- and then that baby at 2-years old doing a 30 PIECE PUZZLE! Draw your own conclusions...
5-06-2010 @ 10:00AM
NB said...my 2 yr old can count to 10 and sing the abc's and it's not because of watching tv. He learned by singing along with me or his brother. I think too many people use the tv as a babysitter. Just my opinion. Not saying you do cause I don't know you so please don't take personally
3-02-2010 @ 5:59PM
Mary Rothschild said...There are several ways to look at this question and no “one size fits all answer”, but one approach is to look for facts.
Fact #1:
Someone who produces DVDs for very young children is not the most objective voice in the conversation
Fact #2
This article began with a discussion of children under the age of two and ends up talking about media literacy
Fact #3
Few of us can claim to have had a television or video on for a “few minutes”
Fact #4
The AAP does not say that “3 hours may be harmful” for a child under 2. You reference the entire statement. I suggest people read it. In sum: No screens for children under 2. Maximum 2 hours after that
Fact #5
There is a good reason for this recommendation. The images and impressions a very young child sees play an important role in forming the very neural connections, the stuff of the brain, that will shape his or her view of the world. The more sense-rich and the more connected with the primary caregivers, the better. We need to put ourselves in these young children’s places. There is more going on, and arguably more important things going on, at this age than the ABC’s .(L. Cozolino’s very readable Neuroscience of Human Relationships is recommended.
Fact #6
Parents need a break, or just time to do all the things that need a degree of attention they don’t think is possible while with a young child. There are other ways to fulfill this legitimate need while not engaging in what has even a marginal chance of harming the child. Which leads to
Fact #7
Media literacy, yes – for parents. And a degree of intentionality in planning for those times we know will come – those times we “plug them in” now.
So, alongside “what?” and “how much?” let’s consider asking “whether?”
Mary Rothschild
www.healthymediachoices.org
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4-01-2010 @ 6:03PM
ow said...When I was young I watched loads of violent TV programs under age but it hasn't done any harm to me what so ever.
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5-05-2010 @ 4:22PM
tweetysfriend367 said...When my kids were little their favorite shows were Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers. We watched them together. The television wasn't used as a babysitter as it is now. If I needed to take a shower I did it during naps or when Dad was home. When I was cooking dinner, they were in the kitchen with me. Not underfoot but in their highchair with a couple of their toys or books. They were safe and learning how to occupy themselves.
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