12 Month Old Being Afraid of Images on Some Kids Television Shows

I don't recall my kids being afraid of anything they saw on tv at that age, but it doesn't surpise me. My kids were really aware of certain sounds. I specifically remember them stopping in the midst of playing in one room when they would hear the music for the PA Lottery come from the living room (they both loved to watch the balls bouncing around in the machines). Same thing for the Teletubbies (the went crazy over the "baby sun"). Keep in mind that they are little sponges who are developing their senses and skills. I'm sure they take in a lot more than we realize.

Frankly, I don't think television is good for kids. Period. They run so many images across the screen these days, so rapidly, and then they interrupt your train of thought with ads, which run really HUGE numbers of images across the screen even more rapidly, then --zoom -- back to the show . . . more images . . .

I think TV contributes to ADHD, where kids can't concentrate on any one thing for very long -- because it programs them for interruptions in their train of thought.

That's my bias. If you are watching stuff on TV that is scary, your child is going to respond. Remember that even if the "image" isn't scary, the music, the voices, all of that combine together to create an emotional pitch, and even without the image to look at, it's scary as hell for a child. Even Disney movies are scary to young children.

Let me ask you this: What makes you think a child would NOT get scared by something on TV ? Children are very vulnerable, and they don't differentiate between what's on TV and what is real. It is most likely TWICE as scary to a child.

My advice? Turn it off when your child is awake. Give your child the opportunity to create his own entertainment, play with him, build things with blocks or legos, do puzzles, read books, take walks, go swimming, explore the world in person. There's plenty of time later for TV, but give him the opportunity and freedom to let his brain develop without using TV shows -- if you must, use good quality children's movies, that don't get interrupted with a kazzillion ads. Let him actually watch the story progress, rather than watch something that is constantly interrupted and be barraged with media hype the advertisers want children to see and respond to.

Hi T.,

Of course a 12 month old can be afraid of images...children teens, adults, everyone can be afraid of images on TV, Movies or real life.

This is why we have parental controls.

Now, my question is, how come the baby is watching TV?

Just wanted to know. D.

I have a boy who turned 2 in April. My 5 yr old likes Scooby Doo. The 2 year old likes it, but wants me to sit with him because I think he is scared of the "bad guys/ghosts" on the show. He is getting better now watching it by himself, but he really isn't into tv too much.

T.,
I don't think there is anything wrong with a little (small amount) of television at that age (not that that's what you asked but....)
Also, I remember my son (he may have been over 1 yr) being terrified of The Map in Dora The Explorer. The part where he says (at the end) "I'm the maaaaaaaaaaap!" Where the shot zooms into the redness of his mouth. We would turn it off at that part. He got over it. WE laugh about it now that he's 6.
P.S. Lisa T -- I thought my son was the only kid who would come running from anywhere in the house to see the lottery balls! He still does it. LOL

my son was terrified of a certain episode of Teletubbies - (a shadow moves across a window & he would yell, "Ghost", rub into another room and cry. It took us a few months of constantly talking about it & I would actively seek out this episode on our On Demand channel and sit with him and remind him that it was coming up and then we actually made our own shadows. Like I said it took a few months, but the final indicator that we had accomplished getting him over it was when he say the episode coming on and said, "Come on Mommy, we have to go and watch the shadow together." Hope this helps

When my son was that age there was a teletubbie episode where a little lamb came out saying BAAAAA. He freaked out!! So yes, they can be afraid of TV.

My daughter was afriad of Dora. But know she watches the show and doesnt have a proublem. It might be the color or the charter or a sound that the charter makes. Then again how much t.v does a 12mnth watch?

My 6mnth old getts really ecited when sponge bob and when my husband and i play a game on the x box. It might just be the colors or sounds.

That is very common!Sometimes even a childrens show can have an image they find scary.I remember my niece when she wss 2 she loved MIkey Mouse.One day at a carnival they had the characters and she wanted to meet Mkey but just as we got close she started crying and ran away.

There is not much you can do .Because if you make a big deal over it they hold onto their fright.Try to keep it light and move on.But keep the Tv limited and especially the type of shows .PBS in the morning is usually the best!At least when my son was young

Not responding directly to the question, but I just have to say that I find teletubbies terrifying!! What were they THINKING??

My oldest son was afraid of the " Troublesome Trucks" on Thomas the Tank Engine. He loved Thomas, but ran out of the room if there was a scene with the troublesome trucks. It started at around a year, year and a half and lasted quite awhile. I am going to say it is perfectly normal.