Seeking Advice or "Proof" Why Toddlers Should Not Watch TV, Videos, Etc.

I honestly don't get all the 'hype' and BS out there about limited or no TV watching. We grew up watching TV all the time. I can't remember a time I didn't have a TV in my room. I can't remember a time we didn't have a TV on while we were growing up. One of my siblings is a surgeon, the other one has a PhD in Education. I am almost finished with my own PhD program. My son watches TV whenever he wants and always has made straight A's. We are all pretty darm smart. There is no proof that TV 'dumbed' any of us down in any way!!! Make education the number one, top priority in your family and it really won't matter how much TV they watch ???

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My husband and I grew up on TV.. We are total losers, we have no friends have never worked,we lie, we cheat.
No I am just kidding...

We did grow up watching a lot of junky TV and my husband worked in the industry for almost 20 years. Most people we know think we are ok. Our daughter has some doubts.. but I guess most kids do.. hee, hee.

I studied Early Childhood development and of course, children need human contact, physical activities, books, puzzles, but there are times, when the TV can be a parents little helper and the best part is that YOU control it. Especially now with remote controls.

Our daughter used to unwind from school with some TV so I could get dinner made when we arrived home. We have a 10x10 kitchen so I could not always have her in there "helping".

Our daughter is a National Merit Scholar. Has always had a passion for reading, but sometimes, she loves "flopping out" and watching a silly show. Moderation is the key.

The computer is now a fact of life. Since 5th grade she has had a computer because that is how her projects, reports and homework was mostly performed or used as a tool for lots of communications and research.. She has a laptop that is her" baby", she calls it "Albi". In College it goes everywhere with her, because they take notes on them.

So follow your mommy heart and brain. Know your child and do your best.
No regrets!

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There is nothing detrimental about a TV - it's a tool for learning.
Just like anything, you have to choose what you feed your brain, and what you feed the brains of your children. I prefer to choose carefully what I would like them to learn, and make it something they look forward to - not something they do all the time. There are some great educational programs for your daughter's age - she will learn and absorb - and it's good stuff. As she gets older, she will have a few favorites that can be used as rewards for other characteristics you'd like to instill in her, such as "after she picks up her toys". A few choice DVD's are perfect. As she gets older, a visit to the library to borrow a good DVD is a privilege. Use it for positive, and she can learn way more than you can w/o it!

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There is a relatively new book out called "Nuture Shock" that has a really nice chapter reviewing studies about the effects of TV watching. It just reinforced my decision to hold off on TV as long as possible.

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Dear K.,

I'm no expert, and I think a lot of studies are going on about this topic, so the "proof" you want might not be definitive as yet. But there are indications. I met a child psychologist at a party and we got to talking about the high incidence of ADD and ADHD. He believes that it is related to the high number of hours kids spend in front of "non-natural" input. His point is that the natural world operates at a very slow pace--outdoors there is scenery (mostly static), people (slow moving), and animals (also slow moving). The indoor world for the most part is also slow (think of how a classroom can be, or a bedroom), you can practically remember the entire space in detail just by closing your eyes. Now, compare that to the electronic world (TV, videos, computers). Everything moves at a very fast pace, screens are changing every few seconds or quicker. It isn't what our brains are naturally wired for and the input barrage is huge. He thinks that is what is leading to the disconnect in the brains of young children. I would tend to agree, although I'm just a mom who wants to practice common sense and "moderation". I hope that helps you to bring some balance into your children's world.

All the best,
L.

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Google "Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood" or TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment); these are both valuable resources I have guided my preschool families to. (one more at end of this post.)

I can say, from years of experience as a preschool teacher and nanny, that media greatly influences children's play--and not for the better, in my opinion. I ask the parents to refrain from sending the children to school in 'character' clothing or bags, lunchboxes, toys etc. I have discovered that, when we even have a soundtrack playing, the lunchtime conversation goes from imaginative, interesting topics and recollections to a pretty dumbed-down recounting of the story of the movie. The kids at some preschools I worked at would wear their Ninja turtlesPower Rangers/Pokeman or Disney Princess apparel and then want to play out these extremely limited and prescripted roles. Much of this play is either violent or sexually coy, and brings out the worst in our children.

For me, the worst of it is that much of television is one-way and non-interactive. (Not computer interactive, but human-interactive). My only exception is Mr. Rogers, who addresses his viewers as "television neighbors" and asks open-ended questions about feelings, doing 'right' and discusses options for dealing with hard situations. (We do watch this with our son, side by side, and have a limited library of these dvds.)

Also concerning is that institutions like Sesame Street have commercialized their characters to become *marketing messengers*. I'm still furious with CTW (Children's Television Workshop) for allowing the mass licensing and merchandising of its characters. This actually CREATES a child consumer who wants items not for their worth or value, but because they experience an emotional connection to the Muppet or character shilling the product. I believe Jim Henson is spinning in his grave at the Disney-esque marketing mess CTW has become.

Children tend to have no lines when it comes to distinguishing fantasy from reality. They don't understand that those things they see on television may not be true. My husband was a kid when the George Reeves "Superman" television show aired--at four or five he *actually ran through a plate glass window*, thinking he's be like Superman. He still has the scars. We adults take for granted our ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality--children don't have this. They don't even understand sarcasm.

Topics are also out of the realm of what is relatable to a child. One example would be "Arthur". Many parents let their toddlers watch this show as it falls under the umbrella of "children's programming", but it models terrible situations: the children are mean to each other, girls are put down, boys are bullies or nerds--there's so much toxic stereotyping in this show. Yes, there's always a resolution, but our young children do not have the critical thinking skills to process this information/situations in ways that are remotely helpful. Instead, they learn how to be rude to each other. This would be suitable for much older children who might relate to this sort of dynamic, and side-by-side viewing would provide parents opportunities to combat negative role-models.

The last thing I'm going to say is this: I've found that children who spend more time with television seem less-cooperative and less able to play in a constructive/imaginative way than those who aren't entertained in this way as often. My son is included in this: even as careful as we are with media, I can tell when we've allowed "too much" television, because he's less cooperative. Perhaps it's because he 'connects' to tv for the entertainment and pseudo attention instead of us, his parents. He begins to get a bit whiny for it, less able to keep himself busy and happy.

And I have to go now, because he's asking for me. But overall, I'd say you are trusting some strong instincts in protecting your child. Also, check out the new movie Play, Again. (You can google Play Again Ground Productions). This is a well-done documentary of the effects of media and it's consequence: children growing up without a connection to nature. Recommended viewing for anyone who cares about raising brighter, more socially and emotionally intelligent citizens. Best wishes, brave woman!:)

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I see nothing wrong with a little tv or videos, actually they can learn some things from it!, as long as the time is limited and screened 1st. I think that alot of people feel that if their kids watch tv it is going to "lead to childhood obesity", well suppose it can, if that is all they do and have a bag of chips while doing so...that is what timers are for, let them have some entertainment besides color crayons and books...just sayin...

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I don't get the TV/computer issues at all, as long as everything is in moderation - as long as that's not all they do, I see no problem. I also grew up in front of the TV, am social, always did exceptionally well at school... my daughter's (6 today) the same way ... and even though at her last appointment her new doctor said to limit TV and computer and no TV in her room (she has one), she said "just keep doing what you're doing!" She mentioned she had never met with a child my daughter's age with her vocabulary. Yup ... TV and computer will stay on in my house.

Again, as long as the TV/computer isn't the only thing they do all day, I see no problem with it.

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I agree that there needs to be some balance as far as the child getting plenty of fresh air, exercise & one-on-one time with mom. However, all 3 of my children (now 18, 14, & 6) watch/watched quite a bit of TV from age 2 on up. I let them watch all the pre-school shows like Dora, Caillou, Sesame Street, etc. I think it actually taught them a LOT of things and to use their imagination. All 3 of them are extremely intelligent, and have been in Gifted/Honors programs since Kindergarten. None of them are overweight and 2 are very athletic. I've never agreed with limiting viewing to an hour a day for them...even as toddlers. I say you should be very selective with WHAT they are watching and making sure all the other areas they need are being covered. My 6 year old says the most amazing things to me, and when I ask her where she learned/heard that, the answer is almost always "I heard it on TV!" We have had many great discussions about things/concepts she has learned on TV as well.
Just my 2 cents :)

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Jane Healy wrote a great book ENDANGERED MINDS
http://www.amazon.com/Endangered-Minds-Children-Think-Abo...

That book pretty much convinced me NOT to have any TV before the age of 2 (3 ideal - even later better).

The AAP based their recommendation on No TV under the Age of 2 on Healy's research and writings.
http://www.edtechnot.com/nothealy.html

She has a chapter on why Sesame Street is bad for the developing brain. No hard science, but she interviews a lot of brain researchers and what they say is good enough for me. She refuses to have an internet page (so frustrating) to help parents get more info, but oh well.

That would be a good start for you.

Alice March has also written about the cons of TV.
http://theattentionfactor.com/

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Hi, I went to a Waldorf school, too, and was a Kindergarten teacher in a Waldorf school as well... as a teacher, we would encourage parents to limit use of tv and computer because studies have shown that these kinds of tools can actually delay speech development, as well as limit creativity. I have seen this firsthand, in kids who watch a lot of tv, and live in the shows. They can only play out, word for word, what they see in the tv, and it is limiting for them. This actually happened to my son when he hurt his foot and was home with me for a few days... I let him play some computer while I was working, and interestingly, he lost his interest in writing letters (he was writing almost full sentences at daycare before his injury) and he started singing the "sprout online" theme song over and over and over....

So, yes, I'm a Waldorf-trained teacher, but I am moderate, in that I do allow some tv viewing and computer-watching. I think it's best to keep young kids off the computer and tv on a regular basis, but once in a while is okay. My son really loves playing games, and practicing typing, and Skype-ing his daddy and aunties, too. So, we try to keep it in balance.

Go with your gut, and do what you think is best for your baby. There is certainly enough research out there to support you not using such media when your daughter is 16 months old (and at that age, I really did not have my son watch anything - it was after he turned two that he started watching shows). She will not be missing out on anything at this age... but as she gets older, it is up to you to decide how much you want to allow her to watch. I knew a girl in our Waldorf school who was not allowed to watch any tv or movies, and she felt completely deprived, so when she was older, she overdosed on them, and actually got a job in a movie theater (maybe to make up for the lack of them as a kid, lol). My advice would be to limit the tv before age two, use moderately, and at your discretion, after that. Best wishes.

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It's bad in that the time spent watching tv takes away from time interacting with you, and they need that time. Also with small children it's a case of monkey see monkey do. If they see something or a behavior on tv (no matter how irritating), and they think it's ok to do it themselves. And there is SO much on TV that is just rude and not worth imitating. Disrespecting parents and the drama queen behavior thing are just a few I could mention. Don't even get me started on the child targeted advertising. I make a point of watching more DVDs instead of live TV before all major holidays to miss the bulk of this. The whole 'give-me-get-me-buy-me' thing carries no weight in our house.

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As with many things in life MODERATION is key. Paying attention to what your child is watching so you can explain and interact with whats being viewed is a great avenue for conversation. My kids watched Sesame Street everyday and learned a lot from it. I never let them watch crazy stuff like Simpsons or Beavis and Butthead, as those shows can create behavior issues. My granddaughter watches a lot of the learning shows and also interacts with a laptop and she's only 2 and doing great with speech, vocabulary, counting and such.
To stick your kid in front of the tv for the entire day is a no no, unfortunately it happens way too often. But there is nothing wrong with curling up in the chair with mommy and watching a wholesome show and discuss what's going on during commercials.
You are concerned that when someone else is watching your daughter that she will be exposed to the television? It makes it hard on babysitters if they arent allowed to let kids watch TV. Your main concern is "what you do at home", because that will ultimately be the footprint that your child will rely on. You cant control what goes on at other peoples homes, but you can control what goes on in yours.

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You have gotten a lot of great responses. The decision is yours as the parent to make on ho much TV is watched. I have twin girls and I found the TV helpful at times, such as when I needed to shower. I limited what they could watch to specific shows on Nickelodeon Preschool channel. As they got older, we slowly added the Disney Preschool and PBS Preschool shows.

My husband and I would also watch the shows with the girls so we could talk about what they saw and reinforce the positive message. When Dora comes one, it is a family affair and we all learn. We have heard both girls refer to the lessons they have learned from TV at their preschools. It is great to hear your child say everyone should share and why or about not wasting electricity. There are some good messages from preschool TV.

One more point, if you "forbid" TV at friend or family homes, be prepared to have to entertain your child yourself. It would not be fair to impose a rule and then expect others to come up activities to keep your daughter busy. I personally did not have the energy to entertain my girls every minute of the day, especially if I wanted to visit with family and friends. I found it better to restrict what they watched by bring dvd's of acceptable shows.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

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the problem with tv comes if you use it to interact with your child instead of doing it yourself. My daughter watches some tv, especially when I get home from work and am cooking dinner, she gets to watch one episode of Backyardigans or Max and Ruby. She watches a few other things with us, and she still has a great imagination and vocabulary (which is what I've heard is a problem for kids who watch too much tv). this weekend she entertained my grandmother and I with stories about ghosts and giants and dragons.

If you're using the tv as a babysitter all the time, it's bad. If you're allowing your child to watch pre-approved shows that are age appropriate for less than an hour a day, it's not detrimental.

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My kids watch TV. Not all the time, but it is allowed for entertainment time just as us adults use it, and they are fine, it has not "dumbed them down" as one mom put it. They are normal, healthy, active kids, with great imaginations, that just happen to enjoy watching Sponge bob from time to time. I think some moms just really need to relax a little.

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I didn't read the responses, but I'm sure you've already gotten advice from both angles - the believers and non-believers. I have a 3.5yo and a 9mo, and I am a believer. I don't use it as a babysitter; I use it as a learning tool. There are some GREAT kids shows on TV that have great content and learning potential that my kids may not get from me. It's presented in a fun way that's inviting to me as well. Team Umizoomi is one I wholeheartedly recommend!!! Dinosaur Train is also very educational. I limit how much TV they watch, and I absolutely do NOT, under no circumstances, allow them to watch the same shows I watch, like CSI, Numbers, etc.

My husband watches very educational shows about the human body and how things are made, and I think these can be useful tools to an older child. My 3.5yo son LOVES to sit down and watch these shows and often remembers the content weeks later.

I do respect those parents who choose no TV for their kids, and if that's the route you go, that's great. You have to ask yourself what you want for your kids, and what works best for your family. In my life, and with our family being a lover of sports, no TV is not practical for us, but it may be the right thing for you!

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I grew up in a home where we were allowed to watch 1/2 an hour of supervised TV a day. We usually didn't because we would rather be outside playing. I read an article (on here) that said "Let's face it, Mom's, childhood has moved indoors". TV has changed drastically. Eduacational and toddler programming didn't exist back then. Also, TV's themselves were dangerous back then; bad for your eyes and health. Things have changed and I Love seeing my children learn Spanish, sign language, social behaviour... I use TV and we all watch TV and have learned a lot from it. Ultimately, your the Mom; do what's right for you.

You say your searching for "proof" that TV is bad. The above reasons may be why you're not finding it. Try searching in a more content oriented way. Look for why a specific TV generated thought or style of learning might not be beneficial. I'll bet you can find that... maybe.

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I think with this issue you can go extreme on both ends. Too much tv is bad, (for anyone) but watching age appropriate learning programs won't damage your child in a moderate amount. For all the 'research' that is out there that says its damaging, there's an equal amount that says appropriate shows won't hurt.

My mom, to this day, and my sister is 40, swears that my sister learned to read at age three, by watching Sesame Street. My two older boys are both above grade level, the middle one way above grade level, and yes, they both have watched age appropriate tv, in a moderate amount. They have also spent hours in imaginative play, drawing, painting, reading, etc....Do I think that tv was the cause of their brightness, no, but it certainly hasn't hurt them.

With that said, you have to do what is right for your family. If no tv is the way you choose to go, great. But be carefully to not sound self righteous. Its your choice and does not need 'proof'. If you choose to leave your child in the care of friends and family, all long as the programs are child friendly I think it would be hard to demand they change their life style for a choice you are making for your daughter. If she happened to see one show, she certainly won't be dumbed down by it and probably won't be interested in it either.

Perhaps you need to find a daycare you pay for instead, when leaving her, in the care of others. Since you would be paying, you can find a place that would be alined with your ideas.

Good luck.

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I think you should do what is right for you and your family. That is not the same for all of us. For me, I never minded my kids watching TV or being on the computer and they are both straight A students in middle school and college. My younger child is a whiz at computer software and has helped me numerous times with my grad school homework. However, I like to watch TV and movies with them so we have something to talk about. It's nice to have talks with your teenagers that do not involve disiplinary issues. My kids like foreign films because we started watching them together. Your child is very young. I don't think TV was any type of an issue with my kids at this age, but it is something you will have to figure out for yourself. One word of caution....Be careful what you restrict because that may end up being what they do behind your back. I'd rather teach my kids to make somewhat better choices by being a part of the decision process.

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You answered your own question in the first sentence....the best parents go with their gut.....whatever the experts say, the only thing that matters to YOUR family is what YOU think! The greatest parenting tool is The Power Of Your Own Convictions!

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There are many reasons why TV is detrimental:
- Passive absorbing of images at an age when a child should be absorbing the world by all the senses (touching, putting into his mouth, smelling...) and moving around to develop motor skills
- Very bright screen (light) and fast moving images lead to difficulties of focusing/concentrate. Same argument that you can hear for older kids and video games and epilepsy.
- Absorbing ready-made images don't allow kids to develop their own internal imaginary world. The same if you read a book o watch the movie. You may prefer the book or the movie but in all cases the book experience is richer for your brain because you imagine everything (places, people's feelings and motives, smells...) instead of taking in what's on the screen only. Your same 2 hours experience with the same story will be more beneficial for the brain as a book, whether or not the book is better/worse than the movie.
- Constant movement and music make kids feel bored more easily if left alone to play. They "need" the external stimulation and cannot enjoy just being by themselves
Many researches are based on observing children during the years and very solid, that's why the Pediatricians recommend no TV before 2.

We don't have a TV, but when my son was about 15 months, we would watch signing time videos together and we learned signing time together. It was limited time and an interactive viewing. Despite all what I wrote above, I don't regret having spent this screen time with him. I do the same now for my 16 month old daughter.

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It's so tempting isn't it? "A little bit won't hurt especially since I interact so much with my child the rest of the time." The research is technically still inconclusive regarding links between television viewing and things like ADHD. However, there is a growing number of studies that indicate that early television viewing has negative effects on children's brain development. And the evidence is definitely there tying excessive television viewing to obesity, decreased vocabulary, behavior problems, etc.

I'm trying hard to stick to no tv before two years old, I'm actually going to try to make it until three. We don't have cable in our house, so that makes it much easier for me to avoid the temptation.

Re: research - there were some good links provided by the first responder, the University of Michigan has a website that provides links to a number of studies if you'd like to read more.

http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/tv.htm

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My kids are in their early 20's now and yes, they've watched their share of tv. It is part of our culture. But I have no regret in keeping the tv off. If anything we would rent movies for them to watch occasionally, but it wasn't the pasttime that dominated by any means. They were about 6 years old when they were at a grandparents house and they just couldn't understand what commercials were. (Rented movies are commercial free!) That's when I realized that tv truly had not been a focal point for them.

Yes, there are good programs on tv. But being at a vantage point now and looking back, I can very much see how the vast hours they both spent in creative play has had a very big impact on them and in their development. They would spend gazillions of hours playing with legos and drawing pictures or playing in the sandbox. They took what they had and created their own games. OMG that sounds so old-fashioned in relation to our high-tech toys of today. Yet all the things they learn from and in creative play in a very real way help build their neural architecture. It's real. You may not see it in the moment or in the course of a couple of years, but I very much see it coming to life as my kids step into young adulthood. They too are deeply appreciative for not having been glued to ready made entertainment.

There are surely arguments pro and con tv and we all see these things differently. But I would encourage you to follow your own instincts on this and really trust that. Often our instincts are worth a lot and too often get minimized. You'll find a balance that's feels just right.

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I've read and been told by son's pediatrician that the problem with tv is that the entire image changes very rapidly on most shoes. In the first couple of years of life this encourages the brain to develop the ability to quickly change focus and thus under-develops the ability to focus and stay focused. Watch a couple of children's programs and you'll see what they're talking about. I don't mean watch for character's moving, but a complete change of camera angle or scene.

Research aside, YOU ARE THE MOM. Whatever you are comfortable with should be okay with other caregivers and if you say "no" it mean's no! You shouldn't have to convince anyone. They should respect you as a persona and as a PARENT.

Hope this helps.

T.

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Seeing this from the outside looking in on my sister's family life. All I see her kids doing is watch tv. They do soccer (they just started) and go to daycare where school isn't present at all. But my sister the second they get home is turn on the tv. When ever they visit, which is every weekend since she does her laundry here, all they do is watch tv. If I turn it off so that they could come and be with us, they throw fits!!! and fits! and fits! They just don't know how to act with out the tv. When it is on, nothing is as important as their cartoons. If we talk to them, we have to either stand in front of the tv, or turn it off and deal with their whinning. My sister will sit them down in front and then take a nap. She does this all weekend long!
Seeing what my nieces and nephews have turned into, I will limit my son to an hour or two (on NOTHING to do days) of tv. I grew up in front of the tv and so it's hard for me not to watch, so I'm recording my shows and watching when he is asleep. But I am trying not to watch as much and focus on projects, but I also like nose in the background and the radio just doesn't cut it.

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I confess I let my son watch a little TV at that age just so I could go to the bathroom in peace or put a load of clothes in the washer etc.
We are fortunate to have cable programs and channels for little kids - PBS, Noggin and Playhouse Disney all have no commercials and educational programming for preschoolers.
When my son was about 2 and really starting to talk and repeat like a tape recorder every thing he heard I realized the HARD way that I had to be more careful about what I watched when he was awake. I used to always watch Friends re-runs while I cooked dinner for a laugh and escape from the nightly news. My son repeated "slut" and I haven't watched Friends since.
On the other hand - I worked with him to teach him shapes, colors etc. He picked up counting easily and the primary colors but would clam up when I tried to teach him shapes and secondary colors like purple or pastels. His dad is colorblind so I was starting to worry. Then one morning while I was loading the dishwasher Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was on - I watched my son jump up and say " No, Mickey! It's the lavender diamond right there!"
LAVENDER...DIAMOND!!!! The little twerp listened to Mickey but not Mommy!

Long boring story short - a little GOOD TV is a good thing - we have so much to choose from that is educational and engaging. As your child gets older you will find teaching opportunities to talk about things like manners, feelings and other topics that are difficult to explain without an example.
Music is also so important and may be a good thing for you to introduce if you aren't comfortable with TV yet. My kids both love the Gypsy Kings and Beethoven.

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There was an article on here about this and here were "three bottom line rules":

1. Do not put TV sets in children’s rooms.
2. Choose programs wisely.
3. Do not permit endless TV watching; be aware of what your kids are not doing, while they’re watching TV.

The whole article is here to read:
http://www.mamapedia.com/voices/television-a-wider-view-tbd

Mom,
I teach preschoolers and this was a topic stressed in many of my Early Childhood Education classes in college and it is one I feel strongly about so hear goes...
One site I would ck out is the American Academy of Pediatrics web-site, specifically under the parenting and healthy child portion off the web-site. Here you will find plenty on the negative affects of TV on babies, toddlers and children. Another fact that you may find interesting is that the human brain is not fully developed until a child is age three? Logically I think why do parents of young children want or need to expose a baby, toddler or young child to all of the influences of TV? It is so full of horrible crimes,news of war and killings, frequent violence, inappropriate language music in many shows, Men, women and teens often in skimpy or suggestive dress of acting provocatively wearing plenty of make up on popular TV shows and commercials. Plus on TV there is the constant push every fifteen minutes of big co's to sell their products, anything from toys, junky cereals, junk food and sodas, not to mention today's commercials selling, drugs for depression, everything from ED, lubricants, feminine hygiene products and beer to name a few. I just wonder why babies, toddlers and young children need to see this ? Another thing we all need to consider as parents is the epidemic of childhood obesity our country is facing, the children in the U.S. today dont get out and exercise and play outside of recess daily anymore, they sit in front of the TV, Nintendo,Wii, Watch DVD's etc and are quite sedentary when they are home I just read an interesting article that the content of TV today is 10% meant for child viewing and 90% for adult viewing, interesiting fact. In addition, babies, toddler and young and older children needs to be playing both indoors and oudoors, being snuggled by a parent and read to or reading on thier own, playing at the park or pool, in group or team activites like play groups or youth sports etc. This is the way they should be experiencing the world they live in. Other things need to experience is learning and knowing about others, nature, music and art, by hands on activites and playing, just interacting with children and adults, talking, walking , running etc., not be plopped in front of a TV or movie on a regular basis , In my opinion TV and movies and video games etc are a baby sitter. THey allow very little verbal and personal interaction with parents, family members, and friends thier own age. This is how young children learn the most, by experiencing, not watching a box. I know this is getting lengthy, but I am growing pretty concerned about our future generation who many of which been raised on TV, Disney DVD's., Nick and Nick Jr ,the Disney Channel, Ipods, hand- held computer games, videos, cell phones etc, will they lose all sense of social etiquette, social skills, conversation skills and interpersonal skills? Here is an example, just yesterday I was in a casual restaurant , a Mom next to me had given her child of about age 4-5 her I-phone while they were waiting for their meal to be delivered to their table. We were all sitting outside at tables, the sun was shining and the birds were singing, the day was beautiful. This little girl was so engrossed, almost like a deer in headlights playing with this adult electronic gadget that she barely spoke a word to her Mom the entire time until the food arrived. How sad this was to me that her Mom didnt have the sense not to give her little girl this grown up device to shut her up for 10 minutes. What will happen to our families and future generation if this continues? THere won't be much conversation. Sorry to vent!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 not watch any television, for a number of reasons, including all the things they are not doing while watching TV.
You might look at Norman Doidge's THE BRAIN THAT CHANGES ITSELF, which discusses the way that the brain changes depending on outside influences. Television (and related activities) move at a faster pace than real life. We respond to that, and develop a taste for it, which may be why teachers are seeing more children who have trouble paying attention. It's available at the Santa Clara County Library system, and probably lots of other libraries.
That said, there are a lot of good programs aimed at children. Whether they are appropriate for a 16-mo, and whether she is ready to learn from them is a decision you'll need to make for yourself. I don't think a little bit is harmful--and can give you a much needed break!