TV For 19-Month-old?

We let our daughter watch tv and she is 15months. We only let her watch PBS or Sprouts and only 1 to 2 shows per day and it is usually in the evening when I am cooking dinner or if we need something just to get her to wind down. I have noticed that she may watch the TV for a few minutes and then is on to other things to do.
I don't believe TV is bad, just what is on TV can be bad. You are fine. Do what you need to do and do what is right for you.

C.,

do not feel bad about letting your 19 month old watch a little t.v. I have a 19 month girl and she loves blue's clues. I only let her watch a little bit a day, but it helps when I have to get stuff done. I am pregnant with my 2nd and at the beginging of this pregnancy I was so sick she watched a lot of t.v.

Nancy

I don't watch TV and my daughters, now 19 and 26 don't watch TV either. When they were growing up we had special TV time. IF the TV is on all the time that is what they learn to be with. Putting a Thomas video on or any other childrens video on about positive life lessons or math or spelling is wonderful.

Use the gifts we have been given as just that a gift. When I was a young mom I listened to the then popular "baby doctor - Spock" amd my baby doctor. I screwed up. I didn't listen to my
own intuition. The biggest problem with our children is they don't come with instruction manuels and everyone is different. Don't deny you boy pleasure in watching Thomas the train. It is all about accomplishing what you put your mind to.

I have a tag child (9yo) that has always watched a LOT of TV. And a 6yo that is on her way to being TAG as well (she shows signs her brother did).

We are now restricting nonsense TV (cartoon network) when we haven't before because we are adding more school work (extra stuff not assigned by their teachers - school budgets *sigh*) They are allowed to watch the history channel, discovery channel, animal planet, PBS, and anything else 'educational' as long as chores and homework is done...

TV isn't bad - it is what is on the TV...

I have a 2 yr old and he loves Thomas too! Not only was he and still is mesmerized by the dvds but he has learned all his colors, percy is green, ben and bill are yellow, etc. but now he sits and will play with his trains for hours...literally. Just something to think about!

Tv can be a wonderful introduction to outside influences. there are tons of learning videos and pre school shows. My children have watched tv since 9 months of age. All in moderation of course. If you park your child in front of the tv then you will have a vegatable child. I fold clothes while an Elmo episode is on and we talk about colors, numbers, activities and other children. I think it helps them prepare for group play as well.

In my opinion, the no TV until 2 rule was made by

A)men that work in the office all day
B)someone with no kids
C)some one with only one child, or
D)someone with a nanny

it is not only unrealistic to ban TV altogether, but there is not good reason to (in my opinion).

As long as you are not letting them watch stuff that is way too mature for them like Scooby Doo, or cartoons that teach bad things, and as long as you are not using the TV to babysit hour after hour, then I think it is fine.

My son is the same age, and he is allowed between 1/2 hour and 1 hour total TV time a day. We either watch it together or he watches while I make dinner (a much better alternative to the tantrums he throws while I ignore him to cook and he is hungry). We watch Baby Einstein, Elmo DVDs, Signing time, and his personal favorite Mommy & Me playgroup favorites (a GREAT one to do together).

If a little bit of TV time makes you a better mommy, then do it!

I think 1/2 hour at a time shouldn't be detrimental. Studies have shown that more than 1 hour of TV a day for children causes them to have ADD or ADHD. The reason is, that the screen changes about every 3 seconds. This trains them to constantly have changing pictures in their head and gets them bored very quickly in real life. It's overstimulation. Imagine a classroom teacher trying to compete with THAT!

There's no way she can change the picture every 3 seconds!

C.,
I don't think there is anything wrong with letting your kids watch TV. As long as it is monitored, and in moderation. My son is almost 8 and we don't even have cable. It makes it easier to moniter what he is watching.
And sometimes you need them distracted while you do a few things around the house. And quite frankly nothing was cuter when my son was young than to watch him play with his Thomas toys while he watched and tried to keep up with the video.
Just don't let him watch for hours and hours on end like some of my friends.
Good luck

R.
One Woman Spa
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I'm definately not a doctor, but in my opinion TV in moderation isn't a problem with my children. If you planted your child in front of it all day-that would be a different story.

televiion can stimulate the brain in the same manner as a drug. There are so many other activities he can do besides watching tv- even 2 year olds should not be watchign television.
I grew up where the tv was on 24/7 and it was a very difficult habit to break. My girls grew up with almost no tv and at ages 3 and 6 we lived without a tv set at all for 2 years. they are now 12 and 15 and while their friends come over nd want to watch telveision they are reading books, riding bikes, writing stories, making scrapbooks,etc.

It may seem an issue of convenience right now but don't sacrifice the future on the alter of right now. Right now is the time to teach him to learn to use his time wisely and be creative. Let him sit in the kitchen with you, either in a high chair or a gated area - let him watch you cook, talk to him about what you are doing, give him toys or kitchen things to handle or a small task he can handle to stimulate his brain rather than deaden it with the television. You decide- when he is older and bored he will either be a vegetable or be productive- what you do now will have the most influence on that.

I really really wanted to avoid TV for our daughter (now 18 mos.) but have let her watch very small, controlled quantities of gentle, non-hyper video. I am very careful not to leave the TV running in such a way that when the tape or DVR runs out, it switches back to a TV station, ads, etc. We skip all previews and promotions on tapes. Sometimes I just really need a minute to get something done without antagonizing her by tossing her into the playpen!

If I can, I always join her to watch the end of it so we can snuggle and talk about what we're seeing.

I must also say that there was a recent article saying the Baby Einsten videos aren't all that great because (some of them I guess; I'm not very familiar with them) they present objects without any context.

Not only is it realistic, it is the greatest gift you can give your child! There is a lot of brain research that supports abstaining from electronic media until children's nervous systems are developed- yes, adolescence.

I too am a full time teacher, wife and mother of a ten year old. She is healthy, creative, enjoys reading, doing chores, playing the piano, actively playing and I attribute it to no tv in our house (still).

Good luck!

I have 2 children who have been exposed to the television since they were a few months old. My advice is to go ahead and let him watch a little tv. It won't hurt him, especially if it it's not only entertaining but it's teaching him. He won't watch it all of the time. When he gets bored of it, he'll get up and start playing.

S.

Hi C.,

I know all the scary stuff they say out there about watching tv, but we have always allowed our son (now 7) to watch it in moderation...especially when he was little. We find that our time is spent with soccer, taekwondo, homework, etc. Watching it a little while I cooked dinner, etc let me be a better mom. It gave BOTH of us a breather, and I found that I felt refreshed, and he was entertained. I'm a teacher, too, and I know people in Seattle have frowned on our decision, but it was a godsend. Ian's now in the APP program, loves to read, is talkative, etc.

It's FINE...sometimes we have to go into survival mode, and a little Thomas or Sesame Street or Disney stuff lets us all make it through it. I was just happy when he grew out of Teletubbies phase--good luck with that!

Cheers,
S. W

I think it is all about moderation. My daughter is 19 mo old and I let her watch one of the baby einstein dvd's or something like it, even though she only watches about 2 min and then gets interested with something else. I think if it lets you get something done for a while it is great, just as long as you don't become dependent on it to get things done and he starts vegging in front of it for hours at a time. I have met many mothers who allow there tots younger than 2 to watch vidoes, as long as it isn't a constant habit and they are approved by the parents I don't see the harm.

Hi C., There are a lot worse things he could be exposed to other than Thomas the Train. My 19 month old and 3 year old both love the videos. It's great because they are so short, you can turn it off after 1 or 2. I have some Thomas the Train toys I give them while they are watching the video and they end up playing more than actually watching the video.
J.

If it weren't for Elmo in grouch land and his crib (he still sleeps with me) I wouldn't ever get to take a shower!!! Don't feel guilty... It will not be the end of the world.. the doctors say not until they are two and they say only so much because they have to... just like the Tylenol bottle says only take 2 but really you can 3 or 4 and be just fine.. they just don't want you to overdose. You're doing just fine darling! Keep up the good work and as long as you love your child and show him.. you guys will be just fine! :)

I have 3 kids and they are all doing very good. My 13 years old started watching TV with me when he was a couple of days old. He is great, his grades in school are great. TV help him very much when he started school. I didn't want to get him confused with speaking in Spanish and English to him so I started with Spanish, and we would see TV cartoons in Engish. When he started kindergarden I was very worried that he would not understand the teacher. After two weeks of school, I ask his teacher how he was doing, he not speaking english, she told me, Brian, he understands and speakes English good. That really surprised me. I had never herd him before, it was pretty easy for him to talk it just by seeing TV in english.

My other two the same as him, I do not see why not to let them see TV, try to put the educational programs.

Hey C.,
I know that most doctors say no TV before 2 years of age, but I think that's because some people use TV as their babysitters and there have been studies that link too much TV to ADHD and Autism. Anyway, most of the people I know just limit the amount of time to no more than 30 minutes a day. That's what I do.
Good luck!
B. :o)

Hi C.,

I would have to say that as a single parent of twins, it was and remains to be a "godsend" for me also. I feel that as long as you limit the amount of time and what they are watching, and promote the motor skills hand-on learning type activities, like books (reading when he is older), then it you all should be fine. My sons now know how to healthily turn off the tv and play with things like lego's, draw or go outside to ride their bikes when they finish watching a show. I have used it to get a shower in, and to cook dinner safely since they love to be under my feet as I am the only one that they spend about 70% of their time with (we don't really have a support system or family here where we live - I am accross the street to where I work and about three blocks either way from their school and day care center) I have had friends freakishly (frantically) tell me not to let them watch any tv at all -but they all have wonderful men and support systems!! Regardless...

The recommendation is no more than two hours a day, which is about one movie, but I really promote "short-tapes" or "episode" DVD's like you have used for your son where the shows are fairly short (it works like a trick to them - they think they have watch a "whole" show, and they have!)

BTW, we have now set up a system where they read (so they initiate themsevles) for 10 or more minutes and earn 10 points for each equivilent minute they read above that. When they earn 200 points, they have earned $5. It takes them a while, but it sure helps them prefer books to a show now days. They are seven now. However, days when they are sick, like today, it really helps them to stay put and get their rest with out being "restless." I took my son to the docotrs with a bad ear infection along with Tonsillitis and it(the DVD player) kept him from laying there crying and moaning while he waited for an hour and a half to be seen. It also kept his brother from driving everyone nuts!! Good luck with comming to peace with your decision.

In support,

S.

Gosh, yes! Too much is not good, but then again if my 2 yr old twins sit still for more than 5 minutes, it's a miracle. We recently moved and while packing, I sat my babies (they were about 6 months old) in front of the tv to watch "Finding Nemo"when we needed to get done. Nemo was a Godsend and it's still the only tv they'll sit still for.

I think in moderations its ok. If it was bad why would they make all thoes baby einstine movies for babies and toddlers under 2?

We also have a 19-month old and we do let him watch the occasional Sesame Street, even though we've also heard no TV before 2. We do, however, watch it with him and talk about what he sees and the different themes they are teaching. He also gets a lot of outdoor time and unstructured play tim so we feel it balances out. Our son is really active and sometimes I think he needs the downtime that Sesame provides.

Hi C.,

Research has shown us that television is a leading cause of A.D.D. and A.D.H.D., and various learning disabilities. T.V. viewing literally *teaches* a short attention span, which can lead to learning difficulties later, in school and elsewhere. I asked the research assistant of a reknowned Pediatric Psychologist about T.V. viewing for my small children, and his very serious, stern advice was simply, "DON'T DO IT." He treats children with all sorts of psychological disorders, from A.D.D. to neuroses and psychoses. The advice was to keep your children as far away from T.V. as possible: don't even have it on in the house, when the children are awake. Save T.V. for when the kids are asleep.

I know it's tempting to get a little break by putting a child in front of a screen, but the research is telling us, again and again, "No screen time before the age of five." The later you wait, the better. By "no screen time", they mean no T.V. or computer.

I have a 3 year old, and a 5 year old. They are both T.V.-free. They play, creatively and cooperatively for hours, every day. It's wonderful to see the differences in creativity and behavior, with T.V.-free children, vs. T.V.-addicted children. My T.V.-free children and our friends' T.V.-free children NEVER complain that they are bored. They are constantly creative. It's delightful to see what they come up with. On the other hand, T.V.-addicted children often complain of being "bored", since they don't know what to do with themselves because they have become used to a screen performing for them. So sad to see, and so preventable.

What helped me was to check out some books from the library, like "101 things to do with your small child", or another book like that, that is chock-full of creative play ideas. You'll be amazed at what you can come up with, and how much more fully-developed and creative your child will be. It takes some extra work, but it is WELL WORTH IT !!! Your child will thank you later for choosing a T.V.-free childhood.

Warm wishes,
A.

C.~
TV is a good/bad thing. It is easy to get addicted to and you become dependant on for free time for yourself. It is easy for the child to become addicted to, and become a "couch" potato. We personnally use TV as a learning tool. We have a 2 year almost 3 year old daughter, she is very smart. We tend to either let her watch TV as you mentioned when I need to cook dinner, or when she needs to quiet down for a bit. We tend to keep her shows limited to certain shows that she either watches over and over or, a channel like PBS Kids Sprout. They have learning activities, she participates in the yoga, or repeats the new words that they are using for the day etc. I think that if you use the TV as a learning tool, instead of as a scape goat for not playing with or dealing with your child, TV can be a great thing. As long as it is monitored by the parents. Typically, if she is watching a show, she'll watch maybe 1 show and then it is on to other play. I really don't think that TV is the end of the world, she's been around it all her life and I don't see it changing any time soon. She loves to read, color, make play dough shapes, paint, go outside and play, ride bikes, etc. I'm sure that TV can be a very bad thing, but being that you are a teacher, I'm sure that you could turn TV into a learning adventure for your child.
Enjoy life, let your child be a child, while you enjoy being a parent. It's short and they grow so fast. You as a parent will know what is good for your child and what is not.
Take care,
T. S.

I don't think it's the end of the world to let him watch TV. As long as it's not all the time, then I think it's a great way to get a few minutes for yourself. Some other moms might blast me for saying that, but I think if turning on the TV for a few minutes lets you get a shower or cook dinner then I'm all for it. My oldest son is almost 4 and when he was little we let him watch baby einstein videos, and jay jay the jet plane. He loved it. Today he loves putting together puzzles and looking at eye spy books.

C.,
We all know that doctors advise not to let our children watch tv, but I think if we control how much and what they are watching, it won't be that harmful. My son is 3 and he watches tv since he was 6 months. We don't let him do it more than one hour a day. It's a privilege, if he does something bad he won't have any. I'm also a working mom and tv realy helps when I need to get things done, but I never just turn it on and turn my back on him. The only time he can have more tv time is when he is sick, because it calms him down a lot.
I hope it helps.

I have a 8 year old, a 7 year old and a 14 month old. HAHAHAHAHAHA Try to keep the baby from watching TV. He wants to be like his sisters and sit with them. I feel that if it is limited and you know the content of the program then a small amount of TV would hurt anyone. Most of us were raised with a TV. I would just make sure that what he watches is age appropriate. Best of Luck

Hey C.. . .I don't see any problem with letting him watch Thomas. I'd bet most mom's would let their kiddos watch tv before 2 if they were interested...just as long as he didn't lose interest in exploring and learning. My girls are 4 now and when they were little they loved The Wiggles and I sometimes showed them the Baby Einstien videos. Anyway, I say 15 minutes of tv already puts you way under the average kids viewing. Plus, it's Thomas! Every little boy gets introduced to Thomas at some point, right? Have a good day and enjoy your 15 minutes of quiet :)

Both of my sons watch TV (4 & 18 mos) and it is not the end of the world. :) I think it is all about moderation - neither of them are couch potatoes and they love to play, run, etc. just as much. Sometimes I think it would serve us all more if we let go of the should and should not's of mothering. Good luck!

No it is not realistic. My Son, who is now almost 6, loved watching TV from like 6 months old. He was fascinated by the changing lights and colors, so I found Baby Einstein. It was educational and he loved the music and pictures and colors and lights. I wasn't going to be able to keep him from wanting the TV, so I found educational things. Thomas is a good alterative to "other" things he could be watching. It isn't going to hurt him and if he starts to want the TV too much,(thank goodness my son didn't)just limit the amount. And you are right. It helps a lot with keeping them busy while you get otherthings done. Good Luck.

I don't see any problem in letting young children watch tv. It can be very educational and fun for Mommy and baby! My two year old loves Seasme Street and we watch the whole hour everyday! It is so much fun to watch him interact with the characters and me. I think hours is a little much! But a little bit here and there is not a big deal! Sometimes I need a break and I know Elmo is coming on and I can do the dishes, so I turn it on and run from the room for a few minutes, so maybe I am a bad parent, but I don't think tv is going to ruin your child!

I think the difference is just not using the TV as a babysitter. If it is a couple of short videos I don't think there is any harm as I'm sure you still spend time playing and reading with him.

we were very anti-tv for our daughter ..... before we discovered how much she loves certain shows and how it can really occupy her when we need her out of our hair! ;0

one good show at that age is "signing time"....our daughter watched those, and only those from about a year to 18 months. after that, we tried out a couple of different shows from the library to see what she'd like. we soon found out that she likes pretty much anything! we are pretty picky about what tv shows she watches now (she's 2 1/2)...we don't have cable, so she watches the pbs shows in the morning if we're around. we've found lots of great dvd's at the library...we try it out and if we like it, we'll buy one of those. OH! the curious buddies! at 19 months, i bet he'd LOVE that! i used to see them at target, but haven't in a long time.

anyhoo. tv is GOOD. so long as you know what they're watching and you can help reiterate the lessons in each show (another reason i love having the shows she watches on dvd. we have seen them all a billion times, so know what she's talking about and can help her sort through things!).

I think in a lot of ways it really depends on the child and also if you're just using it as an electronic baby sitter. My 20 month old does watch TV but it's usually in the evening with her father and I. With the older kids, I have noticed a big differance in their amount of imaginative play since we pulled the plug on the tube during the day. We don't have cable, etc. so all we have are movies and a Netflix subscription anyway so it's really easy to control what they watch that way. Also, they don't watch any TV during the day unless I might have borrowed an educational film for them, or perhaps as a special treat. And several days might even go by of them not even asking to watch anything. By far, most of their TV is on the weekend only. That way they see it as a special treat, something to look foward to and by earned vs. just something that's there. Hope this helps a bit.

A.

My son is 6 now, but we struggled with this same question when he was about the same age as your son. I personally do not think the "no TV before 2" rule is practical for most busy parents. We did let our son begin watching TV in small doses when he was around 18 months old (Thomas was one of his faves too). He loved it and it allowed us time to get some chores done. I think it is okay if you are conscious of the reasons you are doing it. That said, I would strongly suggest putting some rules in place now around TV watching - how long he can watch and what shows are appropriate. We did not do this consistently with our son and we struggle now with him about these issues. But overall I have not regretted the decision to let him watch TV as a toddler.

C....you know, I think 15 minutes of TV is not what the dr's are talking about. When my daughter is sick, or needs a distraction (17 mo old), I turn on Disney. Her attention span is only 15 minutes, tops, anyhow...so, I don't think it's doing any harm!

C.,

I think there are alot of great shows out there for young children, even under the age of two. Baby einsteins was a great one that my son loved to watch. Today he is three years old and I definetly monitor what he does get to watch mostly PBS shows are our faves, and instead of leaving him alone all the time, I actually sit down and will watch a show with him! That way we can talk about what he is suppose to really be learning from the show. I think my son is brilliant!! And I know half of that is because what he and I both learned from watching these shows together.

Especially as your son gets older you will be able to have him sit and look at picture books, and puzzles which is what my son does while I take a shower, or am on the phone with a client! I think the key to success with tv watching is all things in moderation and done with much love and kids just come out well rounded. Don't ever feel guilty about your choices, us moms have instincts and we know what is right for our own child! Have fun.

Dear C.,

Let him watch Thomas; it's okay. The Thomas series are beautiful and well written stories that are well narrated by George Carlin. Ringo is good too, but we believe George is better. George's speaking skills are exemplary. Your son will learn to speak well from George's example.

I speak from experience. My son is now 15 and he grew up on Thomas. He loved Thomas. He became an expert on Thomas. Thomas became his discipline in which to learn how to learn.

Friends gave him the original story collection by the Revv. W. Awdry. Not only did we watch Thomas, we read Thomas and my husband then made up Thomas stories "from out of your mouth daddy" at bed time. Later, from about ages four to ten Trevor would re-create the stories using his Thomas train collection and the track family gifted him over the years.

When Trevor was in sixth grade he volunteered at our local toy store to "educate" three year olds about Thomas. He would tell a story "from out of his mouth" using the trains on the track display to help with the story.

Today, my son is advanced in all language related abilities and is an excellent student. We believe that his experience with Thomas taught him how to pursue a passion and in the pursuit of his passion he developed tremendous learning abilities.

The biggest lesson for me is that even small children can develop a passion for learning.
We were lucky to stumble onto Thomas.

Sincerely,
D. A.

Don't feel bad about your kid watching T.V.

My eldest used to watch it all the time when he was 19 months. Yes, the Dr's say No T.V.. I think its more a matter of quality. At first I only let him watch Blue's Clues and Sesame Street. The he wanted to watch Dora, Bear in the Big Blue House, and all the other "learning" shows. I turned it off to play, and when the children's programing went off.
He learned to talk early. Knew all his ABC'S, shapes, colors and numbers, and still loves to dance.
A big key is knowing what your kids are watching and taking the time to interact with them.
A little Thomas so that you can safely get dinner done (the kitchen is the number one place that people get hurt) is not a bad thing.

A few minutes a day isn't going to hurt your son. All of my children have watched a little bit of tv before they were 2. They are all just fine. I think the doctors made such an extreme recommendation in hopes that moms wouldn't put their kids in front of the tv for hours at a time.

I have an 8 year old who also enjoys reading, actively playing, and playing the piano, but not chores. He watched tv before he was two, but not excessively - mostly while I fixed dinner.

I'm in Monroe too and my son also loves Thomas. I don't see a problem with letting him watch the videos sometimes. For me, I try to limit it to 1 video per day, but when I need a break, Thomas is my friend, too. Maybe get a Thomas book for him to look at instead of the video if you are concerned.

My son started watching Sesame Street pretty early. It was the only show he watched FOREVER. I felt weird about it, because what I read said no TV until age 3 was the best. But, he really fell in love with Elmo, and for the longest time, we'd just ffwd (Tivo/DVR) it to the parts with Elmo. Then, he started from the beginning. He learned SO much, ABC's, numbers, songs, sign language, etc. He doesn't even usually sit still when it's on (unless he isn't feeling well), but stays active playing around, running around, etc.

I am a little worried about him watching "too much" TV, but I've kept his shows really, really limited. We've added Teletubbies and Mr. Rogers...also some Harold and the Purple Crayon and Curious George. But, they're saved on our DVR, so we can turn them on and off when we choose. (That's a really nice thing, the DVR, for kids, and moms!) Anyway, those are the only shows he really watches, unless HBO family has a show about kids playing music or something. But, it's usually just a "transition" thing at our house...he has "Elmo night night", which is watching a little Sesame Street while rocking and nursing. Or he watches it a little after waking from a nap.

I would say, don't worry about it too much....just keep your ideas of how much, and when, really defined in your own mind, and stick to that.....of course, it's always good to be a little flexible on it, every once in a while.

I guess my point (long-winded, huh??) is that I was concerned about it, too, but I don't think his TV watching has harmed my son. Sometimes he asks, and I say no. But really, it's been a positive experience, especially with Sesame Street. I can't say enough about how much he's learned!! And he is so enthusiastic about many of the things he's learned watching it. We talk about it, and play, and use the alphabet, numbers and stuff, much, much more on our own (with the TV off) than he spends time watching it on TV.

I think a little TV doesn't hurt. Especially when it calls for a balance of your sanity and ability to get things done or feeling like a basket case because you have a clinging child 24 hours a day. I use the TV for mini breaks and it is a life saver. And since we have been using it in moderation we have been lucky that my daughter isn't focused on it since she is allowed to have it. We also use music and books to draw her attention. But sometimes I need her to be "glued" to something and simply do not want to lock her away someplace safe while I take care of a chore that could hurt her if she gets in the way or take something out of the oven, etc. That's when the TV is a lifesaver for a few minutes of babysitting. I think the concern is turning the TV into an extended or full-time sitter. It's not the same interaction required to develop normally. They need to touch, see and feel. They need to express and respond to expressions to understand how to communicate, speak, and behave certain ways and they can only get that from direct contact with a caretaker.

Klara has watched tv-specific shows like baby einstien, pbs morning shows, etc. since she was younger...I believe its more the content of the shows than the shows themselves....I'm amazed some of the stuff she has figured out from watching these shows that she may not have been exposed to before-likegoing to the dentist, the farm, etc-it's been easier to talk with her about what we will be doing (going to the zoo) when we watch it then do it. So I think it's how it's used that makes the difference..