Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Babies Watching TV

more parents are letting their babies watch tv, according to this story in the NYT.

here's what one mom has to say:

Ms. Beck-Wilson, an educational curriculum designer who lives in Fairfax, Va., has kept television out of her children's bedrooms. But she said that she and her husband, Hank, a stay-at-home dad, agree that if they need to do laundry, pack for a trip or tend to their newly walking toddler, their son Jack, 3, is better off watching PBS or one of his many Disney DVDs than running around unattended.

"It helps with his vocabulary and with learning about morals," she said. "A part of me thinks I am being lazy, and I shouldn't be doing this, but it's just easier."

you're right. it's lazy. forget about easy. parenting is not easy. it's not supposed to be easy. resist. wake up. there is no argument to be made that tv is good for babies. you need an hour to scrub the floor? you have a migraine? too bad.

okay, so there are worse things you could do. if you're inclined to hit your kids because you have a migraine, then by all means, plop them in front of the telly. but ideally, tv is something that can wait.

here's the kaiser family foundation study on the media's effects on kids