The front page of the Citizen this morning had a big article about the pending arrival of BabyFirstTV, a new 24 hour TV network “devoted to babies six months to three years.”
My only question: in the age of the ubiquitous DVD player, do we really need round-the-clock programming for babies? Can they not get past the 3 am feed without a bit of electric nipple to sooth them back to sleep?
Most of what I’ve read on this whole baby TV debate has centred around the educational value of TV for babies, and whether watching Baby Einstein three times a day at the age of six months will help junior improve his high school grade point average. Seriously. Is there anyone who really believes those weird psychedelic camera angles of brightly coloured toys are cranking up baby’s IQ?
Of course not. TV for babies is not really for babies; it’s for mothers (and fathers.) It’s about finding something that distracts a needy baby for 15 or 20 minutes so a beleagured new mom can load the dishwasher or take a shower or (god forbid) sit and drink a cup of coffee and stare off into space for a while. Never, of course, so mom can pick up the laptop and check what’s up in the blogosphere. Never that.
You know I don’t have a problem with TV for kids. Heck, ask my mother and she’ll tell you I graduated magna cum laude from university in no small part due to the influence of two hours of Sesame Street a day in my formative years. And yet, I don’t think we’ll be subscribing to Baby TV. Truth be told, we only have basic cable anyway. But I’ve got a drawer full of Baby Einstein DVDs that I’ll happily dust off and put back into circulation. My biggest challenge will be getting the boys to share the DVD player. With any luck, Queen Amidala will be in heavy rotation by then.
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I seen that. Just one more thing in my opinion to scare the HECK out of new parents. Some of the books I bought did that to me. But I’m sure it will help some. I’m out of those years and I need HELP with Teenagers and 6 year olds! LOL!
I seen that. Just one more thing in my opinion to scare the HECK out of new parents. Some of the books I bought did that to me. But I’m sure it will help some. I’m out of those years and I need HELP with Teenagers and 6 year olds! LOL!
A 3-month old put deliberately in front of the tv? Ridiculous.
A 3-month old put deliberately in front of the tv? Ridiculous.
Ummm, I sometime plopped my colicky 3-month old in front of TLC’s “Ready, Set, Learn” morning programming so I could take a shower and make a breakfast shake. In his vibrating chair and with something to look at, he could be happy for nearly 30 minutes. Is he smarter now than he would have been had he looked at the wall instead? I doubt it, but it was a glorious relief in those early days to know there was something besides me that would keep him from crying. I wouldn’t subscribe to BabyTV, but I totally get why it’s (really) out there.
Ummm, I sometime plopped my colicky 3-month old in front of TLC’s “Ready, Set, Learn” morning programming so I could take a shower and make a breakfast shake. In his vibrating chair and with something to look at, he could be happy for nearly 30 minutes. Is he smarter now than he would have been had he looked at the wall instead? I doubt it, but it was a glorious relief in those early days to know there was something besides me that would keep him from crying. I wouldn’t subscribe to BabyTV, but I totally get why it’s (really) out there.
If it does nothing else it might break down the Baby Einstein monopoly but then I suppose Disney likely owns all the other content that Baby TV puts out.
Miss M wathced a about a half hour of baby Einstein a day from about 10 months on. Without it, I might’ve died. She was one of those babies who cannot ever be set down. Being able to take a dump without having to juggle a baby on my lap or hear her scream inconsoably the entire time did wonders for both my psyche and my regularity.
If it does nothing else it might break down the Baby Einstein monopoly but then I suppose Disney likely owns all the other content that Baby TV puts out.
Miss M wathced a about a half hour of baby Einstein a day from about 10 months on. Without it, I might’ve died. She was one of those babies who cannot ever be set down. Being able to take a dump without having to juggle a baby on my lap or hear her scream inconsoably the entire time did wonders for both my psyche and my regularity.