Do You Let Your Young Child Watch Television?
By klgudelski
@klgudelski (27)
United States
June 29, 2007 1:04pm CST
I will admit that I let my daughter watch cartoons in the morning because I work until 2am and by the time I get home and get in bed its usually 4am, and she wakes up at about 7am. She will sit and watch tv for a few hours and let me get a little extra sleep. Is it really bad for them? When I took her to the doctor for her last appointment the Dr. said watching tv is too much stimulation and she shouldn't watch it at all. What does everyone think? I think I'm going to keep letting her watch it, I need some sleep!
2 people like this
16 responses
@vicki2876 (5636)
• Canada
30 Jun 07
It seems like you already have made up your mind about it however the fact that a television is your babysitter is a little strange. When mine were young I stayed home instead of worked because I would make less with childcare costs if I work. I have 3 kids. So I understand that you can't afford a babysitter, but I will agree with you doctor. Too much TV is no good.
1 person likes this
@syndibee (799)
• United States
3 Jul 07
i agree with this response. a tv should definately not be a babysitter. and it is my strong belief that a child should not watch more than 1-2 hours of tv a day, no matter their age. i believe television takes away from their own natural ability to use their imagination. i'd suggest not working if it's too expensive for you to care for your child properly during their awake time.
@klgudelski (27)
• United States
29 Jun 07
I don't know about computer games, but shes definately too little to use any yet :)
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
29 Jun 07
Everyone is different and even though some may not agree, I let my son watch tv all the time. English was not his first language and so watching tv helps him learn new words and so forth. It's not the only too I do use, but I do let him watch it every day. I do monitor which programs he watches too as some of them are just outragious!! Sometimes he may not be watching it all the time because he has his toys out and plays with them also.
1 person likes this
@klgudelski (27)
• United States
29 Jun 07
I only let my daughter watch things on Nick Jr, and she loves Blues Clues and Dora. I like that she watches Dora because it teaches Spanish, and shes half Puerto Rican, so I'd like her to learn it.
1 person likes this
@shah_unlimited (27)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 07
I agree that watching television for children is part of their learning process. Television will educate and expose them to what is happening in surrounding. It will also enhance the ability of the children itself to communicate with other people. There're also some side effect such it affects eye vision for long term and influences from bad activity like smoking.
1 person likes this
@lavenderbloom (1057)
• United Arab Emirates
30 Jun 07
Yes, I allow my 2+ yr old son to watch TV for few hours of the day. I let him watch good cartoon shows.
since you have a timing like this, try to find an alternative for this. If is indeed very bad for children to watch TV and spend maximum time in front of TV. It will have a bad impact on their eyes too. Watching TV for few 1 or 2 hours is ok. Try to find a solution with your job timings. Take care.
1 person likes this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
30 Jun 07
I do not have any kids but my mom and dad worked just like u and we were always allowed to watch tv. I even got a tv in my room when I got older. It Has not hurted me. I am a completely normal person today.
I belive that as long as they do not watch violent stuff there is no need to worry. Cartoons are for children!
@dfollin (25305)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I don't really think it is bad for them,if you know what they are watching and they do other things as well,not sit in front of the set all day.My daughter is now ten and she knows what she can and can't watch.There are times that she has come to me and said that she saw a movie on and that she thought it looked good,but after she watched it for a few minutes,she seen that it was not good.So,I asked her well what was so wrong about it and she told me and I didn't that it was that bad and I told her so.I also said I will come see the movie for a few minutes and tell you what I think and she said that she thought it was inappropiate and she already changed it and that she just wanted to let me know that she had seen a few minutes of it.Which was nice of her,but I did not understand then why she come and told me when she had already made a respondsible choice on her own.
@healer (1779)
• India
30 Jun 07
yes, too much watching also harms the health of a person. And as a kid keeping the brain shut for long hours is not really wise. Anyway cannot really give a good response but people say that while watching television our brain shuts upto some extend in a way ideal so, its better to keep involved in other works and watch tv accordingly.
1 person likes this
@syndibee (799)
• United States
29 Jun 07
what works for you and your family may not work for another. i just hope that when you are up the tv isn't on. there really is such a thing as too much. you may need to alter your sleep pattern to nap when she does if she does, hire someone to care for her for the first few hours she's up so u can sleep or something more workable.
@klgudelski (27)
• United States
29 Jun 07
Hiring someone to watch her for a few hours in the morning is out of the question, I might as well just stop working if it comes to that, because I'd be making no money with the rates people charge these days for childcare. I'd be working just to pay the babysitter. And napping during the day is out of the question as well, she doesn't take naps.
1 person likes this
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
29 Jun 07
I let my daughter watch tv. It isn't all the time, but usually in the evenings for about 2 hours. We don't have the tv on all the time, she uses it right before bedtime to calm her down. I dont see it stimulating her at all~ it really calms her down. I guess that each child is different. I wouldn't worry about it~ this way you know she isn't getting into mischief in the mornings.
@jujube1960 (89)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I do not see a problem with tv watching or video games. My children are 6 & 2 and watch a lot of tv and play video/pc games. My son is the best student in his kindergarten class and already reads and downloads games on his own on the computer.
He is very smart and I believe it has to do with the children's cartoons on nick jr, noggin & disney. They really teach children.
My 2 yr old new her alphabet by the time she was 18 months old.
But that is what works for us.....
@mrrtomatoe (800)
• Canada
30 Jun 07
I think that it is ok for her to watch television, but I would still want to know what she is watching. Perhaps you can tape shows you approve for her and leave them for her to watch when you get home late...
@HeatherW (1)
• Australia
29 Jun 07
Hi I believe that in your case this is important...you need your sleep this makes you moreable to deal with her problems at a later time in the day when you are refreshed and feeling better about the world.
As long as you have some control over the content that she is watching I can see no problem with a litle TV.
I also believe TV can expose children to different life situations and if you talk to them about what they are watching it builds a communication between you both that will be valuable as she gets older.
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
30 Jun 07
my grand daughter is given the privilege to watch tv in the morning for an hour or two before she goes to school. i always monitor what tv programs she should view. during night times right after doing her assignments in school and just before going to bed i allow her to watch her favorite program, sort of a children's show. i am stricter this time because it's school days but during the weekends, i am more or less lenient to her schedules. i think what the doctor says about watching too much is well-appreciated because anything that is in excess is really bad to the health.
@fugsateyista (212)
• Philippines
30 Jun 07
I think it's alright to let kid watch tv for a 3-4 hours. Just be sure she gets enough exercise cause tv can make children lame & lazy.
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