• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Thoughtful Parent

A blog that makes child development approachable.

  • About Me
  • Social-Emotional Development
    • 7 Ways to Teach Your Child About Kindness
    • 4 Powerful Social-Emotional Lessons Kids are Learning During the Pandemic
  • Temperament
    • Seeing the Unique Gift of Your Child’s Temperament
    • Insights for Parents from the Science of Child Temperament
  • Toddler Development
    • Research-Backed Real-Life Strategies to Discipline Kids without Yelling
    • Research-Backed Ways to Thrive Through the Toddler Years
  • Child Development Classics
    • A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the 4 Attachment Styles
    • Child Psychology Classics: The Mirror Test
  • Parent Coaching

TV Time for Babies

Uncategorized · March 5, 2009

Recently, the topic of TV watching among babies has received quite a bit of media attention. On Tuesday, there was an interesting article in Time magazine about this. Although TV has been part of our lives for several decades now, surprisingly little research has considered the effects of TV watching on babies’ development. The Time article discusses the handful of studies to examine this issue. One study followed over 800 children from birth to age 3 and recorded time spent watching TV (including DVDs) as reported by their moms. In the end, the study found that TV watching was associated with neither positive nor negative effects for babies’ development (once factors like parents’ education were accounted for).

Another recent study of babies’ TV watching, however, found somewhat different results. In a study conducted at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Washington, researchers found that for very young children (8-16 months), more than occasionally watching TV was associated with a slower development of language. For older toddlers (17-24 months), the study found neither positive nor negative associations with language development. This is somewhat surprising given the strong claims made by producers of TV and DVD programs designed for babies and marketed heavily to parents anxious to give their kids an educational advantage.

So with this conflicting research, what is a parent to do? Most researchers advise parents to carefully consider not only what types of programs your child watches, but for how long and why. Study author Dimitri Christakis stated in the Time article, “What I tell parent is ‘Ask yourself why you’re having your baby watch TV,’ he continues, “If you absolutely need a break to take a shower or make dinner, then the risks are quite low. But if you are doing it because you think it’s actually good for your child’s brain, then you need to rethink that, because there is no evidence of benefit and certainly a risk of harm at high view levels.”

More resources on TV watching for babies and children:

 

More research on babies’ TV watching: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113074419.htm

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: babies, television

Amy Webb, Ph.D.

Writer and mom of two who brings academic child development and parenting information into the lives of ordinary parents who can use it in their daily lives.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

child temperament quiz
Amy Webb
As a mom of two young boys, I've seen first-hand how research-based child development information, combined with intuition, can guide you through your parenting journey. Although I have a Ph.D.in Human Development and Family Sciences, many of my real parenting discoveries have come through my experience. I believe parenting with confidence comes from knowledge; parenting with grace comes from insight. Join me on this parenting journey of learning and discovery

Learn Your Child’s Temperament

child temperament

Moms–Preview My New Book!

Get Parenting Inspiration at My RedBubble Shop

parenting blog

Guides

Child Temperament

Stay-at-Home Mom

Developmental Toys

Toddler Development

Social-Emotional Development

 

Search

Online Course for Moms

stay at home mom course

As seen on

Amazon affiliate links appear on this blog. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (at no added cost to you).

Popular Posts

  • newborn reflexes
    What a Baby’s Temperament Tells Us About Their Long-Term Development
  • top parenting blogs
    23 Best Parenting Blogs
  • mirror test babies
    Child Psychology Classics: The Mirror Test
  • connecting with kids
    What Research Says is the Best Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule for Kids {and moms too!}
  • toddler speaks own language
    How to Give Your Child a 1980s Childhood {and it’s backed by research!}

Join our Facebook Group of intentional parents!

parenting

Copyright © 2023 · Maker Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok