AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS RECOMMENDS NO TV FOR CHILDREN UNDER 2!
The name "Baby Einstein" can lull you into thinking it's okay or even good for babies to watch t.v., but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television at all to children under 2 because so many studies have proven its harmful effects on children. Studies have shown that:
- for every hour of television a baby watches a day, their chances of acquiring an attention deficit disorder increases by 10%.
- among babies ages 8 months to 16 months, every hour spent daily watching programs such as 'Brainy Baby' or 'Baby Einstein' translated into six to eight fewer words in their vocabularies as compared with other children their age."
- brain wave activity in babies is slower when watching television than when sleeping.
I believe television should be used SPARINGLY and with caution, and without any delusions of it increasing baby's intelligence. As for making them more intelligent, Dr. William Sears says, "relationships, not things, make babies smarter." The best way to make babies smarter and calmer is to carry them a lot. Slings, pouches and carriers help make this more manageable.
- Carrying babies an extra 3 hours a day resulted in 40% less crying!
Babies who are frequently carried pick up verbal skills faster, and develop better core muscle strength and balance. My Listmania list "Natural Parenting for Baby's First Year" has more information on babywearing, or you can google "babywearing" or "television and baby studies" for your own research.
Crown Crafts The Original NoJo BabySling by Dr. Sears - Black Chambray is a great starter sling.
Finally, I'd suggest "SIGNING TIME" videos - not to be confused with "Baby Signing Time" - as a last resort for OCCASIONAL viewing instead of other baby videos because at least baby can learn sign language. Communicating in sign language is proven to:
- reduce frustration and tantrums
- accelerate language development
- promote parent-child bonding
I found the entire series at my local library. I especially liked Signing Time! Volume 4: Family, Feelings & Fun DVD and 'naming' feelings also increases emotional intelligence in babies.
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