Baby Einstein

Hi Mommies,

I wonder whether I can let y baby boys who are now 6 months old watch Baby Einstein DVDs. I've read that it is not good for babies to watch TV before 2 years or so even baby Einstein. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650352,00.html

What do you say? are you for or against? and for how many time per week?

Thanks a bunch for your kind replies.

 

I let my two month olds watch an einstein video once a day after morning feeding in their feeding chairs on the floor. I tried it out about a week ago and have now incorporated it into playtime after the morning feed. I was hesitant but can tell you it seems to be very educational and I can see no harm that can come from the visual and sound stimulation. The video amounts to what I could do if I had the energy with a bunch of puppets and 80's toys bouncing around set to classical music. But I don't have the energy or resources after entertaining hours on end each day. The videos are only 20 mins so it is such a small part of our busy day of tummy time, mommy entertaining them,naps, stroller walk, bath, etc. My opinion is can only benefit to teach your child numbers letters or words and I think you should try one and see the reaction. Mine focused so intently on it, I knew they were getting some stimulation they needed! GL!

 

People will tell you that it's awful, but you have to make your own choice. My girls watch Bab Einstein or Praise Baby daily. Usually in their exersaucers while I'm making a meal. Sometimes I forget and leave it on (one of the DVDs loops without me re-starting it), so it might play over and over while we are playing. If we're down on the floor with their toys, they never seem more interested in the TV than playing, so I don't think they're 'addicted' to it. It's a good distraction tool for me and sometimes, it's the only way I get to go to the potty in peace! :rotflmbo:

 

I let my boys watch them around 6 months, but they really could have cared less so I didn't show them to them again. After they are a year they started to watch PBS shows (which are much more educational IMHO). My kids love classical music and listen to it at nap and bedtime. The first year I was very anti TV, but found it didn't really matter b/c my kids are addicted to it now anyway.

 

I let mine watch Baby Einstein before 6 months...usually for about 30 minutes. We had the lullabye DVD and that used to help soothe them and calm them down in those early days. I think in moderation it's fine.

 

I let my girls watch Baby Einstein as soon as I started needing to do other things and was attempting to keep them occupied. So I'd say around 5 or 6 months, whatever age they are in exersaucers. Or maybe even before then, I'd leave them in the room with the music in their bouncy seats.

 

I think it's fine in moderation. I usually put it on in the evenings while I was trying to get dinner made.

 

I've let all of mine watch it from around 2-3 months old , they enjoy it, keeps them busy while i shower or eat. I don't have a problem with it at all, it's fine in moderation. And so far, my oldest two (5 & 3) have not turned into tv addicts in fact they barely watch tv, they are far too busy playing

 

I let mine watch it occasionally starting around 8 months. They didn't really pay much attention but they seemed to enjoy the music and would occasionally look up and watch for a few minutes. I believe TV in moderation is fine.

 

My babies LOVE Baby Einstein. It's really the only thing they like to watch. DS sits and smiles at the pictures of the babies. He loves faces. I mainly use it when I am putting the other baby down for a nap. I put the non-napping baby in the jumperoo, turn in Baby Einstein, and the baby is usually happy. I don't let them watch it for more than 10 min. at a time. I think it's ok in moderation.

 

I didnt vote because we started letting ours watch it even earlier than your poll maybe 3-6 months. I let them watch 1 maybe 2 episodes a day (trying to get out of the hosue for work, and trying to get dinner made when I came home). By the time they were mobile and could walk & play on their own the stopped watching TV altogether.
Now the only time they will watch a 30 minute show is if we are in the car otherwise they have no interest.

 

I don't see anything wrong with it! My babies watch My baby can read program only, since it says that watching other shows along with it can be distracting and in his book he says that baby einstien doesnt have a lot of language to go along with learning. I think if you feel your babies are learning from it, then its fine. I love the My baby can read program, the twins are really enjoying it.

 

My boys started watching it early as well. They seemed to be content with it on. Sometimes they didn't watch but liked the music. For me it is just a method of distraction. I don't beleive that they are going to learn a ton from it but whatever keeps them happy and lets me get some work done works for me. I don't think it is a terrible thing to let them watch it in moderation like the others said. Some days it is the only way I get 30 minutes to my self. Go with what works for you.

 

Thanks a lot for your replies. I think I'll go for it for the reason is that when I bought them one DVD to try it they seemed very happy after finishing it. besides I like a lot the clssical music they put.

 

I voted starting at 6 months although it was earlier - more like 3 months or so. I've only played it a few times but they seemed to enjoy the music and bright images.

 

So i found the Time article referenced(link didnt work) and this is significant. The article first states AAOP recommends no tv before age 2 because of decreased verbal skills at studies of children age 3. But then another study finds that tv alone is not the cause...When they controlled for parents education and income level, that was what influenced the language skills positively or negatively, not the tv alone.

For those interested article states "In her initial analysis, Schmidt found that babies who spent more time in front of the TV performed worse on language and motor-skill tests at age 3 than those who watched less. But once Schmidt and her team controlled for other factors — the mother's educational status and household income — the relationship between TV-viewing and cognitive development disappeared. That means that TV-viewing alone did not appear to influence babies' brain development; a parent's education and finances mattered more. "Initially it looked like TV-viewing was associated with cognitive development," says Schmidt, "but in fact TV-viewing is an outgrowth of other characteristics of the home environment that lead to lower test scores."

 

4 months, once a day=lifesaver!!

 

I put 6-9 months but technically never, since I don't own baby einstein! However, the babies have been watching noggin and playhouse disney since birth! :lol: Well, they didn't really pay attention until about 3-4 months, when the movement and colors would attract their attention for short periods of time! Now, they both love when mickey mouse clubhouse comes on! :wub:

 

I grew up watching a lot of tv, but we kept the kids away from TV until they were 23 months old.

And for the most part we only let them watch PBS (Mr. Rogers & Sesame Street). I'm not a big fan of Dora and some of those other programs.

Of course, i'm not home with the kids and we had a nanny who took them to the park every day, so it wasn't a big issue when they were little.

Ideally I would like to limit it to one episode per day, but it doesn't always go that way.

Personally I don't think there is much good to come from the Baby Einstein DVDs (i think the NY times did an article last year about how they don't really do anything) - but to be fair, i haven't watched them.

But as others have said, you do what you have to do.

 

they're not particularly educational from an educational only standpoint (although the music alone is wonderful) they ARE entertaining...I'd put them in the exersaucers, turn on Baby Mozart (the only one they particularly took to) and I could run and shower - and I could tell by the music changes and announcement of the seasons how much time I had left and if I could dry my hair and put on makeup!

If you're looking for education - yes Sesame Street is wonderful but if you're looking to entertain a baby who's too young to understand for 20 or 30 minutes while you need to do something than its a great occupational tool...

 

I just started letting the boys watch the Baby Einstein videos at 8mos - really because I forgot we even had them. We have the signing video to help reinforce the signing I do - although I am not sure it even helps much since I probably only have them watch 2-3x/week and usually its when I just need a few minutes of quiet (my boys are completely fascinated with the BE videos) to make a call or need a moment for myself. And while most 'experts' (cause how many of them are parents to multiples) advise no TV before 2, I think the real issue is why are your babies watching TV - the benefit of me getting a few moments to myself far outweighs any 'damage' 20min of BE is doing to my boys.