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I suppose it had to happen. Sooner or later, our discussions would ruffle some feathers. It seems that the folks over at Stonyfield Farms were a little perturbed about the whole TV-watching issue. The general consensus over here was that TV can be bad OR good…it’s just not that simple. And given the real-world challenges of parenting, being able to pop in a Baby Einstein DVD from time to time makes a whole world of difference.

In the "Baby Babble" post, they manage to malign both my fabulous BabyShrink fan Katie Kat, AND poor Dr. Zimmerman, my TV expert. The bloggers over at Baby Babble should really do their research first; Dr. Z’s credentials are unassailable. And they have "spun" Katie’s question so wildly, it doesn’t even resemble what we actually talked about in the post and comments!

The truth is, I have a fresh 6-pack of Yo Baby yogurt in my fridge right now. (And I promise they didn’t pay me to say that….AS IF they ever would!) Yo Baby is organic, has no high-fructose corn syrup, and is perfectly wonderful. But you know what ? I also have some CostCo chicken nuggets in the freezer, for when I am a tad too frazzled to fret over trans-fats and just need to get something on the table for my starving horde.

That’s what BabyShrink is all about….striving for the best, but being satisfied with "Good Enough".

This kind of "tsk-tsk" coming from Stonyfield is exactly the problem that we bemoan; the high-and-mighty, sanctimonious attitude that conveys that this parenting thing is a competitive sport we must win…and unkindly judge the others who don’t quite live up to our standards of perfection.

Hi Heather!

IS IT OK TO LET MY KID WATCH TV?

I got your link from Dad Gone Mad, and love your site! I think it’s wonderful to have someone sort
of "official" to converse with, as opposed to other moms who are,
like me, just guessing at solutions!

My husband and I have a 2 1/2 year old girl, who is
basically a VERY sweet, loving, funny kiddo. We are having a lot of fun with her at this stage, but I have a lot of
questions. I love being her mom, but parenting is so hard sometimes!

My question: How
horrible is TV, really? I mean, we let
her watch in the morning before going to daycare, and at night, but we watch
educational stuff (well, mostly… like Little Einsteins or Miss Spider. Okay, sometimes we digress and watch Sponge
Bob or Phineas and Ferb… okay, we do that A LOT lately - man, you’re good at
getting folks to talk…) I’d say it’s maybe 2-3 hours a day, or more
on weekends? I feel horrible even
admitting this because I’m sure you’re going to tell me I’m a BAD EVIL
MOMMY. The TV thing makes me feel so guilty, but, honestly, she likes it and
when there’s nothing else to do, it helps me get things done! (Be gentle!)

Katie Kat
Lawrence, KS

Dear Katie Kat,

Your question is great. Don’t worry, no scoldings. In my
house, we are "All Backyardigans, all the time". (Not really. But plenty.)

"Do you let your kids watch TV?" is one of the most loaded questions we, as parents, ask each other. We hear snippets in the news about TV making kids turn into zombies with no ability to concentrate in school, socialize, or entertain themselves. We hear parents swearing they will not expose their children to TV, and feel ashamed to admit that we can’t imagine life without it! We wonder how the heck to get dinner on the table (or just sit down to think for a moment) without turning on the tube. And really, is Sesame Street so harmful after all?

Your question led me to seek out a television research
expert. Frederick J. Zimmerman, PhD, is
one of the foremost researchers in the field. He is a Director of the Child
Health Institute at the University of Washington, and co-author of The Elephant
in the Living Room: Make Television
Work For Your Kids. Dr. Zimmerman gave me permission to quote his very
interesting book. Page four says, "Parents should not feel guilty, powerless or
even indifferent about television, however; its effects need not be adverse,
and they are most certainly remediable. Television viewing can be beneficial.
It can be entertaining, broadening, and educational. It just has to be used
properly." The authors go on to
describe the most important issues in TV-watching for kids:

• What is being watched? Content matters.
• How much is being watched? Amount matters.
• What is the context in which TV is watched? The rest of the child’€™s life and environment matters.

The book also explains that this new age of DRVs and TiVos
is terrific for kid TV-watching, since it allows us to zip out the commercials
and other negative stuff we don’t need them to see. Here’s Dr. Zimmerman’s website for more useful info.

As far as the BabyShrink’s house goes… we do watch TV, but I am pretty strict about what we watch. I agree that the content of the shows is so important…..and that’s what worries me most, not a Little
Einstein or a Super Why or Miss Spider. But the Sponge Bob type stuff is a
little too fast-moving, hectic and aggressive for me, and I think it can have
an effect on the younger kids, especially. I am all in favor of using TV when you need a break to
make dinner (or chat with a friend!) or something, but obviously it shouldn’t
be a long-term babysitter. (I know you’re not doing that.) Really, it should be
in moderation; make sure they are getting physical outside play every day if
you can; the TV content should be as benevolent as possible; and then don’t
feel guilty about it!!

~~Dr. Heather, The BabyShrink

Dear Readers:
Next time, more from Katie Kat on Potty Training Problems….she had a lot of great questions!

Now go ahead, you know you want to comment about TV-watching
and your attitudes about it! I know Katie Kat is not alone in her TV-viewing
dilemma. I can’t wait to see what you all have to say about this post! (And don’t be afraid to disagree!)

Aloha,

Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink