Mommy question

[wickedfox]

I need the wisdom and common sense of my flisty mommies (or aunties and such as well).

Babies/children and TV/computers/consoles... unmixy things? Give me your take.

ETA: Thanks to those who have responded already. I wanted to clarify a bit by asking if watching TV/media sorts of entertainment is a bad thing or can it actually be educational?

Comments

[meegat]

I will say just one thing.

When my niece was about...4 or 5...I had to claim a new computer off my household insurance. Why? Because the delightful child decided the computer needed a drink and poured pure orange juice into the base unit.

LOL I shall say no more...

[wickedfox]

Oh dear, I better put up a force field or something to protect my babies... I mean computers. At least it should be a while before our little missy is mobile, give me time to put up defenses. Caution noted. Thanks.

[secondalto]

Pretty much yes. At 7 months old Sarah wants to grab all the various cords and chew on them.

[wickedfox]

The cord thing has me worried since we have cords everywhere. The baby proofing aspect of things hasn't even been touched on yet in our household. It's on my "mommy do" list. Thanks for the warning.

[windout]

My brother at 4 years old shoved the letter G from a cardboard puzzle into my mum's Wii console. That was fun. He also loves clicking random buttons on the computer and locking it up for minutes at a time.

On the other hand, at 5, he's getting the hang of it now. He's pretty good at video games/computer these days. Especially Wii Bowling.

[wickedfox]

I think the Wii is quite a lovely machine for children considering the physical part of play now. And mommy can get the hang of things as well. Family fun.
But I need to seriously plan out an attack on all the wiring and layout of things to get them safely out of baby/child reach.

[seldomifever]

I learn stuff from watching tv, so it only stands to reason my kids would too. Seriously, I have an 8 yr old nephew who knows something about everything, because his parents had him watching documentaries all day. I used to worry, because his dad would plop him in his high chair in front of the tv for hours on end as a baby. I kept saying his synapses wouldn't form properly, but he's smart as a whip. Plus, now, all the shows on Nick Jr and Noggin and PBS are educational and fun. I'm pro tv, as long as you also do other thing like play with your kids and drag them out of the house for exercise.

Computers are wonderful, too. Most games, etc, teach problem-solving skills, much in the same way puzzles do. My kids loved the Elmo and Sesame Street games. In fact, they still use the art disc from Elmo's Workshop. We've owned it for ten years, easily.

[wickedfox]

I'm also one of those people who think monitored TV/computer use can be a useful and educational thing as long as it doesn't become the babysitter. But I was a latchkey kid raised by a TV and don't consider myself a social deviant, a bit shy and introverted but not a menace to society... much.

I think the most difficult part will be the movie and violent video games since Hubby and I like our zombie films/games. Juggling "adult time" fun with child friendly fun will be quite a struggle and change.

Thanks for responding.

[boxcarwilly]

I used to freak out about Georgia even catching a glimpse of the TV, but now I've relaxed a bit about it. She watches a fair amount and even has some favorites (Yo Gabba Gabba, Blue's Clues, and Spongebob Squarepants--who she refers to as "Bobbob").

We're a TV loving household here. Grant is a huge sci-fi nerd and likes all his programs and I like to have it on for background noise. I also think it's way useful for when you need to get stuff done, like laundry or dishes. It's a great distraction and I think it's a useful tool when used in moderation.

Georgia loves the computer, too. We'll watch YouTube videos of monkeys, balloons, and babies. She especially loves watching other babies. As soon as she's old enough, I'd like to have her use her own computer so she can learn some skillz. ;)

Like seldomifever, I think TV is okay if you use it in moderation and if you also get the kiddos plenty of physical activity.

I can say, though, that I AM worried about the negative effects of advertising. I've actually been meaning to make an LJ post about

[wickedfox]

I think many parents go in with strict intentions to keep the idiot box out of their childs lives but relax after time. I understand the concerns, particularly the advertising one. Don't get me started. Like you said, the TV can offer a short bit of distraction to allow for chores to get done and I can't honestly think of another way around that unless my baby girl will be contented to watch mommy work.

I never thought of using YouTube that way. Animals and baby viewing, great idea. I'm also hoping to encourage computer literacy since Hubby is a bit of a technophobe. But while these tools offer chances at education, I do worry about the negative aspects out there as well. I suppose its all a matter of monitoring use.

[seldomifever]

I've always used advertising as an opportunity to teach my kids critical thinking. I ask questions or point out stereotypes whenever I see them. It's transferred well to school. According to their teachers, my kids analyze and ask great questions about whatever topics they're working on in class. And they are never shy about pointing out sexism or racism when they see it. It's kind of cool, actually. Every moment's a potential teaching moment, you know? It's all how you view it.