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08/16/2006
Television
I am a horrible parent.
At six months old I have abandoned my child to the guidance and supervision of Baby First TV. I even went so far as to sacrifice my subscription to Playboy TV to get the channel in the door within our TV budget.
I can’t decide if this is a noble sacrifice or a pathetic example of how misguided I really am. I do love the channel. It is perfect for her cognitive development at this point; without commercials to plant the marketing disease in her yet.
The issue is that it is still Television.
She is already being conditioned to sit in front of the color-changing box and listen to the music. I really don’t like this, but I know it is doing a much better job of stimulating her development than I could without it.
I keep telling myself that the lack of commercials and regulated use will be a great developmental tool, but the truth is I am already using it as a crutch to my laziness. I am already plopping her in her exersaucer, and walking away.
That’s bad.
I need to be an active participant in her TV watching experience, but it is so easy to let it do all the work. What am I supposed to do? Stop being a lazy bastard just because I’m a parent? Oh. Well, I guess that would be a ‘yes’ then, huh?
I grew up without television as a child, and when we re-assimilated to functional society my parents went a wee bit overboard on the whole TV experience. In other words from the moment I woke up ‘til the second I went to bed there was the constant voice of a stranger in the living room.
It is still the case today in my parent’s house. Whether it’s the Weather Channel or Headline News – it’s always something.
When I was little - it was music, and for the majority of my adult life that has been the case. When I lived alone instead of turning on the TV, I would usually put on music and read - but these days it seems there is always the sound of someone talking at me coming from that box.
I don’t want The Pickle to think that is a good idea.
I need to figure out how to balance the positive aspects of the medium with the drawbacks of loss of input control, and numbing the nervous system to the subtlety of the general life experience.
I don’t know at what point the television stops developing auditory processes and starts teaching how to not listen, but I know it happens. I need to listen to her reactions, and gauge when to turn it off.
And here I thought this was going to make things easier for me. It’s scary to think that this box is going to be her first non-parent ‘teacher’, and with all of them in the future – we need to use our discretion and guidance to lead the knowledge she will glean.
If worse comes to worst then I guess I may be forced to read to her – Who knows?
Pickle’s Papa
13:43 Posted in Pickle Ponderings | Permalink | Comments (7) | Email this
Comments
Careful with that TV stuff, dude. It's like crack for babies.
Posted by: MetroDad | 08/16/2006
Yeah, I really limit the TV with my kid. We only put on the Baby Einstein DVD's or Playhouse Disney when we're doing stuff like taking a shower or taking a dump to distract her for a few minutes.
Posted by: Tony | 08/16/2006
LOL! I try not to think of t.v. as a crutch. I view it more as an addiction that is an absolute necessity in life. I could stop watching it any time I want. But, after all, the kids aren't being hurt by it and it does help...what with all those educational programs.
And think of all those people that would be hurt if we stopped watching. What will they do for jobs. If you consider, watching t.v. is providing food for starving kids in California...
...no it is not t.v. that is the problem, it's...OH! Lazy Town is starting. Gotta Go!
Posted by: dennis | 08/16/2006
I am guilty of the tv babysitter myself. It started innocently enough- I needed SOMETHING to keep me awake during those late night wakings, and not wanting to subject my infant son to what is usually on at 3 in the morning, we'd sit and watch one of the kids channels.
Now he's two and he wakes up asking for a particular video before his feet hit the ground.
Of course, he really only gets about an hour or so of tv time a day, but I still have the parent's guilt about it.
BTW, of all the things your daughter could be watching, Baby TV is probably the best. It is, by far, the most educational channel out there, so don't beat yourself up too much.
Posted by: mommyleek | 08/16/2006
I love my ads. I've now been turned into a hot spot for deadbeat dads because I professed my inadequate parenting skills.
nice.
Posted by: Pickle's Papa | 08/17/2006
Not to worry ... I know PLENTY of adults who grew up glued to the television and they are perfectly normal contributing members of society ... who, by the way, are excellent at trivia games!!
My kid - at nearly 3 years old - loves tv. We don't have it on all the time, but if it were up to him, we would. I do monitor what kinds of shows he watches and I've noticed that he does, in fact, learn some great things from them. Dora is one of his favorites and the kid is now knows a solid amount of Spanish as a result. So, it's not all bad!
Posted by: Mama G | 08/17/2006
Just keep an eye out on this 'good for her' tv...I heard today that Jim Henson's son is letting the Muppets do porn now. Once upon a time Jim Henson was like God at our house! Isle of View! Mom
Posted by: Mom | 08/17/2006
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