Baby Einstein not so smart?

[Sarangel]

I stole this link from Matt over at the July171955 boards.

The University of Washington has questioned the validity of 'educational' DVDs for babies & toddlers.

 

[latinqt]

Well, that's very interesting but remember that any study can produce any outcome it seeks.

 

[maxtomsmom]

I have to chime in here. The videos and any video aimed towards infants and toddlers are fine if it's in moderation. When Julie Clark, the founder of the Baby Einstein video first produced it, she explained that parents should participate with their children. She would show it at the end using a mom and her child as an example. She encouraged parents to talk to their children as the videos were playing. Combined with hearing their mother's words, the music and the visual, it piques children's interest. Why? Because it is active. You, the parent, and the child are both actively engaged. Learning is so emotionally based and children are so emotionally attached to their primary caregiver. You can do the same with bringing toys to your child or the actual object. The video was just another way to do it.

Once Disney bought out the Einstein company, you no longer heard Julie's suggestion to parents. Now hopefully most parents would never use this as just another babysitter, but I seriously think this is what happens.

I work with children from birth to 5 through Early Intervention. Many of my clients are children with Autism or on the PDD spectrum. I work in the field of special education. Parents have even said to me, "I put on the Baby Einstein videos, but so and so doesn't talk." I later found out that it is the baby sitter. Again, once and a while maybe, but some do it every day. Now, the Baby Einstein's videos do not cause Autism, but it certainly doesn't help to build language when used this way for any child.

BTW - I am a firm believer in no tv until the child has turned one. At two yrs., no more than one hour on an every now and then basis. From three on, no more than one hour a day. DS6 is now allowed to watch more than one hour of tv each day, but after dinner. It's hard especially on rainy or snowy days. The only exception is when they are sick, they get to watch more, and on family tv/movie night when we watch a movie together.

 

[NeverEnufWDW]

The study sounds like a load of bull. We had many of the Baby Einstein videos and our daughter loved them. Her vocabulary was very advanced at the young age of 12 months. We attribute this to the time we spent sitting with her and watching the images, listening to the music, and saying the words that came up in the videos.

 

[ThurlFan]

Her vocabulary was very advanced at the young age of 12 months. We attribute this to the time we spent sitting with her and watching the images, listening to the music, and saying the words that came up in the videos.

This actually is the point of the study. The interaction between you and your child is what's driving this, not the images on the screen. You could achieve the same result with picture books, or a walk to the park. The key here is for parents not to park the kid in front of the tv one-on-one without the parent joining in. It's great that you're involved in your child's development - they will thank you later on in life! I just think you should give yourself the credit and not the video

 

[Another Voice]

I just think you should give yourself the credit and not the video

That's why Disney is so upset.

 

[Sarangel]

That's why Disney is so upset.

Or at least what Disney would like the University of Washington to retract.

I'm a big no TV kind of mom, myself. DD didn't watch any TV (including Baby Einstein) until she was over a year old, and still only gets 2 - 3 hours a week. We read and play instead. She has an awesome vocabulary & a wonderful imagination.

But we also only own one TV and DH & I only watch a 5 - 7 hours a week (on a good or bad) week.

 

[mrs.beast]

we have a dvd in our van and my kids watch educational videos only when traveling. for a while they were hooked on leapfrog letter factory. my mom took my DD4 out when she was about 18 months old and came home and told me that my daughter was sitting on the run at verizon and pointed to an e and said e and sang the e song. then the o and did the same. my mom then asked her about the other letters and she was able to name all but the r and sing the song from the video. i had no idea that she knew any letters, because i had not done anything with her. the video was for my DS3 and she just watched with him. so, i believe that some kids can learn from a video. also as a teacher i have had students read books, do experiments, and listen to me talk about some science things, and remembered nothing. but these same kids can watch a magic school bus video or a dk video on the same subject and spout off tons of information they learned. i think it depends on the child. our Kinder teacher also sends the leapfrog videos home with our ELL kids and they help them quite a bit.