11 months, 3 weeks & 6 days into Daddyhood
My LO (Little One, in Internet Forum Speak) is of an age where she has become fascinated, enthralled, intrigued and besotted by television. This is, in one sense, useful, specifically in relation to her utter beguilement in the face of In the Night Garden, which causes all other actions to cease (or pretty much so), so I can more easily change her, get her dressed, trim her fingernails, etc. The Night Garden Factor is, in fact, so significant in our present family lives, that we have just ordered the box set for her imminent birthday, to prevent Mummy and Daddy (if not necessarily the Little One herself) from being driven irretrievably insane by the viewing (semi-conscious though it is, changing/dressing/nail-trimming still necessitating a substantial degree of concentration) of the same five episodes, over and over again.
However…
Both Mummy and Daddy believe in limiting the availability and use of television, in the life of our LO. This is on account of it being a (largely) passive and uncreative medium of entertainment (and, in perhaps a more limited sense, education). We both believe in the value of books, and we both want to encourage activities and the use of resources which, apart from being simply fun (which is, of course, important!), spark her creativity and her imagination. TV can do these things – but it is far too easy for TV to become a “pacifier” – which, as explained above, has its uses, but we don’t want to fall into the trap of going too far down this path.
But…
Where to strike the balance?
How much TV is too much TV?
And what sort of TV should we encourage/discourage our LO (now and in years to come) to watch?
And furthermore…
What (if anything) is the value of PlayStation?
Parenthood is full of questions! 
4 comments
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July 13, 2009 at 2:39 pm
flandrumhill
I read in Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘The Tipping Point’ that contrary to adults, children actually prefer seeing their favorite shows over and over again. What becomes boring to us actually assists them in the learning process.
Children enjoy it when the characters ask them questions directly through the television screen. It engages them at their level. They also like new things introduced in the context of familiar scenarios, with familiar characters and settings.
July 13, 2009 at 3:08 pm
centria
Pepsoid, I am following flandrumhill everywhere she goes these days. (Let me tell you a secret. Even when the children have grown up and left home you’ll still be saying, “Parenthood is full of questions!” I think the fact that you’re asking so many questions will be your savior. You’re bound to balance things out if you’re questioning and having an open mind.
July 14, 2009 at 11:48 am
pepsoid
Hello, Centria!
I’ve seen you on Flan’s blog… and welcome to mine!
I try (“try”!) to remain questioning and open-minded in all things, parenthood included… the thing about asking questions, though, is, more often than not, they just incite new questions!
July 14, 2009 at 11:43 am
pepsoid
Hence, once again, the beauty of ItNG!
.. there is much repetition in each episode of such, to the point where I think it would be interesting to calculate just how high a proportion of each episode actually features new stuff. One could argue that this makes for “cheap TV,” but whatever the cost of production, whatever the quantity of creative input of this program, there is still undeniably something beautiful (yes, I will use that word!) about it and it remains utterly enthralling to the little’uns… 