http://www.child-works.com/blog/parenting_news/should-my-toddler-watch-television Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:55:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.child-works.com/blog/parenting_news/should-my-toddler-watch-television/comment-page-1#comment-244 cell phone signal booster for home Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:54:08 +0000 http://www.child-works.com/blog/?p=63#comment-244 I love the theme on this blog. Is it downloadable anywhere? I love the theme on this blog. Is it downloadable anywhere?

]]> http://www.child-works.com/blog/parenting_news/should-my-toddler-watch-television/comment-page-1#comment-242 cell phone signal booster for home Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:08:42 +0000 http://www.child-works.com/blog/?p=63#comment-242 Is there something wrong with the stylesheet here? It all looks orange and I can barely read the page? Is there something wrong with the stylesheet here? It all looks orange and I can barely read the page?

]]> http://www.child-works.com/blog/parenting_news/should-my-toddler-watch-television/comment-page-1#comment-34 admin Wed, 18 May 2011 19:55:51 +0000 http://www.child-works.com/blog/?p=63#comment-34 An ongoing challenge for many of us parents is to keep playtime in media in balance with organic, creative play. Both are important and serve different purposes at different ages in life. Most of us are aware of the myriad of benefits creative and physical play have on our children, but many parents are surprised to learn that interacting with various forms of media has an effect on the makeup of the brain in ways that is conducive with our technological society. Therefore, I am an advocate for having both forms of play (more so if the media choices are educational in nature), especially when it is balanced with quality time with mom and dad. An ongoing challenge for many of us parents is to keep playtime in media in balance with organic, creative play. Both are important and serve different purposes at different ages in life. Most of us are aware of the myriad of benefits creative and physical play have on our children, but many parents are surprised to learn that interacting with various forms of media has an effect on the makeup of the brain in ways that is conducive with our technological society. Therefore, I am an advocate for having both forms of play (more so if the media choices are educational in nature), especially when it is balanced with quality time with mom and dad.

]]> http://www.child-works.com/blog/parenting_news/should-my-toddler-watch-television/comment-page-1#comment-33 Elicia Wed, 11 May 2011 18:03:05 +0000 http://www.child-works.com/blog/?p=63#comment-33 When a toddler, my oldest child watched PBS stuff for children and a few children's movies on video. Most days this meant no more than an hour of watching. By three we decided to lose the tv. At the time, I didn't think much about it; I just felt too much might stifle her creativity. With my second child we've been more conscious around watching and allowed, until recently, only shows that reinforce our values. We do everything via computer and he watches Sesame Street and Kipper the Dog and Thomas. We often watch with him so we can talk about what's happening and discuss the behaviors and choices of the characters. I know he's learned a lot from Sesame Street about letters, numbers, cultures and values. He is limited to one or two shows per day and some days doesn't even ask to watch. I believe that it's very important for children to engage in imaginative play and our children do a lot of this. They also read or are read to every day. For me, the balance is important but i also don't want to cut them off from media when it's such a powerful force in our culture. My hope is that the media choices I make for them now will someday inform the choices they make. When a toddler, my oldest child watched PBS stuff for children and a few children’s movies on video. Most days this meant no more than an hour of watching. By three we decided to lose the tv. At the time, I didn’t think much about it; I just felt too much might stifle her creativity. With my second child we’ve been more conscious around watching and allowed, until recently, only shows that reinforce our values. We do everything via computer and he watches Sesame Street and Kipper the Dog and Thomas. We often watch with him so we can talk about what’s happening and discuss the behaviors and choices of the characters. I know he’s learned a lot from Sesame Street about letters, numbers, cultures and values. He is limited to one or two shows per day and some days doesn’t even ask to watch. I believe that it’s very important for children to engage in imaginative play and our children do a lot of this. They also read or are read to every day. For me, the balance is important but i also don’t want to cut them off from media when it’s such a powerful force in our culture. My hope is that the media choices I make for them now will someday inform the choices they make.

]]>