An Experiment: Learning via TV
When the subject of TV comes up with fellow moms, I always hesitate to engage. Inside my head, random self-deprecating remarks abound: “Oh, I bet compared to her I let my child watch too much TV. ” Or, “I let my kids watch SpongeBob, she’ll definitely think I’m a bad mom.”
Mention TV and there’s hushed voices revealing some guilt on behalf of the parent who uses it - on occasion - as a “babysitter.” Consider yesterday. I watched four children - ages 4 - 6 - all day (two of my own, two nephews) and the TV went on around 5 p.m. so I could make dinner. Do I feel guilty? A little. On average, my kids watch the tube for about an hour or so a day…sometimes more. There I said it.
I’ve hesitated to cover “TV” in the pages of P&K because I think there is a sort of “stigma” associated with kids - especially the little ones - and TV viewing. Somehow, I thought the story “Must See TV for Toddlers” would rub a few people the wrong way. It turns out, I may be wrong.
