Spinoff to TV Post Below: Those with a Baby & a Toddler

I wouldn't worry about the tv. It is not going to hurt either of your kids as long as it is in moderation. My daughter is a bit older now, but when she was that age and I had to get ready, I had two things I did that you can try. One, I wheeled her high chair into my bedroom while I got ready. I usually only gave her cheerios or other things that were easy to vacuum up, but at least it kept her occupied while I got dressed and did my hair. I had a couple of high chair only toys that I also used for this purpose. The other thing I did was have her exersaucer wherever I needed her to be. My daugher never paid much attention to the tv until just recently, so I didn't worry about her watching it, but I do try to limit how much it is on each day. Things other than tv that work for my kids in the morning are going to the play kitchen and making me breakfast. I ask them every morning to make me breakfast, and they both go sort through the food to find what I may want. Sometimes I make a specific request, sometimes I let them suprise me, but they both enjoy doing it and it keeps them busy. Other good morning activities are coloring or stamping at the table, trains (with some quick help from me or I set it up the night before) or I ask my son to read my daughter some stories (he has several books memorized, so he picks one he knows word for word). I also make my son responsible for picking out his own clothes and getting dressed, so this takes him some time, as he has to make sure he has picked the best outfit. Somedays though, when I know things are just going to go badly, tv is a useful distraction. As I said in the beginning, a little tv never hurt anyone, and my son has even learned a lot of things from watching some of the educational shows on pbs, (he is way ahead of his classmates in knowing his letters and numbers). I think most moms out there resort to the tv when they need to get something accomplished.

Hi J.,
My kids were at that stage not long ago. (They are now 5.5 and almost 3.) It's so hard with your second child, because with the first you could be so idealistic I remember back before I had kids, and I thought moms who let their kids watch TV were bad parents... and I actually had kids and got over that crazy attitude in a hurry!

Being that my kids are a little bit older now and their teachers tell me they are bright and well-adjusted, I feel comfortable in telling you, it will not hurt your baby if he sees TV. Seriously. Don't give it another thought. It's not like you're turning on Die Hard With a Vengeance for them to watch - it's the Backyardigans, for Pete's sake! And it's not even that long every day!

Bottom line is, you do whatever you need to do to make your household run smoothly, and for you to get everyone out the door on time. As your little one gets more and more mobile, you will enter this new phase of panicking every time you hear your kids being quiet. If the TV keeps them occupied long enough for you to get everything done, there is no harm in it. At all. You're not rotting the baby's brain. If he doesn't get into Harvard, it won't be because of this. Better the Backyardigans than your 2 darling children setting the house on fire, take it from one who knows! =)

J.,

I'm not a mother of two but I used to help my mom with her daycare and she always had three infants along with the other kids. She would turn on the Noggin chanel while she was preparing their lunches and all the kids would watch even the six month old. Try and get your 3 year old to dance and be silly for the 9 month old. Tell him he has to show his sibling all the moves and that should keep the two of them entertained.

Hi J.,

It seems what you have been doing has been working well for you and your kids! Keep it up!

The only warning I got/read about TV when I had a second child, was about having too much stimulation going on at once. For instance your toddler might be watching a show, and your baby may loose interest and want you to read him/her a book. You should either turn off the TV and read to both of them or take the baby to another room to read the book. Hearing the TV and you reading a book at the same time can cause language confusion and speech delays.

If you are really concerned with the baby watching TV at this point, then take him/her to the bedroom with you while you are getting ready and talk to your toddler about the show he watched on the way to school in the car. My three year old watches a show unattended very well now. Don’t feel like you have to assist him in watching TV every time, the show is engaging enough.

My two girls, 21 mo. apart, have been watching the same shows for months now. Life changes with two, and you should not be so hard on your self for using something like TV to entertain while you can not. I feel the shows they are engaged with at this age are great learning tools for mom and baby anyhow. After the show they go to school where they are stimulating their large and fine motor skills, their socialization and imagination skills, and so much more for hours!! They could probably use another 30 minute show or two in the evening to rest <grin>.

Keep up the good work!!