Too Much TV for 11 Months Old?

Kids that age should be watching very little tv. Maybe a show every so often when you really need to get something done, but if that is every day you should see about getting a mother's helper to come in and interact with her.

Numerous studies have shown that TV is indeed so bad. I would aim for no TV at all until she is 2.5 years, and after that at most 45 minutes watching, with somebody next to her. So far for the official recommendations. My kids started a little earlier (at 2) and watch up to one hour a day, but not every day. We repeat the same DVD over and over, and when they watch it the first few times I watch with them.

Without dramatising, wanting to put you down or scare you: i think "hours of TV" will harm your daughter emotionally and intellectually (es. speech development), at least. So many studies have shown that. You say she "is swinging from side to side" -- sounds like she is already zonking out and zoning into a semi-conscious state sometimes.

I am a busy mom too. But i find my children learn to play by themselves along side me. Or if they can't and need to be with me closer, i let them "help" me. When i was a child, there was no TV for children (TV started at 6 pm at night, otherwise there was nothing on). My mom had us in daycare far less than i have my kids in daycare. Yet she managed to work a lot. she challenged us to play by ourselves, and we did. Ask someone older what they did before TV. Maybe you can find some helpful suggestions. Maybe you have a friend with a child, and you can take turns in watching the two together?

Good luck!
D.

I admit, TV is great for the busy mom. Pick a few TV programs that your daughter loves that are scheduled through out the day (not back-to-back) and let her watch them. Too much TV actually isn't very good but I think if you pick a few programs throughout the day and work in some other playtime activities for her, it will all be okay.

yes, too much for 11 months old.
As you said, she watches tv for "hours."
If possible, maybe get someone, to help watch her while you work... so she is more actively doing other things. That is what a friend of mine did.

The recommended amount is no tv until 2. I didn't follow that either but let her watch no more then an hour around that age. It may have been closer 18 months. Now at 3 she gets no more than 2.5 hours screen time unless one of us is really sick.

One hour a day at most, but preferably none until age 2.

If you don't want her to watch that much tv......here's a thought.......turn it off!

Kids this age need much more interaction than visual stimulation. Also, there are many studies that show attention deficit issues can occur with long term TV watching in young children.
You already know that she's watching too much television, I suspect. Being with you should be the first choice, not an after-TV thing, right? Pick her favorite 2 or 3 shows, preferably spread throughout the day, and then turn OFF the TV.

If you are very busy, and need to be able to get things done (and as she gets older, she can "help", but I understand that at this age, it's not safe to have her in the kitchen, etc), you might consider hiring a teenager from your neighborhood to act as a "Mommy's helper". She/he can play with your daughter- under your watchful eye- and provide more appropriate activities: coloring, singing, dancing, outdoor play, reading, etc. Summer is coming, there is probably some young girl close by who would love to have a parttime job!

PS- don't beat yourself up about this, we ALL have times when we use the TV for babysitting. But from your description, it seems it's become a habit that you want to break. :-)

why is an 11 month old watching tv at all? Turn it off. Babies should not really be watching tv till after 2 years old and even then it should be only little bits of stuff.

At 11mos, she shouldn't be watching tv at all! Turn it off and play with her, give her some toys, or hire a sitter to interact with her. Hours of tv is bad for any kid, especially a baby.

Yes, it's too much. An infant shouldn't be watching hours of t.v. Actually NO tv is recommended for infants.
When mine were babies, I was a busy working mom and I didn't "have to" let them watch television. She should be able to entertain herself with toys and books. Babies don't "need" t.v. unless you make a bad habit for them. I'd turn it off entirely. Infants do not learn anything from t.v., they learn from exploration and interaction.

I know it is a hard answer, but since the 1970s, the research definitively shows that any tv before age 2 is detrimental to their development.

Yes, it is too much. I work with a developmental optometrist, who frequently speaks on the problems with TV. The visual focus remains constant, but a child needs to be looking all over, strengthening the visual processing to the brain. Also, she needs to move lots in order to develop naturally and fully during this period of her life, until she is 3. She needs to play on her tummy and back, rock on all fours, do the combat crawl and crawl on all fours in order to develop her brain, her attention, her vision system, and her body. As an educator, I see many older kids who did not move enough as babies, and end up having school related issues.

To read more about the vision system, go to www.covd.org.

Meanwhile, as an intelligent, independent working woman, I know you will be creative in your approach with your daughter and finding ways for her to play, move, and grow without too much TV.

Sincerely,

K. Johnson, MS Ed
www.PyramidOfPotential.com