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Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children From Birth to Age Five
As a mother, Lisa Guernsey wondered about the influence of television on her two young daughters. As a reporter, she resolved to find out. What she first encountered was tired advice, sensationalized research claims, and a rather draconian mandate from the American Academy of Pediatrics: no TV at all before the age of two. But like many parents, she wanted straight answers...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
September 11th 2007
by Basic Books
(first published September 9th 2007)
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New parents
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non-fiction-child-rearing
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends NO television for children under the age of two - a goal I am trying to meet. And I thought I was doing well at making sure my infant daughter isn't watching any television; every time I would catch her mesmerized by the television screen, I'd make sure to distract her. But, sure, the tv was on in the background. I'd play with her in one part of the living room while my husband watched a show; I'd have the television on while I nursed her.
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I loved this book. It was very informational while being easy to read. The author being a mom who struggles with the need to get a bit of time to herself and not wanting her kids in front of the tv all day was helpful. She shared her viewpoints and what she did throughout the book, and it really helped to lend an air of two moms talking, instead of being lectured to. It gave me a ton of really good information. While I still can't seem to keep the tv off as much as I'd like, I feel like I a...more
One of the peculiarities of becoming a grandparent (pardon me while I mist up again) is the sudden revival of interest in issues relating to infants. Hence the phenomenon in which I read this book with genuine interest.
Lisa Guernsey is a mother, but also a writer specializing in science and technology, which helps her decipher all those intensely technical papers. The happy result is Into the Minds of Babes, in which we learn how watching television affects the preschool set, accordi...more
Lisa Guernsey is a mother, but also a writer specializing in science and technology, which helps her decipher all those intensely technical papers. The happy result is Into the Minds of Babes, in which we learn how watching television affects the preschool set, accordi...more
Guernsey does a great job of really investigating what the research really says about kids and screen time at different ages. For example, I was under the misconception that "no screen time" for under 2s was mainly about not directly allowing kids to watch tv or videos, but it turns out that background television and radio can be just as bad.
Overall it's a smart, detailed and helpful book for parents... but it has a few big flaws, which is why I demote it to three stars.
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Overall it's a smart, detailed and helpful book for parents... but it has a few big flaws, which is why I demote it to three stars.
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To sum it all up: I felt much better about showing my daughter videos after reading this book. (Thank you so much to Anna, my co-blogger at Nourished Mother, for recommending it to me!).
Here's something from the author's website:
"I'm a mother, journalist and researcher who is, shall we say, obsessed with how children learn and what environments help them reach their full potential.
For many years, I have focused on uncovering what science has to tell us a...more
Here's something from the author's website:
"I'm a mother, journalist and researcher who is, shall we say, obsessed with how children learn and what environments help them reach their full potential.
For many years, I have focused on uncovering what science has to tell us a...more
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Very academic but personally driven look at all the available data (and hype) regarding young children and all types of media.
In a nutshell: the AAP's ban on under-two is unfounded but time limits of course should exist, the most important factor is the content of the screen time - which should be thoroughly looked into (don't just assume Disney is okay... Did you know that Finding Nemo truly rates as for ages 8+?), and all of this with the caveat that children NEED as much interpersonal ...more
In a nutshell: the AAP's ban on under-two is unfounded but time limits of course should exist, the most important factor is the content of the screen time - which should be thoroughly looked into (don't just assume Disney is okay... Did you know that Finding Nemo truly rates as for ages 8+?), and all of this with the caveat that children NEED as much interpersonal ...more
Guernsey takes an open-minded approach as she pours through research and interviews scientists and parents. This book is somewhat academic but accessible and I wish that many parents and caregivers encounter would dip into at least a chapter or two.
To sum up, Guernsey states that parents should focus on context, content, and the individual child. She is trying to assuage some of the guilt some parents may feel if they let small children watch some TV by showing how they can make ...more
To sum up, Guernsey states that parents should focus on context, content, and the individual child. She is trying to assuage some of the guilt some parents may feel if they let small children watch some TV by showing how they can make ...more
So far this book is great-- an eye-opening study on the effects of television, the perceived threats, the misconceptions, and real dangers. I love books that challenge conventional wisdom, and this does. I've always just gone unthinkingly along with the modern mom's guilty refrain: TV is terrible and I'm terrible for letting my kids watch anything! But the author pushes pause and looks at that big bad boob tube in the cold blue flickering light of scientific research. Turns out Blue's Clues won'...more
The information in this book empowered me to make smart media choices for my son...and not feel guilty when I turn on a video for 30-minutes. That alone made the book well worth reading.
However, if you're looking for all the answers, they're not here...mainly because the research has not been done, ESPECIALLY for children under two years old. I never realized how frustrating it must be to work in the social sciences...in order for a study to be well done, it needs a lot of people (in...more
However, if you're looking for all the answers, they're not here...mainly because the research has not been done, ESPECIALLY for children under two years old. I never realized how frustrating it must be to work in the social sciences...in order for a study to be well done, it needs a lot of people (in...more
I LOVED this book. I am so grateful that I took the time to read it. I learned a TON and it will forever change the way that I view, feel, and use screentime in my home.
I was initially hesitant about reading this book - because I thought it might just lay on a heavy guilt trip and make me feel like a terrible mom because I turn on the tv in my house. It had the exact opposite effect! I now feel informed. My nagging guilt and worries are GONE. I feel like I am empowered and can ...more
I was initially hesitant about reading this book - because I thought it might just lay on a heavy guilt trip and make me feel like a terrible mom because I turn on the tv in my house. It had the exact opposite effect! I now feel informed. My nagging guilt and worries are GONE. I feel like I am empowered and can ...more
I just happened upon this book in the library and with one year old twins at home decided to pick it up on a whim. It turned out to be terrific book about how television affects infants and toddlers that really changed the way I thought about the subject. Guernsey chases down all of the people that she can find who are doing research in this area and distills the results of their research into well written summaries based around relevant topics, such as whether or not it really is harmful to hav...more
I thought that this would be all about the horrors of children watching TV, but it wasn't. Well there are a few horrors (TV as background noise.) It was a whole lot of research about what is good and what isn't. Turns out that some programs really are educational and can teach pro-social behavior. I thought the chapter about what is scary to kids was pretty interesting. I guess my kids are not the only ones who are scared of Toy Story and Winnie the Pooh.
Overall, however, I did...more
Overall, however, I did...more
I found this book was very informative and well researched. I liked how the author is clearly very knowledgeable on the subject and also relates it to her own experiences of raising her daughters. She talks a lot about all the studies they have done with children and the effects of tv, and the results are quite interesting. I was a bit shocked with some of the results, but all in all I am glad I took the time to read this book and become more aware of televisions impact on youth! I think many pa...more
A wonderfully balanced look at the media and its effects on very small children. I very much appreciated the author's evenhanded reporting and personal reflections on her own experiences with her daughters. This takes the usual "within moderation" reaction to our media diets and goes a step further, to find out what is really happening inside children's brains and where there might be harm or help.
I highly recommend this one for parents who may be concerned about their children's scree...more
I highly recommend this one for parents who may be concerned about their children's scree...more
Overall this book has great advice for constructing TV limits and allowances for your young child. However, I was disappointed with the underlying bias of the author. She frequently uses her own experience as examples in behavior, thereby justifying why she allows her children to watch television. I'd like to counter her opinions with a chapter or two on how children benefit from limited to no TV in their lives.
I hadn't realized how impatient I could feel at books on parenting subjects that do not back up assertions with scientific study, which made this book a relief. I had wondered what really was behind warnings of screen time with children and if I was negatively affecting my daughter when I watched television while she played on the floor.
And the truth is, yes.
The truth is also that this book will give a few tips on how to analyze a television program for its educational value...more
And the truth is, yes.
The truth is also that this book will give a few tips on how to analyze a television program for its educational value...more
What is in the babies' minds?
What do they learn from TV?
What impact they get from television?
I, as a child, don't remember watching TV. At least not much. I wasn't in pre-school 'till age of 6. What did my mom and grandma teach me before I went out and discover a new world. Away from walls and locked doors?
Mmm... a question that deserves to be answered!
What do they learn from TV?
What impact they get from television?
I, as a child, don't remember watching TV. At least not much. I wasn't in pre-school 'till age of 6. What did my mom and grandma teach me before I went out and discover a new world. Away from walls and locked doors?
Mmm... a question that deserves to be answered!
Totally terrific. I've always heard from the American Academy of Pediatrics that children under the age of two should not watch television. I've preached it to everyone, and I have always said it is far better to read to your children than let them watch the "wretched stone." Well, after reading this book, I now have a different perspective. The author, Guersney, really did her research. She talks about babies' brain development, and she summarizes several studies on media and chil...more
I really enjoyed reading this thoroughly researched look into what babies/young children may be experiencing with the media in front of and around them. Well-documented and easy to read. Allowed Josh and I to think a little more specifically about how much/what kind of TV/movies/computer time we want our kids to have.
This is an informative, interesting book about a subject that I think about a lot--young children and the benefits/drawbacks of TV viewership for them. The author addresses many points on this topic and her research and resources are good. Her overall findings from delving into numerous studies are that the less TV the better, while also recognizing that good-quality children's programs can have definite benefits for the kids who watch them. My only problem with the book was how she went into to...more
I really found this book interesting- especially the general child development research. The media research was helpful too and supported a lot of our house rules for TV. It was nice to know what shows are best (from an educational perspective) and what to look for when choosing a quality program. If they are going to watch TV, might as well make it worth our while!
Amy
rated it
I stumbles across this book while doing research for an Infant Development course project, it's a great book with a good, objective and well-reasoned summary of the major research in the field regarding television's effects on child development.
The AAP broad recommendation of no-screen time whatsoever for children under age 2 scared me. What was watching football doing to him? Why is it so dangerous? This book is well-researched and well-organized. Each chapter addresses a specific question related to children's development and different types of media. I was surprised to learn that the background noise of television is far more damaging to them than having a child actually watching TV. She also goes talks about which shows are b...more
My kids are not zombies after sitting all of those long hours in front of the large screen. An educational book about kids and TV.
I found this book by chance at the library because it was new and had been placed on a display at the end of a row. It is great in that it reviews, evaluates and discusses research that has been done in all areas related to using Television and interactive media with very young children. Even though the title says birth to age 5, the book focuses primarily on birth to age 3. I am now rethinking some of my assumptions about children and television. The book is also family friendly and relaxed in ...more
I would recommend this book to any and every parent. You know the rule: no TV before age 2. This book provides a more nuanced view to that statement. The author cites a myriad of studies done on the effect of TV on children, and other applicable studies as well. She gives the three C's approach to watching TV--content, context and child. She also points out that TV hasn't definitively been shown to harm child development. TV out of moderation has though. The important thing to keep in mind is th...more
read this review and others at http://readingforsanity.blogspot.com/200...
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A pretty even-handed review by a non-academic (a reporter that has a personal interest in the topic) of the current academic research on children and screen media.
I enjoyed this book, in addition to learning about a lot of research about how young children respond to screen media. Well researched, but very readable. She discusses the AAP's guideline to keep all kids under 2 away from the TV (which she finds Draconian), what separates good from bad children's programming, if children can learn from TV. The most unexpected thing I learned was the harmful effect of background TV on children's play.
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