TV Girl

Two months ago, I came across this news article about Baby Einstein offering video refunds to consumers. For those who are not familiar with Baby Einstein, it is a multi-million line of multimedia products and toys in the US that specializes in interactive activities for toddlers. I think the main objective is to develop prodigies through their products. The Baby Einstein line of videos, flashcards, books and DVDs, which also include Baby Mozart, Baby Shakespeare and Baby Galileo spin-offs, is estimated to be worth more than £120 million a year in Britain and the US, where it represents 90 per cent of the baby media market.

Apparently, Disney (its manufacturer) offered the video refunds after admitting that they do not boost toddlers’ intelligence. Just a few years before this, a group called Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against the Baby Einstein Company and the Brainy Baby Company, a producer of similar videos. The group sued these companies, alleging false advertising. They cited the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that children under two should be discouraged from watching television at all. In addition, a study by Washington University found that for every hour that infants of 8 to 16 months watch educational videos, they understood six to eight fewer words than other babies not exposed to such videos. The University specifically mentioned Baby Einstein when announcing the study. The studies also shown that there is evidence to show that screen-based activity is bad for the development of the brain."

This actually bothered me. The best days of my life as a little kid were actually spent in front of the television. I remember how my mom would tell our relatives how much money she saved by not hiring a full time baby sitter since I behave so well anyway when I’m watching my favorite TV shows like Sesame Street, Batibot, Carebears and the like . Up to now, I can still remember vividly the music video of Kermit the Frog singing Kokomo and the lyrics of “Isda-da-da-isda”, a song from the now defunct Batibot. The television has become my bestfriend until I reached high school and started to have a social life. I thought I turned out just fine. I got relatively good grades, won quiz bees (hehe), became an “iskolar ng bayan” and was privileged enough to acquire my law education from the country’s premiere state university (where law is being taught in the grand manner).

Therefore, the cause of the toddler’s aforementioned intellectual underdevelopment could not have been the Baby Einstein videos but bad parenting. I may have foregone hours of siesta sleep just because I would not want to miss an episode of Jem and the Holograms. I may have missed quality patintero time with my playmates just because I would not dare miss an episode of Sailormoon. But my mom would always remind me to do my homework first (right after I arrived from school, FYI). My parents exposed me not only to the television but also to music (I had piano lessons since I was 5 from none other than my mom herself) and to literature (back when PeterPan, Princess Sarah and Heidi were not yet tagalized animated shows in Channel 2). They taught me the importance of love, discipline, respect and perseverance not just through Disney animated films but through actual personal interaction. So I guess it’s up to the parents how they could use technology as either a tool for enhancing their children’s intellectual growth or as a poor substitute for quality parenting/family time.

References:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children_shealth/6425271/Disney-offers-millions-of-parents-Baby-Einstein-video-refunds.html
wikipedia.com

(4th entry)