Activity #219: Use TV as a tool

We tend to both be a little firm on the topic of “No TV” for the babies each for our own reasons, I’m sure. Heather thinks that TV is a scary addiction for babies, not unlike crack. Besides my belief that it’s just not developmentally appropriate for a baby, I think the addiction actually threatens the parents, not the baby, as having your baby in a glazed-over state of relaxation sure is tempting.

If you already use TV, then you are probably smarter than we are, and your kid will probably turn out smarter than ours, too, with all those hours of Sesame Street logged before preschool even starts. But if you are afraid as we are, then you’ll relate to this. When your TV-deprived child rarely sees the glowing screen, they are even more transfixed by it. You can leverage it’s magic powers to accomplish the following while your baby watches the boob tube:

• Cut your child’s fingernails and toenails while she is distracted by Teletubbies
• Trim his hair while he sits in the high chair in front of the tv
• Pass time on a long trip with a portable DVD player
• Enjoy your friends and some beer at a sports bar while baby watches “the game”