Baby Videos, Part II

I'm still thinking a bit about the baby videos-- I find it unnerving, though certainly not surprising, that the rush for the almighty dollar supersedes even the best-documented evidence that a product is harmful. One of the by-products of overexposure to media is the loss of the ability to think analytically. If a parent spends a significant amount of time sitting and staring, his or her chances of making wise choices for children pretty much evaporate.

If you have a television in your home, please read one or more of these books (if you click on the titles, each link should open in a new window, where you can read more about the book). The evidence is compelling-- overwhelming, even-- that television is very bad for children (and it doesn't do anyone else much good, either). Remind me to post some day on the glorious possibilties of life without television!

Endangered Minds by Dr. Jane Healy
Your Child's Growing Mind : Brain Development and Learning From Birth to Adolescence by Dr. Jane Healy
Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander
The Plug-In Drug : Television, Computers, and Family Life by Marie Winn

Articles
Sesame Street Videos Spark Controversy by David Crary
Parents, Children Lose Art of Conversation This article, from the New Zealand Herald, is not specifically about the Sesame Street baby videos, but more about what happens to communication when television intrudes.
Should you tell your infant how to get to "Sesame Street"?