Obviously if you park your kid in front of the TV all day, every day there are a lot of other things that are happening...like parents are not interacting with their kids, and they are also seeing ads for sugary, crappy, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) laden cereals and foods, and toys they don't need, etc. I myself personally refuse to watch commercials. When I do watch a show I TiVo it and skip the commercials. I think the article is stating the obvious that they won't make your kids SMARTER, but I also personally don't think they will make them dumber. So turn on that Elmo DVD and go take a full 10 minute shower! Like anything else, moderation is key.
Want a really smart baby? Then do this:
- READ to your kid. Yes, even before they sit and listen to it from cover to cover. Actually if you start this from birth, they will sit and listen until they become mobile. HA! But they are still hearing you even if they are not "sitting" and reading with you in the traditional sense.
- TALK to your kid. Tell them what they are doing. Tell them what you are doing. Use big words. Mother-ese (high, sing-songy voice) is ok and used in every language by males and females. It's actually beneficial for your kid. If you want I will email you my linguistics paper on this topic. ;) But mix it up a bit and try to use new words and phrases. Use lots of body language and baby sign. Your local library probably has some great books and DVDS (oh snap...those might just be a little education for mom!). If they don't, find out who to talk to in order to get some ordered. It's YOUR library after all.
- PLAY with your kid. Play is probably the most over-looked one. We usually think of just reading and talking. But guess what...when you play...you talk! So show them how to do their puzzles and make their animals hug, etc. HAVE FUN!
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