Undeniably, sitting your baby down in front of the TV can be very useful at times. When you need to make dinner, for instance, and your crawler or toddler would otherwise be wrapped around your ankles as you try to carry a pot of boiling pasta to the sink, TV may seem like an appealing option. It’s not that watching TV is such a bad thing to do. But your baby could be doing so many other things, things she won’t be doing while watching TV. So when TV does become a viable option, try to limit viewing time. Just as important (if not more important), limit your baby’s viewing choices. In general, stick with public television, shows on Nickelodeon or The Learning Channel, and well-chosen videotapes. Almost all of these choices permit commercial-free viewing of non-violent, somewhat educational programming.
