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Diaper Demographic
Andrea McKeon has warmed to the idea of letting her daughter watch TV. "She's very alert. It hasn't affected her activity level," she said.
(By Linda Davidson -- The Washington Post)
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In the absence of more definitive findings, parents are left to weigh claims by marketers -- and their critics -- against the day-to-day realities of living far from extended-family support, spending long hours at work, needing a shower and getting baby to sleep at 3 a.m.
Andrea McKeon of Owings, Md., never considered herself "a big proponent of kids and television." Then, during Mother's Day weekend, she and her mother, Francine Abell, stumbled across BabyFirstTV on DirecTV. Madelyn, then nearly 3 months old, responded almost immediately.
"Her little face had a look of surprise, followed by intense scrutiny," Abell said.
On a recent weekday morning, McKeon and Abell looked on as Madelyn meandered around the living room, stopping occasionally to look at "her stories," as McKeon calls them.
"Who's at the door?" Abell quizzed Madelyn as the sound of someone knocking rang out from the TV speakers.
Madelyn walked up to the screen and banged it, a sign she liked what was on. Another show about squirrels hiding an acorn, however, couldn't compete with a mug on the floor.
In fact, since Madelyn has become mobile, she watches less -- one of several reactions that have convinced her mother that her time in front of the tube has largely been good for her.
"She's very alert. It hasn't affected her activity level. It's not as if where other kids are out running around, she's just sitting there. That's not the case," McKeon said.
By 11 a.m., Madelyn's eyelids were getting a little droopy. In her mother's arms, she left for her morning nap.
"I can see where parents are apprehensive about letting kids go down this road," Abell said. "As long as it teaches her something, I don't see the harm."
