Will Baby Einstein Videos Turn Your Child Into a Genius?
"Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of life."
—Maureen Hawkins
The four-month-old daughter of an acquaintance of mine is shown a twenty-minute video twice a day in the hope it will improve her intelligence. Her mother is impressed with the statement of the designer of the video that, after using it with his own daughter, she was able to read at the eighth-grade-level when she was just four-years-old.
Although this video is apparently not produced by the Baby Einstein company—which has its own educational books, toys and videos and does a business of over $100 million a year—it just as easily could be. And in this brave new world there is even an HBO special called “Classical Baby” featuring a diaper-clad maestro conducting an all-animal orchestra with a world-class score. This is not only a great marketing tool that reaches into the cribs of the world, it gives parents one more opportunity to use the TV as a babysitter—in the belief they are doing something good for their child.
The Pressure to be a Perfect Parent
Why do parents turn to videos to teach their children shapes, music and color? Why do parents feel they have to squeeze every possible ounce of brain power from their child? First of all, I think there is a natural desire of parents to have their children be the best they can be. They've read about research in recent decades that shows the importance of early brain development and want to do all they can. And families in which both parents work outside the home may be particularly attracted to purchasing anything that can make them feel they are giving their child something "educational"—particularly something that allows them a chance to get some housework done in their precious moments at home.
But the pressure to push ever more "learning opportunities" onto younger and younger children also comes from our desire in this country to succeed, and that means we need to be competitive, and that means we have to start early to get our children ready for all those tests they'll have to take, and that means we are susceptible to marketing ploys claiming the latest multi-media gadget will add points to a child's intelligence and give him a leg up on the competition.
If I were to be a new parent today, I'm sure I'd take advantage of many of the advances in toy-making. There are truly some amazing gadgets with lights, whistles and bells that respond to the touch of a finger. So let me be clear, the purpose of this article is not to blast the Baby Einstein company, but to encourage parents to become a bit more cautious in their expectations of "educational" material.
Do Multi-Media Devices Live Up to Their Hype?
There is no evidence that the use of videos early in a child's development improves intelligence in the long run. On the other hand, there is considerable evidence that having babies watch videos can be counter-productive.
As I point out in How to Shape Your Child's Brain and Change the World—and as you will see if you use the material suggested in the sidebar—a child's growing brain needs his parents to interact with him. But his brain is hardwired to be interested in the world.
That is why your baby does not need your constant teaching, classes, games, toys, and offers of stimulation in order to encourage her intellectual development. She will find plenty of "visual activity" on her own if given the opportunity.
However, by making certain your child has something in front of her all the time, by not giving her lots of downtime—in which she can absorb and integrate all the stimulation that comes into her brain from this new world in which she finds herself—you may inadvertently create a child who needs constant attention and stimulation.
Is There a Correlation Between Early Video Watching and Later TV Viewing?
In responding to the Classical Baby program, Diane Levin, the author of Remote Control Childhood, notes that such programs encourage a baby "to turn to screens for stimulation and soothing." Most importantly, she adds that, "There’s mounting evidence that too much TV is harmful. It’s a battle parents are going to be fighting with their children until they leave home, so why would you want to get babies started on watching TV when they’re not even asking for it?”
The testimonial by one parent on the Baby Einstein website gives an inadvertent example of how parents can be convinced that videos are the best thing since sliced bread. The daughter has been watching Baby Einstein videos since she was 6 months old and was completely "mesmerized by the images." Now at the age of 10 months she has even more videos at her disposal and will watch any one they put on "without blinking an eye." Apparently nothing can "distract her while she bounces up and down with excitement, claps, hums, laughs and even sometimes she just sits still watching very closely."
The parents may be thrilled, but notice what they say about her "watching the whole video without blinking an eye." The trance of children sitting in front of TVs, absorbing without interacting with the content of the program, isn't much different than that.
The American Academy for Pediatrics says that, although quality educational programs can be of value to pre-school children, those under the age of two should not watch television at all. Substituting videos for TV doesn't change the fact that stimulation coming into a child is less likely to promote intellectual development than a child's natural ability to find stimulation in the world by herself.
Don't Fussy Babies Need Stimulation?
When your child gets fussier and fussier, it may be that he's not looking for you to rush out and buy some new toy to attract his attention. He may not want you to put another video into the consol, even though he may calm down when you do. His fussiness may be telling you that he needs to be left alone, he needs quiet without a TV in the background and without your constant hovering presence.
Consider for a moment what you are teaching him when you don't give him time to learn and grow at his own pace, when you push new experiences onto him in the hope he will gain a few more IQ points. You are teaching him that you don't trust his own ability to discover life on his own and to learn at his own pace. You are teaching him that a parent is a concierge who is there for his constant entertainment. You are denying him the opportunity to find satisfaction and pleasure in his own company.
It's no wonder some babies find it hard to take a nap. They've been programmed to believe they must be entertained every moment.
I understand that as a grandparent my advice might sound old-fashioned to a generation of parents raised with TV and computers. But one of the advantages of having been around the block a few times is that I've had the advantage of seeing the long picture, of noticing that how a child is programmed to respond in the early years sets the stage for how she is most likely to respond later in life.
So take it from me, if you want a child who isn't used to having someone or something always telling her what to do, if you want a child who can learn on her own, and if you want a child who doesn't need your constant supervision, give her downtime and solitude. Consider carefully whether you really want a child who is programmed to watch programs.
SIDEBAR TO ABOVE ARTICLE:
Some Great Videos for Parents
The Talaris Research Institute has created one-minute videos of what they call their "crib notes" on the latest scientific findings of early brain development. These videos give you a short introduction to other material they provide in written form. On their research spotlights page, you will find videos on: Getting in Tune with Baby, It's a Stressful Life!, Mommy, Is This OK?, Imitative Behavior, Hypothesis Testing, and Speaking Parentese.
Everyday Moments Are Better Than Videos
The ZERO TO THREE organization, in partnership with the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, has produced the The Magic of Everyday Moments® Campaign. These booklets and online information are designed to help you and other caregivers understand how to use simple, everyday moments to promote your child's social, emotional, and intellectual development.
The material is divided into categories of: 0-4 months, 4-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, and 12-15 months.