Baby Einstein Won't Make Your Kid a Genius...BIG FAT DUH!

[southernlamom]

So I wake up this morning to this blog:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/the-great-baby-einstein-scam-531147/

This blog proves what we've already known...letting your child watch Baby Einstein (BE) won't make them a genius.

Well slap my ass and call my Judy, I'm stunned!!

I mean for REAL!? Come ON! Of COURSE sitting your child in front of a television won't make them a genius!! Now, in defense of Baby Einstein, they say to use their products right you should 'Sit with your child' and interact with them, repeating the words, making music, etc.

Yeah, that's what I do with BE movies.

No, let's be real. If I wanted to sit and interact with my child--which I do for a good part of the day, I wouldn't need a TV. They have these mystical things called BOOKS, ART, and OUTSIDE that I can do that in.

So let's just put it out there...what do we really use BE for? A BABYSITTER! We use it so we can get 30 minutes of peace to check our email, paint our toes, sip our coffee, pay th e bills or whatever you need to do. Is it the best educational choice for your child at THAT moment? Maybe not. But you know what's WORSE for a child's development? A mom who's about to lose it and may do something she regrets or a mom who loses herself in her job as Mommy and doesn't take time to be the woman she was before kids.

Part of our job as a parent is to teach our children to entertain themselves! I believe television and computers can be a HEALTHY part of that when done in moderation. According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day. How can we really expect our kids to NOT watch the occassional television when we are glued to it?

I am in no way upset with BE, I never in my wildest dreams thought the movies would teach my child things I could not teach them. I never thought they'd make my child a genius and I have nothing but respect for Julie Clark...an ingenius mom who found a way to help moms and make a life for herself and her kids. Sure its for profit---HELLO This is America..at the MOMENT we still have Capitalism!! And should!

I know I can teach my kids the alphabet, and I will. BUt sometimes a Mommy needs a break and BE movies can be that for you. Should your 1 yr old watch them all day long? No, that would be silly.But you know what, BE movies are more than that in our house. They are therapy. When my autistic child is super upset...guess what calms him down enough to come back to therapy or interacting? Baby Einstein.

So, sure you idiots, no BE doesn't make your kids geniuses. But save your tarring and feathering for something else.

I've got a Baby Noah to watch...

Tags: baby einstein, television, drama, tv, study, genius, discussion, parenting

Add A Comment

[CaLizzyMom]

Oct. 28, 2009 at 10:14 AM

When my kids were too small to be interested in regular cartoons, they loved Baby Einstein.  They learned a few things: colors, shapes, music, etc. (they recognize several of the classical pieces even now).  I guess my expectations were lower than some others, at the time I just wanted them to sit quietly for a little while, and those are the videos that worked.

[suthrnflwr]

Oct. 28, 2009 at 1:52 PM

I know! I saw this on the news and I was completely stunned by the stupidest of these parents. BE Baby Beethoven is my sons all must fave as well as mine because it is a glorious 59 minutes long. BE isn't a preschool in a box. It's a little entertainment for them and a little sanity for me. I will be keeping mine thank you very much. =)

[Lexi.Mommy]

Oct. 28, 2009 at 4:28 PM

I feel sorry for the people who actually thought BE would make their child any smarter and are returning the DVDs.  I have 5 or 6.  My daughters loved Baby Beethoven and Mozart.  I usually watched them with them when I needed a mental break.  They did learn a lot of word association with those.  They also love the Numbers.  My 3 year old loves the Sign Language.  She thinks it is neat to be able to talk with your hands.  

The people that actually thought that these were to be used as self-guided educational materials for an infant don;t deserve a refund.  They only true way to teach a child is through interaction.