from the do-you-know-that-the-TV-has-an-off-switch dept.
New research suggests that babies that are fussy and demanding are likely to spend slightly more time in front of a TV or computer screen when they're toddlers compared to "easier" babies.
The research article (Abstract, Full Text) explains the findings in further detail:
Our results are consistent with one other study showing that infants rated by their mothers as fussy were exposed to more TV.
Our findings demonstrate that, longitudinally, infants with regulatory problems do watch more TV and videos later in their toddler years. However, the relationship is probably not unidirectional; child selfregulation abilities and media habits likely influence each other through a transactional process whereby parents might try to soothe fussier infants through screen time, which reduces the amount of enriching parent-infant interactions and other developmental activities, exposes infants to potentially inappropriate content, and contributes to continued regulatory difficulties, which in turn predict greater media exposure, and so on. Parents also may be allowing more media use with the hope that educational programs could benefit children with behavioral problems. We did not find associations between child self-regulation and parents' reported coviewing behaviors, which suggests that parents are not using media to take a break from their difficult children more often.
A different study looked at how parenting style and the home environment affected screen time among 5 year old children (Full Text). They found that although children in families with an authoritative and authoritarian parenting style had the lowest overall amount of parent-reported screen time compared to children in families with an indulgent or neglectful parenting style, our results indicated that the magnitude of the association between parenting style and children's screen time is relatively modest. They suggest that a parent changing a home environment to limit screen time might be most effective if they start during early childhood and before family habits are established.
Our results indicate a relative modest association between parenting style and screen time at the age of 5 years. To reduce the time a child spends watching TV or using a computer or game console, it might be important to make parents more aware of the influence they have on their child's behavior, especially when the child is young.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday April 17 2014, @05:09AM
From the "a meme is a meme"-is-a-meme-dept
Honk if you like bacon! (and/or TFA sounds un-inspiring for comments).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by bradley13 on Thursday April 17 2014, @07:05AM
Is a child fussy because they watch too much TV? Or is a child in front of the TV because they are fussy, and the parents need a break?
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 17 2014, @07:20AM
Third possibility: It's some character traits of the parents which both causes the children to become fussy, and makes the parents more likely to put it in front of the TV.
But most likely it's a combination off all those things.
(Score: 1) by cx on Thursday April 17 2014, @07:34AM
I'd say a child is (sometimes) fussy because it's bored and demands to be entertained. TV/Computer can provide that. A content child is by definition fine as it is.
My now three and a half year old was/is very difficult to handle as she was very inquisitive from about two about pretty much anything. She learned to use tablet and PC on her own and, provided there are games for her installed and suggestions on YouTube contain something of her interest, she'll work her way to it and sit there happily... I won't say for hours, but for some time for sure.
My proudest moment as a geek father was when, still not three years old, she figured out when we are watching regular channels and when a movie streamed from the PC.
In the first case she sits on the coffee table in front of the TV.
In second, she turns off the PC.
(Score: 2) by lhsi on Thursday April 17 2014, @08:30AM
There is a time difference - the child is rated as "fussy" as a baby, and then later on when they are a toddler tended to watch a little more TV compared to babies who were not rated as "fussy".
I did link to the full text of both papers where they go into more detail, but since you asked so nicely I'll grab the relevant bits :-)
By "fussy" they mean Infants and toddlers who have difficulties with self-soothing, falling and staying asleep, and modulating their emotional states.
Also, I'll re-quote part of the summary and highlight the bit that answers your second question:
(Score: 1) by lajos on Thursday April 17 2014, @01:05PM
"Or is a child in front of the TV because they are fussy, and the parents need a break?"
Or are irresponsible adults having kids for the wrong reasons?
(Score: 2) by skullz on Thursday April 17 2014, @03:33PM
"Or are irresponsible adults having kids for the wrong reasons?"
I love these types of comments. Unfortunately the idea of parenting has changed quite a bit in the last 30 years. Now you have to have a dual income household to try to get ahead and all those great carrier opportunities require a lot of work outside of work. Parenting today in the US is a tight rope walk between neglecting your kids and making sure they have a roof over their heads and something put away for a half-way decent education. And I'm not even talking about college, I'm talking about a good daycare.
Kids require a LOT of attention but often times if they are happy and healthy the best thing to do is to let them be entertained while you finish up those damn TPS reports so you don't get fired when quarterly earnings statement comes in.
(Score: 1) by Moru on Thursday April 17 2014, @07:29PM
Move. Seriously, MOVE.
There are other countries in the world. Countries where you actually are encouraged to take care of your kids. I as a father get reminders by post that I have 200 days left of my "take of work to play with kid"-time. 80% of normal salary paid by state, not company.
Even my boss is asking me when I want to take dady-leave. That is expected of you even as a father.
The boss before that gave me tips on how to schedule the days I take off to get as much as possible.