Surely you've heard of them, and chances are good that you have purchased or received at least one as a gift. Videos like Baby Einstein, Classical Baby, Sesame Street and Brainy Baby have become very popular over the past several years. Parents today even have the option of subscribing to a cable television station created specifically for the under 3 crowd.

With so many products now available and marketed to the very young child, it's easy to see how parents might be led to believe that if they're not parking their baby in front of the TV for 30 minutes of "educational" programming they'll be doing him or her disservice later in life. The reality is, there is no research that supports the correlation between intelligence and television viewing in young children and many doctors blame TV for increasing aggression and obesity as well as an increased risk of ADHD.

In fact, the American Academy for Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 should not be watching television at all. For older children, the Academy recommends no more than one-to-two hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs.  Yvonne Gustafson, PhD and Parent Educator at The Elizabeth Blackwell Center gives this advice, "We're seeing young children being exposed to too much TV, too soon. Babies need to learn about the 3-D world by touching and feeling and moving in it. Babies who are watching too much TV aren't getting the social interactions or doing the physical and sensory work that is so important to the growth and development of their young brains." 

It is important to note, however, that Gustafson talks to enough parents to recognize and accept the fact that TV can provide a necessary distraction on a particularly rough day. So, if you need a 15-minute break to get dinner ready or make a phone call, don't feel too bad about turning on the set for a short time. Just don't be fooled into thinking that TV time is actually good for the little ones.