TV Time

I don't condone unlimited TV time for children. Nor, do I agree with allowing the TV to "babysit" them.

In our house, during the weekdays (while school is in session) we don't turn the TV on. No cartoons in the morning before school as well as in the afternoon when the kiddo's get home.

I know, I know..., for those of you who were like me as a child (watching Saved by the Bell before class and the Ninja Turtles afterward), not letting your children do the same, seems kind of "wrong". In the beginning, at least for me, it did.

Let me just say that since we have cut the TV out of the picture during the week, our house has become more peaceful and we do things together more often. It's nice and the "ill" feelings from the children only lasted for a couple of days. Or at least the ones that they felt like expressing verbally did.

With all of that being said, I will now explain why I have my baby positioned perfectly in front of a TV!

Vada is watching Baby Einstein's-My First Signs. Its one of the three of four videos we have on signing. I have been signing to Vada since I have brought her home, which doesnt say a whole lot since I only know a handful of useful signs. I also have a really great app on my cell called My Smart Hands and it helps me learn basic signs and I teach them to the rest of the family, who in return teach them to Vada. I {heart} the idea of knowing and teaching sign language so much that I have bought flash cards and books and I even put up a mini poster above Vada's changing table. Not for her, silly, it's for me. That way, while I am changing her I can look up and find a common sign and use it in what ever one sided conversation her and I are sharing.

Over the last couple of months Vada has become very interested when any of us use signing with her. When I say "I love you." She automatically looks for my hands because typically, I do the sign when I say it.

There has been many occasions where Vada has done motions that resemble the sign for "Mama" or "Dada". She doesn't just do what looks like the sign, she does it at the perfect timing as well. Like, as soon as Justin walks in the door. (Not all of the time, so it could all be coincidental.) She also does what looks like the sign for milk. Were pretty confident in saying that she is doing that particular sign. She does it when she wants to nurse, when we put her in her high chair, when she is tired and also when she is nursing.

Today, I decided that since she was playing in her exasaucer I would also put the signing DVD in so that she may glimpse up at the TV and that it may possibly help catch her interest. Truthfully, it's pretty helpful to me too. It turns out that she loved watching this video. She didn't just watch a minute or so of it, she watched the whole thing and only became "antsy" when it ended! Look at her..., all interested and ready to learn. :)