Post: Sesame Street:
When to Begin?
Sesame Street:
When to Begin?
Since the late 1960s, the loveable characters of Sesame Street have been part of millions of American kids' lives. But a recent debate has some asking just how old kids should be before they are introduced to Big Bird, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch.
The Sesame Workshop received considerable criticism earlier this year after releasing "Sesame Street Beginnings," a series of DVDs aimed at kids under 2, because the introduction of the product seemed to encourage parents to ignore a decade-old recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics that kids under 2 show spend zero time in front of the TV. (You can check out Common Sense's reviews of the Beginnings DVDs here and here).
In today's Washington Post, Sesame Workshop president and CEO Gary Knell addresses those criticisms, saying that Sesame Beginnings was a pragmatic response to a world where millions of parents allow their toddlers to watch television, no matter what the medical establishment suggests:
"Television is a powerful teacher. Research to date has looked more at total viewing time than content. What we've learned, with our own decades of research on the impact of 'Sesame Street,' is that content does matter -- programs designed to be age-appropriate educational viewing experiences do have beneficial educational effects."
Check out the full article here
There are 1 replies to this post
Date: May 26, 2006
It's unfathomable to me that Zero to Three would embrace this concept for
infants and toddlers. I'm sorely disappointed. It represents
"give-up-itis" in its most obvious form. Sanctioning partnerships like
this ensures parents will now cluelessly march like lemmings off the cliff
figuring it 'all must be okay' now that there's a recognized name as an
extra 'stamp of approval' there.
I wrote to Zero to Three myself hoping they'd end their partnership with Sesame Workshop, for
this generation of media-saturated parents has excessive peer
encouragement to plop kids in front of a screen ALREADY!! (I got a form letter reply)
We need them to do their part by balancing the equation with logic...as informal research
begins to reveal the neurological & behavioral impact of multi-channel
media upon the 'net generation.' Perhaps it's been branded 'inconclusive' to date, but even if one truly believed that, (& I don't)does it justify the risk to children's health in the interim?
Let's channel our energy into redirecting parents appropriately, not turn toddlers into 'vidiots' at the coo & drooling stage! (though that's
where they'll end up as kids & adults w/a steady diet of same)
Those having the power to lead and influence should exercise impeccable
responsibility and restraint with their message, beholden to the utmost
standards of knowing right from wrong. Zero to Three broke that rule by
sending those looking for guidance on a precision march to mediocrity,
parading the pablum of 'what's easiest' rather than what's healthiest
for these children.
It's 'easier' to tear open a plastic wrapped microwavable piece of processed 'food product' and call it 'lunch' or
snag a foil pouch of on-the-go eat'ems & slam it en route to preschool
too. Oh, that's right. We've already culturally embedded that precedent.
sigh.
C'mon folks, Sesame Beginnings is just a zone out enabler for the
over-stressed set who'd like to turn on the telly and absolve themselves
of 'duty' for awhile.
As understanding as that need may be, we need to also acknowledge that Zero to Three is prime real estate on the frontal lobe landscape, and we're not only allowing the branding of babies'
brains, but encouraging media devotion early on...It in effect sets up a
womb to tomb ideology and dependence that subverts the encouragement of
creative play. (trust me, I've spent 25 years in branding/marketing &
know the inherent value of proper product positioning...you have just
given harried caregivers and easy out, and in marketing we call that
'targeting a need and filling it'---whether it's in the child's best
interest or not!
It's short-sighted, and a sellout. They've compromised their ability to
offer parents the objective information about young children and media
that they need. Families would be better served if Zero to Three used
its considerable resources toward research & education regarding the
impact of screen media since we're unsure of the quantitative &
qualitative damage to date. It would be much more responsible than
blindly promoting a new line line of baby videos without the info in
hand.
Link: http://www.shapingyouth.com