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Experimenting with Your Children: Because Kids Are Just Data Points Waiting to Happen

Hypothesis: TV deadens a kids senses.

Method: Place child in chair with restraints. Show child television program or movie. Poke child with needles.

Outcome: Child failed to respond to multiple subcutaneous needle pricks while movie played. Child stared continuously at TV while pricks were administered with no visible reaction.

Conclusion: Hypothesis correct.

Before you call CPS, here’s what happened. The Wooga crawled all over our deck last week and got about eight splinters in his little hand. We didn’t know how to get them out without a huge battle so Heidi had the brilliant idea of letting him watch a VeggieTales movie while we operated on him. He’s never seen TV for more than a split second, so he was absolutely mesmerized. We put him in his high chair (with tray) so he would be somewhat restrained.

It was so creepy to see him absolutely oblivious while we poked and prodded him with a needle. Not one reaction or even a flinch. He may as well have been on a heroin trip.

Seeing the power TV held over him really freaked me out. My normally active, inquisitive and alert little guy was reduced to a drooling vegetable by the TV. We may never let him see TV now. We were going to wait until he was 4 like the American Pediatric Association (or whatever) recommends but I’m not sure we even want that to happen. We’ll see.

By the way, the last part of the title comes from an Econ professor at BYU who said that quote seriously with a straight face!

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You’re currently reading “Experimenting with Your Children: Because Kids Are Just Data Points Waiting to Happen,” an entry on The Entreblog!

Published:: Apr 28 2008 / 8:40 am

Author:: m

Category:: family, funny, personal

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Heidi’s Blog » Blog Archive » An answer to prayer… Apr 28 2008 / 11am

[...] Read about our Sunday afternoon with the Wooga man on Prince Charming’s blog. [...]

Heidi Apr 28 2008 / 11am

I agree–very scary! (Though I was grateful to be able to use it for removing the splinters. Otherwise, it could have been a terrible experience for all of us…)

Melissa Apr 28 2008 / 1pm

Wow - amazing. Although I too have witnessed the zombifying power of the TV in my own little ones so I guess I’m not all that surprised. It is kinda creepy, when you think about it.

However (and of course I’m not advocating doing this constantly) there are definitely times when this effect IS very desirable…When I was prego with #2, and later #3, sometimes the ONLY way I had a chance to lie down and shut my eyes before bedtime was if I put on a movie for the older child(ren). Or like last night when I was preparing dinner (and Bill was napping), the only way I could get the boys to stop beating on each other was to put on a favorite “Sunday movie” (”The Restoration”)…

Anyway, I’m glad to hear that you were able to get all the slinters out! Poor kid!

Kara Apr 28 2008 / 4pm

I agree with Melissa, sometimes it’s a very useful evil, but it’s also really easy to overuse it. Also, if it makes you feel any better, as they’ve gotten older, my kids don’t sit still in front of the tv as long or as often.

tearese Apr 28 2008 / 8pm

Of course you realize part of the fascination was because he hadn’t seen it before, right?
We did really well Elora’s first year about not turning tv on before 7pm. But last summer Joseph would turn on cartoons every morning (he likes to watch them) and now she has to watch them everyday.
We have them on way too often now (I know PBS’s whole line up).
But if I leave it on with nothing for her to do, she gets really whiny and bored. I think media has a stronger effect on boys though, so we should probably be more careful with Joshua. Dang it. Too late.

James Apr 29 2008 / 7pm

You can’t protect them from the world forever. What they don’t learn watching TV under your supervision they’ll learn from their peers… without your supervision…

The TV technique does indeed work well for minor surgery. Great article!

James

wandering Nana-Linda Apr 30 2008 / 1pm

James is right. When my girls were little I would have a babysitter watch them. The babysitter was one of the Young Women worked with and she came from a large family. They did not own a TV (no, it wasn’t when TVs first came out-they didn’t like what was brought into the home). I remember when the mini series about the Charles Manson murders came on and this 15yr old came to me and told me she would babysit for nothing if I would use her on the certain nights the show was on. I told her to talk to her parents before I would let her come. So children will sometimes find a means so it is better to train them what is appropriate so when the time comes they will know how to chose.

The Entreblog!Talking to myself and letting you read it…

Experimenting with Your Children: Because Kids Are Just Data Points Waiting to Happen

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