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I recently have heard alot about this Baby Einstein dvd's and had to have a lookie.
Went on eBay and won myself a 25 disk pack....they arrived yesterday. I couldnt wait to play one to see what the rave was about.....only to be disappointed.
Perhaps i put a dud one on and not an interesting one!
So what your view on them?
Like them, hate them, have a fav one?
Let me know :)
Not overly impressed by them myself, I am sure there was an article somewhere about them being not that good for children but can't remember any details before my morning cuppa sorry!!
I don't like them. They look they are okay for switching your brain off and watching the telly for a bit... but certainly not for enhancing your brain! I've read something that said the same thing too- something about how much TV is watched in a day and it being detrimental. I also don't like that when they talk it's an american accent- I think our children get enough of that already. We had a friend offer to give us her entire collection for our bubba but I declined.
The article wasnt about baby einstein specifically being bad for children, it was saying that parents shouldn't look exclusively to dvds/videos to educate their kids (duh) and sit them in front of a telly for hours on end.
I havent seen any of the dvds etc, but we did have a couple of textured baby einstein books that were good.
I have the full set of Baby Einstein and I myself don't think they are very interesting but Oscar loves them. He seems to love all the bright colours and everything that moves on them at the moment. I think that as long as the kiddies will sit and watch them then that's the main thing. That's JMO though.
I have 2 discs here and they have been a life saver in our house for the evenings, particularly early on when Isabelle just wouldn't settle and I just needed 30 mins to get dinner on! It was the only thing that worked. Now we put it on about once a week if she seems grizzly and nothing else works.
Kim I was shocked when I saw how simple the whole thing was but I know that as a baby she LOVED it! I also read a background on the woman who created it, and she made a video like that for her baby so thats why it is so simplistic and why I think it works.
I know the article was talking about Baby Einstein specifically but I cannot personally see how it can be worse than some of the other inane natter that goes on on ABC kids shows. As far as the accent goes, you can switch to French ;) - and think about most of our TV programming these days, sad as it is, that even if they dont get the accent on that,if you have any TV during the day, or at night they will get an American influence. I think if used in moderation, and not for hours at a time every day, then it is no different to any other "educational" tv program for children.
The debate as to if they should watch TV at all is another issue altogether. ;)
Personally, i think you shoud let your babies be babies and your kids be kids, and not put too much expectations upon you and the child with "educational dvd's".
Let the kids play and learn about the world through their own experiences and questions - and read them books!
I was given a set (probably wouldn't have bothered buying them) but ds loved them. They are not meant to be interesting to adults, they are designed for babies. I liked them personally for the music ones (Baby bach, etc) as I am a classically trained muso and completely understand the benefits of having children listen to this sort of music (it stimulates the cross-pathways in the brain) but in saying that I would only put on one a day and they only go for 1/2 hour. They do make good baby-sitters when you want to have a quiet shower!
I was given a couple, I don't play them that often...but yes agree they are good when you need a minute. Repetition is the key to teaching children/babies many things & the dvd's repeat everything so I do believe somewhere along the line they would prob pick something up that they don't see at home often IYKWIM. Some are better than others, I didn't think it was too interesting...but they are for kids not for adults.
I was also given a music CD that my MIL swore by & said I should play to settle to sleep. Nothing at all settling about that music I must say. DS hated it & so did I.
I don't have any expectations on the DVD's they are a "sometimes" thing. Sometimes for a break, sometimes its raining & we've read every book in the house, sometimes DS just wont settle. I too believe in reading to them & so on but that wasnt the question raised.
Received a baby einstein DVD for DD#2 when she was born....played it once.....havent played it since. Not really impressed, dont know what all the fuss is about. At 5pm when i need time to prepare dinner and Sam is cranky pants, i find Dora more stimulating for her....the colours are just as bright. Thats my experience.........
i have seen a few, and the only one that Aiden has liked was the Old Macdonalds farm once. I downloaded them, and he has had exposure to 4 different ones. But, i dont have them anymore, so, i dont worry about them.
i like them... yes very simplistic but as long as it temporarily captivates my livewire so i can have a shower or clean up, then its all good... i put one on every now and then, sometimes a couple of times a week, sometimes not, it just depends.... when she was sick with the cold it was a lifesaver, as for about twenty minutes she sat quietly on my knee and watched it (she has never sat quietly on my knee EVER)... so it was a bit of relief and took her mind off being sick.
as for the american accent, i guess it depends how often you put it on... no accent, even if on a few times a week, could compete with my voice, constantly talking and singing and so on to my bubba, so a half hour now and then of a different sort of voice i dont think would even have an impact.
i don't sort of see it as an educational tool though, more of a sneaky tool for mummy to use when she needs 10 minutes to herself on the odd occassion. as hard as i try im not super mum.
Havent seen them, Ryans a simpsons and futurama boy he loves them! He won't understand the adult jokes for a while so I'm safe for a bit and when hes older its Whinnie the Pooh!
Dislike. BUT that's because SiL would put niece in front of one and go off and have a cuppa - they are ONLY educational when you use them as a tool, not a babysitter. Then again, I can't talk, I let DS watch Night Garden with little commentary some nights. But I don't pretend it's teaching him anything at least, just shutting him up long enough for us all to have a meal! Same as Jungle Book or Oliver and Company - he'll watch the DVD for 5-10 minutes, long enough for me to start a meal or go to the loo. But if he's not too grumpy I'd rather give him his bricks or balls on the table and let him play!
Tahlia loves them... I only let her watch them every 2nd or 3rd day... they only go for about 25 minutes... just enough time for me to do the dishes or start dinner! Her favourite one is Baby Beethoven, she starts making this shrieking laughing sound when the animals are going across the screen...
I personally think they are ok, as long as they dont watch them for hours at a time...
DD got a few for christmas and she is not interested in them!!