The ages of my children pretty much run the gamut. I have four girls ages 16, 10, 9 and 20 months. I also have a step-son that is 13. My toddler has been walking since she was about 9 months old. As soon as she could stand the older girls worked with her until she was walking. She's been dancing just as long...possibly sooner. I have no idea where my girls got thier unbelievable dancing abilities but I've always fostered their talents. SO needless to say, our house is always filled with music. My husband and I enjoy all types of music but mostly top 40 stuff. In the evenings we'll turn on some of the all music channels and we listen to everything from classic country to R&B. I don't really like a lot of rap but my husband and oldest daughter do. In fact I've pretty much banned all forms of "gangsta" rap. I've found that most of the rap songs today don't even make sense because they have to beep most of the lyrics out of them.
So anyway...my oldest daughter and my husband like to watch MTV, now so does my toddler. I've never been able to get her to watch TV, and believe me...I've tried. I put on Seasame Street and Blues Clues, Barney and Dora and she shows no interest. But she has learned to turn the TV on in our bedroom and if she ever disappears for any length of time you can usually find her in there watching music videos. Now she doesn't really know how to work the channels but today I was checking email and several minutes had gone by before I realized she was awfully quite. I ran to my bedroom to check on her and she was laying on the floor watching music videos. Is this harmful? It's not really something that I ever imagined my toddler watching. Should I turn it off? Should I maybe let her watch country videos instead? It's always a bunch of half dressed girls dancing around. Surely that can't be good for her? She loves music and I don't want to take that away but the videos are really inappropriate. My other girls never watched MTV until now. Unfortunantly I kinda think that my husband is the influence. We never watched them before I married him.
I guess I'm a little hypocritical because I don't mind the music so much in the car mainly because the lyrics are bleeped out, but the videos...they're just vulgar. Not only that but they depict one thing...money and chicks. What do you girls think and whatever happend to the Barney song?
The thing is, if you don't stop her from watching them now, then when will you stop? I even think I'm too young(lol) to watch those videos... I don't allow them in my home b/c it just brings a bad spirit, you know? Anyways, I would turn it off and put on a cd of music that is good and uplifting, where you aren't going to worry about her picking up on dirty lyrics. Something she can still have fun and dance too.
Try looking for music videos that are appropriate for your daughter's age. I can't say personally becuase we haven't seen it, but have heard great things about the Laurie Berkner Band DVD. The Veggie Tales Silly Song Countdown is great and my kids also love Hide Em In Your Heart Vol I and II (available at Christian Book stores--these are basically Scripture verses put to music.).
My 3 yr old has always loved TV and DVD's but my 16 mo old...not so much. But she does enjoy the Hide Em in Your Heart DVDs and is already big into dancing as well.
Good luck!
If it bothers you, you should turn it off. CD's of music that doesn't have to be bleeped out should give her plenty to dance to. I am a Christian, and I object to some of what is out there for kids to listen to, but there are lots of great radio stations with perfectly reasonable songs. My kids love Blue Man Group because their daddy does!
C.,
I probably should read some of the other responses first, but I haven't so some of this may be repetitive. Research shows that babies shouldn't watch tv any younger than 2. Now, if anyone follows that rule completely, that's wonderful, but it's hard. My son (12 months) watches tv but very very seldom. We've changed a lot of what we do around our house since he got here. Our tv is off almost all the time, and we can see a huge difference in his actions compared those of my nieces and nephews who have had the tv on pretty much all the time since they were born. Everyone talks about how quiet our son is compared to all the others, but I think it's because the others are having to yell over the tv to be heard.
But on to your actual question. I personally would never let my son watch MTV. We have dish, and it gives us a ton of SERIUS music stations that we leave it on all the time (6116 - kids music). It doesn't have anything but music and the title/artist/album floating around on the screen. My son loves to dance and loves music, so I don't want to deprive him, so that's what he gets, and he loves it. It has every kind of music you can imagine. I would maybe block MTV so you know it's not being shown. It probably would be benificial for the other kids, too, but who knows? I used to watch MTV, but now my perspective has changed so much with my son. I don't want to introduce him to that stuff, and haven't they pretty much stopped showing videos anyway? I wish you luck in finding what works for your family. **sorry I wrote so much**
I totally agree w/ Lisa. The lyrics, the images, the way people dress.... I keep MTV and VH1 locked at our house. I am not a total prude, I just see NOTHING good from those :-)
There are tons of kid friendly CD's you can play or DVD's that she can watch that will encourage music and movement.
D.
OK, I am going to share my little secret.......
RALPH COVERT!!!
Google him. His latest kid's CD is called Ralph's World, and he is a phenom! He is a true rocker, old style, and he has a way with the kids! My DD LOVES him! She is only 20 months old and has her version of his lyrics to 4 songs! She goes crazy dancing to his music. My husband is a music lover, but I am a bit less tolerant of some music, and way less tolerant of babyish music, so this is really a GREAT compromise! If you can't find his video clips online, email me and I will send you a personal link. His new video is due to ship on October 3rd, so pre-order now.
The Laurie Berkner Band is ok, but my DD is just sort of mesmerized by her, not so motivated to dance. To each his own. I find when I need to get something done, I can put her on, and my DD will sit very quietly while watching her video.
Best wishes!!
Personally, I think MTV is trash and I don't think any of your kids should be watching them, as well as my own. I think if you have to ask if it's okay, then you already know the answer. I would be very disappointed if my husband was letting my kids watch half-dressed girls and he was watching them too. That sends a very negative message to the children. Just remember-we reap what we sow! Sorry if I sound harsh, but our kids have enough bad influences and they certainly don't need anymore right in their own home(MTV).
E.
Have you tried the Wiggles? My son(16 mos) loves music, and the Wiggles work for him. It comes on Disney twice a day and there are videos available.
Personally I would not let my girls watch MTV. It has gotten worse since I remember watching myself as a teenager. My girls love to dance and sing around the house. We listen to Radio Disney from 11 am to 1pm thats when they do their thing for smaller kids. They also do a read along story time at noon which they listen to while they eat lunch. We also listen to Laurie Berkner and the Wiggles.
Children are like sponges even though they bleep out the words you will be surprised what they pick up.
Hi C.,
In my opinion, MTV is highy inappropriate for ANY child during their formative years. The lyrics, along with the explicit images in many music videos today, send immoral and damaging messages to its viewers (children and adults alike).
I am a mother of a 23 month old girl who also enjoys all sorts of music. My husband and I expose her to everything from folk to r&b, but we use extra discretion when it comes to the words she is listening to. As you know, at this age, children are mimics, and the last thing we want is a 2 year old running around shaking her "bootie", singing "my hump, my hump..."
Your daughter can still enjoy and discover the differnt genres of music, without the videos. In my opinion, its best to save the questionable content of MTV for her later years when you can sit down and talk to her about what she is watching.
And...from what I read in your request, it sounds like you already know the answer to your question.
HAPPY PARENTING!
There's a video on Funniest Home Video's that shows a little 1 yr. old dancing to a hip hop song & she's really shaking her "booty". This little girl is adorable but that definetely isn't the way I would want my girls to be dancing. Our children will have enough peer pressure in their lives as they grow & we don't need to be enforcing that by letting them watch such videos or listen to such songs at such a young age.
If your husband & oldest daughter like watching MTV let them watch it at night after your youngest is in bed or taking a nap.
