Do You Let Kids Watch

[daycare]

I think you guys are reading way too much into it....I have seen all kinds of movies lately that have adult innuendos in them purposely so that adults can enjoy them too.

I watch it with my 6 year old and he has NO clue what any of that stuff means, he is a stellar little man with excellent behavior.

I think it has made him a strong decision maker, knowing that when he sees SP or PS do something bad he can identify it quickly and will say, that was wrong. I know in my heart of hearts that if I put my child in a room full of children who were making bad choices, that my child would not join in. He would either tell on them or he would walk away.


BUT not all children can do this. If my son was repeating any of what he was seeing on that show that was bad, I would NOT be letting him watch it....

but to each there own...

and I do agree that everything is fine in moderation as long as it it not something that is hurtful.....

[CedarCreek]

I think you guys are reading way too much into it....I have seen all kinds of movies lately that have adult innuendos in them purposely so that adults can enjoy them too.

I watch it with my 6 year old and he has NO clue what any of that stuff means, he is a stellar little man with excellent behavior.

I think it has made him a strong decision maker, knowing that when he sees SP or PS do something bad he can identify it quickly and will say, that was wrong. I know in my heart of hearts that if I put my child in a room full of children who were making bad choices, that my child would not join in. He would either tell on them or he would walk away.


BUT not all children can do this. If my son was repeating any of what he was seeing on that show that was bad, I would NOT be letting him watch it....

but to each there own...

and I do agree that everything is fine in moderation as long as it it not something that is hurtful.....

I don't think I'm reading too much into what the creators chose to name the town they live in and the restaurant SB works in. Those are facts.

I also don't think whether or not my child would participate in bad group behavior has much to do with what he watches. That would be on his individual attitude and what I have taught him.

I just don't let them watch SpongeBob because I don't like it. Not because I think its going to force them into bad behavior.

[Willow]

I think you guys are reading way too much into it....I have seen all kinds of movies lately that have adult innuendos in them purposely so that adults can enjoy them too.

I watch it with my 6 year old and he has NO clue what any of that stuff means, he is a stellar little man with excellent behavior.

I think it has made him a strong decision maker, knowing that when he sees SP or PS do something bad he can identify it quickly and will say, that was wrong. I know in my heart of hearts that if I put my child in a room full of children who were making bad choices, that my child would not join in. He would either tell on them or he would walk away.


BUT not all children can do this. If my son was repeating any of what he was seeing on that show that was bad, I would NOT be letting him watch it....

but to each there own...

and I do agree that everything is fine in moderation as long as it it not something that is hurtful.....

It's not the modeling, sexual innuendos or sheer stupidity of the story lines that bothers me so much as what the (small) study concluded about the show specifically. It's the same concern other studies have concluded as far as how the ridiculously fast paced (near seizure inducing) sequences are shown. It overloads the immature brain. They rarely have a seconds length before switching to the next, and the next, and the next, and the next....you could compare it to watching real life while pushing a fast forward button.

It's simply too much to comprehend. And I do think it's reasonable to conclude that it can and does influence cognitive function (particularly a child's neurological ability to process what it takes in not only while watching but also for sometime afterward).

One can argue its ability to cause permanent damage but for me it wouldn't be a stretch if a child watched enough of it.

[daycare]

It's not the modeling, sexual innuendos or sheer stupidity of the story lines that bothers me so much as what the (small) study concluded about the show specifically. It's the same concern other studies have concluded as far as how the ridiculously fast paced (near seizure inducing) sequences are shown. It overloads the immature brain. They rarely have a seconds length before switching to the next, and the next, and the next, and the next....you could compare it to watching real life while pushing a fast forward button.

It's simply too much to comprehend. And I do think it's reasonable to conclude that it can and does influence cognitive function (particularly a child's neurological ability to process what it takes in not only while watching but also for sometime afterward).

One can argue its ability to cause permanent damage but for me it wouldn't be a stretch if a child watched enough of it.

I could see this to be true if you let your child sit there and marathon the show....

[Willow]

I could see this to be true if you let your child sit there and marathon the show....

You could see how it could be true? But my dear, it's already been scientifically proven, and I'm not talking just the "Spongebob study."

I know as a grown adult who's brain has already matured, if I sat in front of a television screen and watched even just a half hour of content fast forwarded through I'd be toast at the end.

That's not rocket science.

Similar fast flashing sequencing lights are known to actually cause seizures, do you really see zero connection??




Long live Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Reading Rainbow

[craftymissbeth]

You could see how it could be true? But my dear, it's already been scientifically proven, and I'm not talking just the "Spongebob study."

I know as a grown adult who's brain has already matured, if I sat in front of a television screen and watched even just a half hour of content fast forwarded through I'd be toast at the end.

That's not rocket science.

Similar fast flashing sequencing lights are known to actually cause seizures, do you really see zero connection??




Long live Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Reading Rainbow

I would love to see the research done that supports what you're saying about the show.

[daycare]

You could see how it could be true? But my dear, it's already been scientifically proven, and I'm not talking just the "Spongebob study."

I know as a grown adult who's brain has already matured, if I sat in front of a television screen and watched even just a half hour of content fast forwarded through I'd be toast at the end.

That's not rocket science.

Similar fast flashing sequencing lights are known to actually cause seizures, do you really see zero connection??




Long live Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Reading Rainbow

so then I guess all three of my children are doomed for life. I guess tell Berkeley that my son watched this show and he is going to be screwed up......

Sorry, I can't agree with that....It is possible that it can happen sure, does it happen to every single person? Obviously not.

as for the flash forward, all of the shows these days are like that..

[Blackcat31]

"Just 9 minutes of viewing a fast-paced television cartoon had immediate negative effects on 4-year-olds' executive function. Parents should be aware that fast-paced television shows could at least temporarily impair young children's executive function."

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/09/08/peds.2010-1919

Other articles specifically mentioning Sponge Bob:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/11/idUS403526533420110911

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2011/09/12/are-shows-like-spongebob-squarepants-hurting-kids/

http://www.pahomepage.com/story/sponge-bob-and-attention/d/story/ZM_duN-luEen3kIvRkAIqA

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/12/news/la-heb-spongebob-squarepants-children-brain-20110912

http://www.empoweringparents.com/blog/younger-children/is-spongebob-bad-for-kids/#

http://annedachel.com/2011/09/12/pediatrics-goes-after-spongebob

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/12/news/la-heb-spongebob-squarepants-children-brain-20110912

http://www.examiner.com/article/sponge-bob-really-irks-pediatrician-s-group

I am sure there are hundreds of other articles.

FWIW~ I don't allow TV programming in my child care and when my own kids were little, they didn't watch Sponge Bob. NOT because I didn't allow them too but neither of them cared.

I have NO opinion on this particular subject.....I am just passing along articles that I was/am aware of supporting the negativity associated with Sponge Bob.

[craftymissbeth]

"Just 9 minutes of viewing a fast-paced television cartoon had immediate negative effects on 4-year-olds' executive function. Parents should be aware that fast-paced television shows could at least temporarily impair young children's executive function."

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/09/08/peds.2010-1919

Other articles specifically mentioning Sponge Bob:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/11/idUS403526533420110911

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2011/09/12/are-shows-like-spongebob-squarepants-hurting-kids/

http://www.pahomepage.com/story/sponge-bob-and-attention/d/story/ZM_duN-luEen3kIvRkAIqA

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/12/news/la-heb-spongebob-squarepants-children-brain-20110912

http://www.empoweringparents.com/blog/younger-children/is-spongebob-bad-for-kids/#

http://annedachel.com/2011/09/12/pediatrics-goes-after-spongebob

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/12/news/la-heb-spongebob-squarepants-children-brain-20110912

http://www.examiner.com/article/sponge-bob-really-irks-pediatrician-s-group

I am sure there are hundreds of other articles.

FWIW~ I don't allow TV programming in my child care and when my own kids were little, they didn't watch Sponge Bob. NOT because I didn't allow them too but neither of them cared.

I have NO opinion on this particular subject.....I am just passing along articles that I was/am aware of supporting the negativity associated with Sponge Bob.

Thanks BC, but I was was hoping for the actual studies. Journalists can spin anything into whatever they want. Ive actually read the first study you linked and I see where it says that these effects are temporary and the long term effects are unknown.

It was obviously an I eventful day here... an this is the thread i targeted to keep me busy

[Scout]

I think you guys are reading way too much into it....I have seen all kinds of movies lately that have adult innuendos in them purposely so that adults can enjoy them too.

I watch it with my 6 year old and he has NO clue what any of that stuff means, he is a stellar little man with excellent behavior.

I think it has made him a strong decision maker, knowing that when he sees SP or PS do something bad he can identify it quickly and will say, that was wrong. I know in my heart of hearts that if I put my child in a room full of children who were making bad choices, that my child would not join in. He would either tell on them or he would walk away.


BUT not all children can do this. If my son was repeating any of what he was seeing on that show that was bad, I would NOT be letting him watch it....

but to each there own...

and I do agree that everything is fine in moderation as long as it it not something that is hurtful.....

I agree about the reading too much into it. Why, because I have a dirty(fun) mind and I watch it and it has never even dawned on me that the town is called Bikini Bottom and the resturaunt the Krusty Krab...but, now I think it is funny-and my son will continue to be able to watch it as long as he is the way he is now because I believe tv shows can not currupt him.

[Scout]

Goodness, it is a tv show! If you don't like your kids to watch it then don't allow it. I personally like it and find nothing about it as influencing my son in a negative way. Spongebob is a wonderful friend to Patrick, Sandy, and even Squidward, who is mean to him. Spongebob is a hard worker. These are valuable lessons that I want him to learn and if it happens that he learns it from a tv character that is disliked by many, so be it...he has to learn it from something that catches his attention. And by the way, he has watched SB since age 2, he is 5 now, and is very well behaved for others and a very smart little kindergartener! A little bit of this is not going to make his brain disinegrate into thin air. I am hopeful that instead he will take the good things from a show he likes to watch. Instead, he could be watching Max and Ruby and yelling at his little brother every chance he got. But, instead he usually engages his brother to play with him and even said he would like to share his bedroom with him...Spongebob would do the same. Frankly, I don't care if he learned that from me or this tv show, the point is he learned to be nice to others and that is the important thing!

[daycare]

Goodness, it is a tv show! If you don't like your kids to watch it then don't allow it. I personally like it and find nothing about it as influencing my son in a negative way. Spongebob is a wonderful friend to Patrick, Sandy, and even Squidward, who is mean to him. Spongebob is a hard worker. These are valuable lessons that I want him to learn and if it happens that he learns it from a tv character that is disliked by many, so be it...he has to learn it from something that catches his attention. And by the way, he has watched SB since age 2, he is 5 now, and is very well behaved for others and a very smart little kindergartener! A little bit of this is not going to make his brain disinegrate into thin air. I am hopeful that instead he will take the good things from a show he likes to watch. Instead, he could be watching Max and Ruby and yelling at his little brother every chance he got. But, instead he usually engages his brother to play with him and even said he would like to share his bedroom with him...Spongebob would do the same. Frankly, I don't care if he learned that from me or this tv show, the point is he learned to be nice to others and that is the important thing!

this!!!

[Willow]

I would love to see the research done that supports what you're saying about the show.

I'm not sure what you're asking specifically so I'll provide a variety of links citing various studies:

(Definitely feel free to omit the theological effects, but the rest of the cited studies and conclusions are as valid as they come)

http://lej.cuchicago.edu/early-childhood-education/the-effects-of-video-and-television-on-young-children-research-and-reflection-for-christian-educators/

In regards to cartoons ability to trigger seizure activity:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1528-1157.1999.tb00809.x/full

In regards to televisions ability to increase the liklihood of adhd/add:

http://www.adhd-app.com/2013/03/05/tv-causes-attention-problems/

BC, you beat me to it....there truly are loads out there, it's no secret the effects cartoons have on growing brains at this point.
More citations on the effects of television on development:

http://www.limitv.org/preschool.htm

[Willow]

so then I guess all three of my children are doomed for life. I guess tell Berkeley that my son watched this show and he is going to be screwed up......

Sorry, I can't agree with that....It is possible that it can happen sure, does it happen to every single person? Obviously not.

as for the flash forward, all of the shows these days are like that..

Why does every study ever cited here become irrelevant simply because it doesn't apply to you personal family's experiences?

With your husband being a doctor I'd think you'd be more respectful of broadscale studies and their conclusions.

That it doesn't apply to one person is irrelevant.

[Willow]

I agree about the reading too much into it. Why, because I have a dirty(fun) mind and I watch it and it has never even dawned on me that the town is called Bikini Bottom and the resturaunt the Krusty Krab...but, now I think it is funny-and my son will continue to be able to watch it as long as he is the way he is now because I believe tv shows can not currupt him.

I didn't see anyone arguing if it was "corrupting" children. Questions were asked of people who poo-poo'd the show, those who chose to responded with why they felt that way.

It's gross to me, but my larger concern is with the effects on development. Hence, the citations supporting that concern.