An interesting article in Newsweek, titled In Defense of Baby Einstein, by Mary Carmichael explained that there is new data to suggest that the Baby Einstein series actually does nothing to educate a baby. Carmichael offers a defense of the Baby Einsteins, suggesting that there is nothing particularly wrong with the “educational” videos, that is unless they are being used to replace human interaction, as the proverbial electronic babysitter.
Any of us who have, or are affiliated with babies have more than likely experienced the phenomenon that happens when a hysterical baby is soothed by the colors and music of a Baby Einstein DVD. This is magical, and I for one am not interested in having these “scientists” rain on the parade that I’ve been having for Baby Einstein since 1998.
But I began with Carmichael’s argument, because I believe her theory represents a fundamental decline in the American family. Statistically it’s proven (these scientists always ruin everything) that we are busier than ever before, and social media, addicting tv shows, iphone aps, and blackberrys only increase our distraction. Unfortunately, babies need attention in order to learn. The Baby Einstein is a genius invention of baby-soothing content, but babies learn from watching us hold a fork, listening to the words we say, pointing to things we point to, etc. Baby Einstein shouldn’t take the fall for a busier society, and babies shouldn’t either.
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