The Baby Einstein videos were marketed to parents with young children (newborn-toddler), with the implication that they would turn your child into a genius.
Baby Einstein, founded in 1997, was part of a large electronic media market for babies and toddlers. An article on the NY Times website said “According to a 2003 study, a third of all American babies from 6 months to 2 years old had at least one “Baby Einstein” video.”
Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for Baby Einstein videos. Why the refund? Not only did the video not turn babies into geniuses, but their claim that the video had educational merit was flawed.
It is essential to have accurate information to make the right choices about how much technology is good for young children. “The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time at all for children under 2.”
I am in complete agreement with the comments from Ms. Rideout, Vice President of the Kaiser Family Foundation “My impression is that parents really believe these videos are good for their children, or at the very least, not really bad for them,” “To me, the most important thing is reminding parents that getting down on the floor to play with children is the most educational thing they can do.”
