‘Baby Einstein’ Dumbs Down Toddlers

Cuts crucial talking time with adults

(NEWSER) - Infants’ time in front of the tube can mean less interaction with parents—interaction key to language development, a study suggests. Over 2 years, researchers recorded what kids aged two months to 4 years heard and said in random 12- to 16-hour periods. The scientists found that every additional hour of TV was associated with 770 fewer words heard from an adult, LiveScience reports. More»

Some couch potatoes apparently got wise watching boob tube

(NEWSER) - TV has long been blamed for social ills from childhood obesity to plunging SAT scores, but a pair of researchers say the "idiot box" could actually be doing kids some good, the Wall Street Journal reports. Examined test data from 1965 showed that children with more access to TV generally scored higher in cognitive abilities. The results were particularly marked among kids from non-English-speaking homes and children of parents with little education. More»

Babble : The world is changing for the better, so procreate. Now.

(NEWSER) - If you're planning on having a kid at some point then now's the perfect time, advises Babble, which lists 45 reasons to produce a curtain-climber without delay. Here are the top 5:

1. Halvies: Unlike the old days, fathers are expected to do half the dirty work like changing diapers

2. Your inner kid: Having a baby is a great excuse to throw on classic kids' shows on DVD, like Sesame Street and Schoolhouse Rock

A third thinks children spend too much time online, but do they really?

(NEWSER) - American kids are spending more time than ever in front of the computer, and the trend makes some parents queasy, CNet reports. Three-quarters of Americans age 12 and up spend an average of 8.9 hours online a week, a new study finds. And the numbers will keep rising, as schools adopt digital curricula and social networking goes online, so how much online time is healthy? More»

Avoid the five most common mistakes parents make with newborns

(NEWSER) - Babies don't come with manuals, so it's hard to get everything right. CNN asked pediatricians to spill: What are the most common mistakes new parents make? Their responses:

1. Letting your newborn sleep through the night.