Originally Posted by Michaela
Uhhhhh... So I just looked at the clock, 'cause I was getting a bit blearly eyed.... I just spent 1.5 hrs watching trains on you-tube with my 2 yr old. We've been doing this every day lately, but usually not nearly so much of it. I hope this doesn't mean I'm a terrible mother... He's asking for subways in specific cities, and coal-trains, and streetcars... <hand hits head>

(sympathy please)

-Mich

Of course you aren't a terrible mother - i think informational videos are awesome. Much better than cartoons and there is nothing wrong with learning visaully. We have watched factory productions on Youtube, all sorts of building things. And at 5 DS has advanced to hour long national geographic space programs. Its fine!!! Mindless tv I think in very small doses but stuff with actual information is good - I let DS at 2 do as much starfall as he wanted, but not much of anything else.

although if your kid likes transportation there are other things you can mix in, although 2 is pretty young, my transportation minded DS 5 loves when we design our own subway system. And there is this road, rail game from Ravensberger (which I of course heard about here) we don't play the game yet instead just make roads and railways using the cards, its always different so pretty neat. We would go watch the railroad, DS loved that. He is currently interested in buses and all the different types in our city. but it doesn't seem so obsessive since he has other interests and does other things.

Look on the bright side - you werent watching 90 minutes of Thomas, which might actually kill you!!

DeHe