Spongebob Squarepants Could Be the Culprit of ADD
I have learned in the last 4 1/2 years to never use the term, "my child will never do that." What i have found is my child will do that, so it is safer not to say those words. On one occasion in his early years I did say, "my child will never watch SpongeBob," then a few days with his uncle that was blown out of the water and my child was hooked on that little yellow sponge. So we became a Spongebob Squarepants family. Ethan loves the cartoon! However, a new study is out and now I am cringing thinking why did I ever let him watch Spongebob.
According to My Way News:
The cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants is in hot water from a study suggesting that watching just nine minutes of that program can cause short-term attention and learning problems in 4-year-olds.
The problems were seen in a study of 60 children randomly assigned to either watch "SpongeBob," or the slower-paced PBS cartoon "Caillou" or assigned to draw pictures. Immediately after these nine-minute assignments, the kids took mental function tests; those who had watched "SpongeBob" did measurably worse than the others.
Nickelodeon spokesman David Bittler disputed the findings and said "SpongeBob SquarePants" is aimed at kids aged 6-11, not 4-year-olds.
Lillard said 4-year-olds were chosen because that age "is the heart of the period during which you see the most development" in certain self-control abilities. Whether children of other ages would be similarly affected can't be determined from this study.
So I wonder if there is a correlation between SpongeBob and the fact my almost 5 year old cannot sit still for a minute? OK so he's a toddler and most toddlers do not sit still. He's a smart kid, he's got a photographic memory so he does have a good mind, but he will not sit still.
Ethan watches SpongeBob, but I make sure he watches learning shows as well. That is why I fell in love with Team Umizoomi and we watch it every afternoon. That is a cartoon that teaches as it entertains. I love to hear Ethan interacting with the Team.
How is SpongeBob any different that a coyote getting an anvil dropped on his head or blown up every time he turns around? It's a cartoon, it is supposed to be fun. I watched mindless cartoons as a child, and I think I turned out OK.
Do you let your kids watch SpongeBob Squarepants? Do you think that this cartoon messes with their little brains.