Disney's refunds for Baby Einstein DVDs 'that do more harm than good'

[mercurial]

Disney is offering refunds to millions of parents who bought its Baby Einstein educational DVDs for toddlers, following claims they may do more harm than good.

The range of DVDs cost about £18 each and are popular with parents keen to boost their toddlers' IQs ahead of starting school.

But various studies have questioned whether they provide any benefits - and some have concluded they may actually harm development.

Now, following threatened legal action in the U.S., Disney has agreed to refund DVDs or exchange them for other products in the range.

The pledge applies only to North America but British campaigners are calling for a similar deal for parents in the UK.

Pippa Smith, founder of lobby group Mediamarch, said: 'Anybody who has these videos in the UK should be given equal treatment and be able to demand a refund too. Parents are given the idea that these DVDs are educational but there is evidence to show that screenbased activity is bad for the brain.'

One recent study found children who watched educational DVDs between the ages of seven months and 16 months knew fewer words and phrases than their peers. Each hour they watched per day equated to six fewer words in their vocabulary.

Disney dropped the word 'educational' from its Baby Einstein marketing in 2006.

Now, faced with the threat of a law suit brought by the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, it has agreed to refund dissatisfied parents.

'We believe that this is an acknowledgement that the baby videos are not educational,' said Susan Linn, a psychologist and director of the campaign.

Disney said the move was merely an extension of an existing refund policy.

Susan McLain, of the Baby Einstein Company, a Disney subsidiary, said the willingness to offer refunds to unhappy customers showed the 'strongest possible confidence' in the product.

But Dr Aric Sigman, a leading psychologist and a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, told the Sunday Telegraph: 'This is a really important, symbolic act by a multi-national company.

'It shows what many of us have been saying for a long time, that the virtual life cannot beat real life when it comes to language acquisition in children.

'There is a tremendous amount of money in convincing middle-class parents that virtual means of coaching their infants and toddlers to speak are vastly superior to Mother Nature. This action has finally put paid to that.'

Source

[Captain Beer]

I didn't now that a seven month old baby could speak but ja, show them an hour a day for a year and they will never start

[Hosehead]

Wow! This is a really cute, fun, entertaining, and educational video. I said that because I watch this on DVD with my 17-month-old nephew from time to time. If I had to pick, this would be the most interesting one. This is because it's really cute, fun, entertaining, and educational. Still, I think that all the Baby Einstein videos are really cute, fun, entertaining, and educational. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that the Baby Einstein company really knows how to reach a toddler's developing mind. Now, in conclusion, if you have children, nieces, or nephews, I strongly recommend this really cute, fun, entertaining, and educational video.

OMFG. Spot the retard

[TheHiveMind]

OMFG. Spot the retard

I don't know what you mean.. I found the post to be entertaining, fun and educational.. I had a lot of fun reading it and I was quite entertained by the educational value.

[LancelotSA]

I think picking on the Baby Einstein range is a little off. The "studies" seem to show that any prolonged television viewing does more harm than good.

As parents the time often comes when you both have plenty to do and 30 minutes of free time while the little one watches something on TV is priceless. At those moments I'd rather they were watching something like Baby Einstein than Pokemon! At worst they are being entertained, and best they might be learning something. At 14 months our little one already strings together words, albeit not fluently obviously, and she has watched Baby Einstein videos.

I think the point should be that plonking your child down in front of a TV for hours on end every day, without providing other forms of interaction and stimulation, is never going to be healthy.

[TheHiveMind]

I think picking on the Baby Einstein range is a little off. The "studies" seem to show that any prolonged television viewing does more harm than good.

As parents the time often comes when you both have plenty to do and 30 minutes of free time while the little one watches something on TV is priceless. At those moments I'd rather they were watching something like Baby Einstein than Pokemon! At worst they are being entertained, and best they might be learning something. At 14 months our little one already strings together words, albeit not fluently obviously, and she has watched Baby Einstein videos.

I think the point should be that plonking your child down in front of a TV for hours on end every day, without providing other forms of interaction and stimulation, is never going to be healthy.

The idealism and life ethics present in many anime's, are invaluable tools. My children will be watching anime ^_^

[Prof.]

Some people really need to stop being so sensitive about some things like this.

[LancelotSA]

The idealism and life ethics present in many anime's, are invaluable tools. My children will be watching anime ^_^

So they can't even talk and walk yet and you are going to be teaching them about life ethics and idealism?

[TheHiveMind]

So they can't even talk and walk yet and you are going to be teaching them about life ethics and idealism?

Hahah no there will be no tv if they are under 3 yrs old.

[making_hay]

Idiots who believe marketers when they say that a video will increase a baby's IQ do not deserve to be refunded.

[LancelotSA]

Hahah no there will be no tv if they are under 3 yrs old. They must learn about their environment during that time.

Please report back on the success of that when you have children

[Dolby]

OMFG. Spot the retard

I don't know what you mean.. I found the post to be entertaining, fun and educational.. I had a lot of fun reading it and I was quite entertained by the educational value.

LOL

[cbrunsdonza]

I think picking on the Baby Einstein range is a little off. The "studies" seem to show that any prolonged television viewing does more harm than good.

As parents the time often comes when you both have plenty to do and 30 minutes of free time while the little one watches something on TV is priceless. At those moments I'd rather they were watching something like Baby Einstein than Pokemon! At worst they are being entertained, and best they might be learning something. At 14 months our little one already strings together words, albeit not fluently obviously, and she has watched Baby Einstein videos.

I think the point should be that plonking your child down in front of a TV for hours on end every day, without providing other forms of interaction and stimulation, is never going to be healthy.

3yrs ago I was made aware of the negative impact of Baby Einstein (when my wife was pregnant). Already in 2006 there where calls to have it banned in South Africa and the rest of the world.

The big issue with Baby Einstein is not its content, but the concept of the product. Too many parents believe they can plonk their young ones in front of the TV and loop this DVD without them (the parents) having any interactive roll in their childrens development. They use the product as a substitute for themselves.

Regardless of how modern and advanced our day and age is considered, children still need parental guidance during all their stages of development.