I'm a parent and there are 4 Netflix shows I've banned my toddler from watching
The world of children's television is sparking fierce debate among parents, with some experts even questioning the value of letting little ones in front of the TV at all.
A number of child development specialists are firm that carers "should not be allowing their children to watch the TV without a parent or guardian engaging too".
I hear your parental cries: "But we need the TV," as striving for perfection in parenting isn't always realistic or easy. I am in no way suggesting that I am the model parent - because that I am not, I try to balance my two year old's life with outdoor activities, extra classes like swimming and dance, plus indoor creativity with painting, reading, and baking.
Despite striving to ensure my toddler leads a well-rounded life I still find myself occasionally succumbing to the allure of the remote control, normally during dinner prep or a quick shower.
Like many other parents, I've blindly followed Netflix's trending list for kids' shows, mistakenly echoing common patterns without much thought, reports Surrey Live.
However, it was during a glimpse of my toddler completely absorbed in Ms Rachel's programme that triggered my concern and prompted me to scrutinise the content she was consuming on screen.
As a parent, I've noticed a stark contrast between shows that completely captivate children and those that allow for playtime with the occasional glance at the telly.
This observation led me to take note of certain programmes that seemed to hypnotise my toddler in what appeared to be an unhealthy obsession.
Cocomelon
Luckily, my two-year-old didn't show much interest in JJ and his mates for long, likely because it's one of the most stimulating shows out there, in my view. I was quick to discourage it from the start.
A quick Google search on "is Cocomelon bad for children" will yield numerous videos and experts suggesting that the show's pace, repetition, and animation style could be problematic.
Having watched the show myself, I observed that most scenes were rapidly cut every 1–3 seconds, accompanied by neon-bright visuals and continuous nursery rhymes.
Due to these factors and the grip it seemed to have on my daughter, we decided to ban this Netflix show in our house.
Ms Rachel
I realise this might not be a popular opinion, but for me, Ms Rachel's programme was the eye-opener and the start of my own investigation into what I consider to be overstimulating TV shows for my child.
Ms Rachel doesn't rank as the worst in my view, and I do respect her as a fellow mother striving to enhance speech and development for children, drawing on her background as a former teacher. However, it would be remiss of me not to mention some concerns with her top-ranking Netflix show.
My two-year-old seemed to lose a bit of her spark while watching this series, perhaps overwhelmed by the vivid colours, whimsical imagery, and relentless pace. Consequently, we've decided to switch off this series for good.
Apologies to Ms Rachel, you're a good person and your programme is more educational than some, but it's not without its problems.
Peppa Pig
It was a tough call, but I'm standing firm on my decision to exclude Peppa Pig because it falls short educationally compared to other shows.
The programme is suitable for young viewers and features straightforward 2D animation, yet the bright colours and occasional rapid background movement caught my attention.
I've also seen complaints from parents on various forums about Peppa's attitude in certain episodes, fearing their kids might mimic her "bad manners".
Credit to the creators, though, for the slow-paced, gentle scenes that offer a touch of light family humour.
Paw Patrol
For similar reasons to Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol on Netflix didn't make the cut for me due to its lack of educational content and sometimes frenzied action.
Despite the evident themes of teamwork and problem-solving, I found the programme to be quite distracting and overly captivating during the action-packed sequences. So much so my toddler would not even respond to her name.
The quick scene changes aren't as rapid-fire as Cocomelon, yet the draw of bright colours and boisterous sounds undeniably impacted my child's focus.
Playtime with toys was completely abandoned when this show graced our telly, and for that reason, I'm switching it off.
Cocomelon, Ms Rachel, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol can all currently be streamed on Netflix.
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