New Sesame Street DVDs under fire

The television set has been at the center of a debate over child rearing since it was first introduced into our homes. One question that comes up often is how young is too young when it comes to plopping your kid in front of the tube. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said for years that any child under the age of two shouldn't be allowed to watch TV, but Sesame Street is challenging that notion with a new DVD series aimed at the "under two" set called Sesame Beginnings, and some child advocates are not thrilled about it, claiming that exposure to media at such an early age can harm a child's development. In defense of Sesame Street and Sesame Workshop, the company has never ventured into anything haphazardly, and a lot of thought and research went into these DVDs. Still, my feelings are that even if the DVDs are "safe" a child's time would be better spent anywhere except in front of the television. They don't need to be stimulated by bright colors and Muppets; the world is already fascinating enough to them.