Baby Einstein, NY Times Article

[Ayesha Nicole]

Dear everyone,

I am unfamiliar with, and never used Baby Einstein products - what are your thoughts on this article?:
 

No Einstein in Your Crib? Get a Refund
By TAMAR LEWIN
Published: October 23, 2009

Parent alert: the Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for all those “Baby Einstein” videos that did not make children into geniuses.
Readers' Comments

    Readers shared their thoughts on this article.

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They may have been a great electronic baby sitter, but the unusual refunds appear to be a tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect.

“We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds,” said Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which has been pushing the issue for years.

Baby Einstein, founded in 1997, was one of the earliest players in what became a huge electronic media market for babies and toddlers. Acquired by Disney in 2001, the company expanded to a full line of books, toys, flashcards and apparel, along with DVDs including “Baby Mozart,” “Baby Shakespeare” and “Baby Galileo.”

The videos — simple productions featuring music, puppets, bright colors, and not many words — became a staple of baby life: According to a 2003 study, a third of all American babies from 6 months to 2 years old had at least one “Baby Einstein” video.

Despite their ubiquity, and the fact that many babies are transfixed by the videos, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time at all for children under 2.

In 2006, Ms. Linn’s group went to the Federal Trade Commission to complain about the educational claims made by Disney and another company, Brainy Baby. As a result, the companies dropped the word “educational” from their marketing. But the group didn’t think that was enough.

“Disney was never held accountable, and parents were never given any compensation. So we shared our information and research with a team of public health lawyers,” Ms. Linn said.

Last year, lawyers threatened a class-action lawsuit for unfair and deceptive practices unless Disney agreed to refund the full purchase price to all who bought the videos since 2004. “The Walt Disney Company’s entire Baby Einstein marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their videos are educational and beneficial for early childhood development,” a letter from the lawyers said, calling those claims “false because research shows that television viewing is potentially harmful for very young children.”

The letter cited estimates from The Washington Post and Business Week that Baby Einstein controlled 90 percent of the baby media market, and sold $200 million worth of products annually.

The letter also described studies showing that television exposure at ages 1 through 3 is associated with attention problems at age 7.

In response, the Baby Einstein company will refund $15.99 for up to four “Baby Einstein” DVDs per household, bought between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 5, 2009, and returned to the company.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/education/24baby.html

[nhockaday]

I was talking to my Grandma last night and she commented on the signs that I have on things around the house. She asked if I used BE b/c she heard that they weren't good and that you could get a refund. I never wasted my money on them.

[DadDude]

Hmm.  Anybody who thought Baby Einstein videos would actually make geniuses out of their kids was, let's just say, in need of better critical thinking skills.

[hypatia]

I received Baby Beethoven and Languages for my daughter's first birthday.
I occasionally put the first one on when i have to finish cooking her meal. She watches it on her own for 5-10 mn. It's nothing more than a virtual babysitter in my opinion; then when i sit near her i usually name what she points at (train-some kids-puppets..). I like the music in the background.
I never knew those dvds were marketed for IQ improvement. Still i don't see the point behind a refund. I certainly won't ask BK for a refund if my child can't sight read after x sessions of LR! 

[Lappy]

This indeed seems to be quite controversial. And I suppose it's just better to be more informed about both sides of this ongoing argument with Susan Linn and Disney.

For your reading pleasure, here are a few articles on the subject:

The Great Baby Einstein Scam (from Shine)
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/the-great-baby-einstein-scam-531147/

Baby Einstein sets the record straight (directly from their site)
http://www.babyeinstein.com/Refund/

Who is Susan Linn?
http://www.consumingkids.com/

[waterdreamer]

The only BE worth the disc it was burned on was the "First Signs" Because that one actually did teach my son something. However the other ones I purschase from china for cheap and just recently resold them for a profit a few months ago. I guess I acted just in time as I sold about 17discs. But I did keep First Signs because I do plan on using it for future children

[Kimba15]

I find the article "baby einstein sets the record straight" very interesting.

Baby Einstein claim that they never said their videos were educational. My question is Doesn't the name itself imply that the dvd's are educational? If you call your DVD series baby Einstein from that I would assume that the DVDS are educational. I think if I was a parent who did not know about brillkids and I was out shopping one day and was thinking "You know I just need 20minutes to myself to get a few things done and I would rather a dvd that will teach my child something over mindless commercial television and something that I wont feel guilty about" You come across it in a store you read the cover Hmm baby Einstein this looks educational, you then read the blurb on the back which will have Expose your precious baby to the sounds of Beethoven and Mozart while watching beautiful colours to stimulate their mind. You would say "Oh this looks good I will buy this for my baby" Only to find out you have been ripped off I would be angry too. it is no different to the name Brainy baby I would also assume that the DVDS were educational.

I would think and do believe that they were marketed to be educational. I watched one with my daughter that we borrowed from the library and NEVER AGAIN.

[waterdreamer]

Tell me about it. I never did understand how they could be of any kind of educational value(except first signs). Thats like me calling a exercise video skinny minis, and the exercise don't actually help anyone get skinny

[KL]

Apart from the response by Baby Einstein to this matter posted by Lappy, here's also a blog by the General Manager (Susan McLain):

http://www.baby-einstein.net/2009/10/24/baby-einstein-dear-moms/

Comments by supporters in response to her blog post:

http://www.baby-einstein.net/?comments_popup=291

[tina]

I was about to post an article about it but it's on Vancouver Sun.

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/kids%20under%20Canada%20pediatricians%20advise/2151512/story.html

For parents in Canada, you can read this link.  I am not sure if I should open another post.  It seems like the DVDs we own (i.e. YBCR, Tweedlewink, Signing Time) should be safe, right?   But according to the link above, it said no TV for under 2!!    So, I really don't know!

I showed YBCR and Tweedlewink when my older daughter was 1.5 or 1 and she talks early and I don't see any harm on her!  And now my younger one is almost 11 month and I show her all 3.... is it ok then?

[Krista G]

Here are my thoughts.

There is a lot of buzz right now in the news about the Baby Einstein Company and their refund policy.  The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood has gone after Disney, since they are the biggest distributor of these so called educational videos.  I am sure they think they have won a great victory by having Disney publicly offer a refund to customers who bought their products over  the last  5 years. The problem is, as I see it, that parents are still going to let their little ones watch television.  Not all parents, but many parents will continue to turn to the boob tube in desperate need of soothing a fussy child, taking a shower, throwing a meal together or just for a few minutes of personal sanity away from a fussy child.  So now what?  Do they decide against turing on videos that claim to have some educational merit?  If so, what will they choose?  I certainly hope not cartoon network.  If Baby Einstein is dumbing kids down, how much more would regular television? 

I have many of the Baby Einstein DVD's.  My mother bought them for me when my daughter was 2 years old.  She was too old for them at the time,  so we rarely viewed them.  She was completely sold by the name alone.  I think the Baby Einstein videos are so well done. I don't think they are extremely educational.  They are not going to make your child have a higher IQ.  They may teach your baby some colors and shapes and they will learn about animals.  They don't have that much dialogue so their vocabularies will not explode as a result of watching them.  BUT, if you want to keep your baby out of harm's way while you tend to something that must be done, and you want your child to be happy and entertained, you will most likely find these videos to be useful.

My son loved Baby Einstein.  He especially loved Baby Mozart.  It was worth the investment if for no other reason than when he would cry uncontrollably and I couldn't comfort him, putting on Baby Mozart would calm him down.  One night when he was 6 months old he started crying.  Nothing I did consoled him.  I fed him and rocked him and sang to him and took him for a walk outside.  He would not stop crying. I turned on Baby Mozart and he immediately stopped crying and let me comfort and soothe him.  That has to be worth something.

Don't get me wrong, if parents really expected their child to become smarter from watching Baby Einstein and they feel mislead, the refund is a good thing.  Consumers do need to be protected.  My fear is that the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood may have won this battle but babies and parents will suffer and lose the war.  It is noble to think that you can convince parents to say no to television, but the fact is television is here to stay.  Certain parents with strong convictions will not allow their babies and children to watch television, but most homes in America have a television and it is on for many hours a day.  Television can be a great aid to parents when they opt for quality video viewing for their little ones.  There are wonderful products available such as Signing Time, Brainy Baby, Little Pim, Your Baby Can Read and Monki See.  The question is, has the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood now tainted parents into thinking it is better to watch regular television than to select these wonderful programs that can enrich their children's lives?  Only time will tell.

[MFuego]

I totally see your point Krista G. My sister and I was just debating over this last night, and she had the same thoughts as you about this controversy. i just feel for those parents who cant tell the difference between educational and non-educational video products. The word "einstein" on their products are just misleading in my opinion. But i wouldnt go to the point that I would ask for a refund. Just imagine how many Baby Einstein have been sold since whatever year they started to be produced. There's gotta be hundreds of thousands of them out there, and to refund all of those is just completely insane. The state of our country's economy is already bad enough... I can just see Disney's stocks go downnnnnnn!!!!

[Kappasweet]

I got a package of baby einstein goodies that included some CDs, a DVD, and books and flashcards.  Honestly, none of it is good.  The books are too busy and have too much going on on a page, and the print is tiny and hard to read for an adult.  The CDs are annoying, get CDs of real people playing real instruments.  We never watched the DVD, but it may have been good.  I hope parents did not buy BE thinking it was going to make their kids smart.  A mother did ask me once if 8 months old was "too late" to start listening to BE.  I was like  , I didn't understand the question.  She thought she had missed the window of opportunity to play BE for your baby, so he could be a genius.  I would think that the bulk of parents, especially young mothers who just want the world for their babies, can't distinguish between quality educational material and drivel.  Disney does not care about educating your children, they just want your money and they want to turn your children into consumers as early as possible.  Consumers think with their lizard brains, and Disney is good at getting to the lizard brain.  If you want useful educational materials, look to any company who has been ridiculed, more than likely they were ridiculed because they were on to something.

[PY]

I got baby Einstein dvd's  like first signs, bilingual dvd,animals..etc.
I used to play music when my baby was in the belly , i used to play baby mozart,baby lullabies, and beethoven. This is the thing, now my toddler is 20 months old, she has to listen her music in the car otherways she freaks out!! I can't listen the radio at all, what she likes to listen are baby einstein music cd's, and Signing time music cds too.
She watches BE dvd's at home once or twice a month. [/u] she loves them!! She is a big fan of animals, I think that is way she likes them  besides she loves its music too.
 I DIDN'T bought this dvd's thinking or expecting my daughter will became smarter..not at all!! When i read the NY Times Article I realized...ohh my gosh ...so, do theses dvd's supposed to make her smarter??? I was laughing.

What I will suggest to baby einstein company is to make dvd's with words and voice besides the music. I think that would help kids to increase vocabulary watching this videos.

I got them because like I said before, the music, even when she is crying for something in the car and I play the einstein music, she relaxes and smiles.

I don't think baby einstein product are bad or excellent! we have some books ,like animals books, or rhymes books..that my daughter loves.

Of course we have SIGNING TIME, YBCR,LITTLE PIM ,LR also which are really educational and are in our dairy routine.

[LilyBilly]

I am curious as to how many parents really thought these videos would make their kids smarter.  I don't have any BE myself, but I've personally never heard anyone indicate they thought the videos would make their baby smart.

The no tv before 2 thing...  I admit my 14 month old sometimes watches a portion of sesame street. He looooooves Elmo  and goes nuts whenever he sees him. He laughs, points, tries to say "elmo" and looks at me like "do you see this? this is hilarious".  It's really hard for me to believe such experiences are harmful to him.   

I don't think parents are given enough credit for common sense.  Of course plopping your kid in front of a TV all day and not interacting with him is going to be problematic.  Of course baby einstein videos won't turn your kid into a genius.  How many parents believe otherwise? Maybe .01% of us? LOL!  Both the lawsuit and the "no tv under 2" rule just illustrate to me that "they" have little faith in parents. Any kids with parents who would benefit from such "revelations" probably are going to have bigger problems than a lawsuit or an official recommendation are going to solve.

Ok. That's enough out of me. 

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