One of the most popular shows for toddlers and young children right now is Cocomelon. While not a lot of parents want their children, especially young children, to have a lot of screen time, but it is often the only way mom can get things done that she needs to. When mom is having a hard day, and just wants to get something to eat, or a room needs cleaning, or her toddler is just having a rough day, she knows that she can put something on TV that will keep their attention for a while and be entertaining.
Cocomelon started off as a YouTube show, and it has since become a phenomenon. It is now on streaming services, and it focuses on JJ and his family. The family sing songs about friendship, daily tasks and being a good person. The seemingly harmless songs keep children engaged and can have them singing along. However, there have been some claims floating around that this show is causing tantrums and meltdowns in children, and this can be concerning to parents. We decided to look at the claim, and what experts have to say about this show.
The Claim
The claim started with a viral post, according to Yahoo News. It was posted by a mom influencer, Jerrica Sannes on Instagram and it was quickly shared among moms everywhere on social media. It stated that Cocomelon was “hyperstimulating” and that it acts like a drug and stimulant for children. Their developing brains are getting a “hit of dopamine.” She said that when the show is not off, young children can start to “act out” because they are deregulated and that their brain begins to expect the same kind of stimulation in their everyday life, and that is just not what is happening in the real world. The show scenes go by too quickly, and the bright colors and sounds are too much for children.
All Shows Are Created Equal
This can have a lot of moms worry, especially those that use the show to get 20 minutes of peace every day. They may want to turn it off and not let their child watch it, but experts are chiming in on the claim that was made. According to Romper, Daniel Marulla is a psychologist at Children’s of Alabama, and he stated that it is not about which shows are “bad” for children, but looking at media overall. He also said that watching TV and screen time does not “rot” a child’s brain, and it doesn’t matter what show. It doesn’t aid in their development. They are not getting anything extra from TV, and it is not helping them develop. The concern is that any show can take away from other learning activities. Overall, the idea is that moms should not feel guilty if their child watches Cocomelon, because it is likely not why they are having more tantrums one day.
There’s Just No Proof
The main problem parents seemed to find with Cocomelon was how fast the scenes change, and this was what was apparently causing overstimulation in children. When parents watch it with this mind, it is easy to notice how fast the scenes do change, but what does science say about this?
According to Parents, there is just no data that shows that the show is “overstimulating” because of how fast the scenes change. The best advice any expert could give was that parents need to do what is right for them, and that only a parent knows their child best and when limits may need to be put in place.
Sources: Yahoo News, Instagram via @jerricasannes, Romper, Parents