Mom introduces her kids to ’90s cartoons — left stunned by the impact on her children

Children's screen time has become a hot topic today, especially with the significant rise of highly stimulating shows designed to capture and hold their attention for a long time. While some argue that these shows help increase children's cognitive skills and creativity, others worry that excessive exposure will negatively affect their attention span and social interaction. Similarly, Lauren Isler, a stay-at-home mother and a content creator who goes by @mamasandmesses on Instagram, noticed a remarkable shift in her kids' behavior, particularly her toddler's behavior, when she consciously swapped their flashy modern cartoons for the '90s classic shows she grew up watching.

When Isler first introduced her elder son to her favorite childhood shows, she was surprised by his reaction. While he thoroughly enjoyed watching the shows, the little one didn’t seem too dependent on them. After watching an episode or two, he was content to move on—no tantrums and no pleading for more. Next, Lauren also noticed a change in his sleeping pattern. "He was sleeping longer and better!" she revealed in the post’s caption. Moreover, Isler shared that most of the '90s childhood shows have lower stimulation than most of today’s shows and movies. "Don’t get me wrong, we still watch some Bluey, Ms. Rachel, and Disney movies, but this little change has shown us positive outcomes in his sleep and behavior," she added. Additionally, the content creator shared a list of classic shows for parents wanting to make the switch for their kids.

While talking to BuzzFeed, Isler revealed that her younger son was born with a medical condition that required an ostomy bag. When she was busy with him, she would engage her older son with the television. "So, I want parents to know that screen time isn't bad in moderation!" she added. However, she consciously decided to make her child consume less stimulating content when she noticed remarkably negative behaviors in him. "Before we switched to low-stimulation shows, he mostly had a hard time when the TV was turned off, which was making sleep more difficult. They kept asking for their usual shows [at first], but I tried to make it fun and tell them we were discovering shows that Mommy grew up with, and they liked the idea of that! They really enjoy Bear in the Big Blue House!" Isler shared. 

Besides, she felt that her children's screen time decreased once she made them switch to low-stimulating shows. "Turning the TV off became easier, and sometimes, they would even walk away to play before the show was over. They enjoyed TV but no longer 'needed' it. I feel like shows from the '90s were so wholesome and lighthearted. They taught kids how to be good humans, which is my biggest goal as a parent. More than being smart or athletic, I want my kids to know they are loved, and I think the '90s shows help enforce that," Isler said. While how much screen time is good for children is a never-ending debate in the modern world, Isler firmly believes that it is not necessarily bad for the kids. "Like everything else, it's all about moderation and making healthy choices. For our family, that's choosing low-stimulation shows," she added.

You can follow Lauren Isler (@mamasandmesses) on Instagram for more parenting content.