Do 90s cartoons contribute to the family well-being of mothers and children?

It may seem like an insignificant detail: changing the type of cartoons children watch. However, a mother, noticing that her children were becoming increasingly restless and anxious after watching fast-paced, modern cartoons, decided to conduct a small home experiment: she replaced current cartoons with those from her childhood in the 90s, characterized by slower narrative rhythms, softer colors, and frequent pauses.

The result was immediate: the children were calmer, more attentive, and more serene. From there, a debate emerged that went beyond a personal experience and found support in scientific research: the pace of audiovisual stimuli has a real impact on children's behavior.

And it's not just about them. It also affects the parents, particularly mothers, who often have to manage not only the growth of their children but also the emotional balance and mental load of the family. This is a topic that touches on conscious motherhood, mental health, and, in a broader sense, women's health: from the pursuit of having a child to the daily management of family life.

1. The mother’s experiment and scientific confirmation.

The mother at the center of the experiment shared that her children, after watching fast-paced cartoons full of scene changes, became restless, argued more, and had less concentration. She changed her strategy: she showed them 90s cartoons, like Champions: Oliver and Benji or Heidi, with slower scenes, linear plots, and less saturated colors. The change was surprising: more calm, fewer tantrums, and greater ability to play without conflicts.

This story aligns perfectly with an established line of research.

Lillard & Peterson (2011, Pediatrics): In a study with 4-year-old children, just 9 minutes of fast-paced cartoons significantly reduced executive functions (attention, self-control, working memory) compared to children who watched slow cartoons or engaged in drawing activities.

Christakis et al. (2004, Pediatrics): Analyzing over 2,500 children, the study showed that heavy exposure to television and fast-paced cartoons during the first three years of life was linked to a higher risk of developing attention problems by the age of 7.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP, 2016): In their guidelines, they recommend limiting screen exposure during the early years of life, emphasizing the importance of content quality and co-viewing with parents.

These findings confirm what the mother had intuitively observed: stimuli are not neutral. Some encourage calm and concentration, while others trigger agitation and reduce attention.

2. What about fast-paced cartoons?

The brain of young children is still under construction. The neural circuits that regulate attention, emotions, and self-control are not yet mature and are highly sensitive to the types of stimuli they receive.

Cartoons with frantic scenes, constant changes, and loud sounds activate the brain's reward and alert systems. The child becomes glued to the screen, but is actually being bombarded, which over-activates them. When the TV is turned off, the brain struggles to "slow down," and the child appears nervous, agitated, and unable to engage in simpler activities.

3. Why do slow cartoons have a different effect?

Cartoons with slower narrative rhythms, clear dialogues, and pauses allow the brain to process what it sees. They don’t overload the attention circuits, but instead leave space for imagination. Children who watch this type of content tend to be calmer afterward, concentrate better on manual or creative activities, and interact more serenely with others.

It’s no coincidence that many educators talk about “sensory fasting”: reducing fast-paced stimuli allows children to return to natural rhythms, learn patience, and cultivate imagination.

4. Motherhood focus: The role of parents and the mental load of mothers.

If children become calmer thanks to balanced stimuli, the lives of parents also change. Fewer tantrums, fewer fights, less daily exhaustion.

For mothers, this means a lot. Those who have gone through a fertility process know that motherhood is often loaded with desire, waiting, fears, and high expectations. When the child finally arrives, the desire to “do it right” adds to the weight of the daily mental load: schedules, doctor visits, house organization, and education.

Every educational choice, even the seemingly trivial one of picking one cartoon over another, becomes part of the mother's well-being. A frantic stimulus that makes the child unmanageable is not only a problem for the child, but also a source of stress for the caregiver. A calmer stimulus, on the other hand, becomes an ally, a small form of self-care.

Conscious motherhood also means this: consciously choosing the rhythms of the family, protecting both the children and the emotional balance of mothers.

5. Family health: Less chaos, more harmony.

Research in family psychology shows that the level of perceived chaos at home directly affects the quality of relationships. A noisy, disorganized home, with agitated children and stressed adults, creates fertile ground for conflict. A calmer home, with more balanced stimuli, fosters communication and empathy.

It’s not about eliminating playfulness or liveliness, but rather calibrating the stimuli. A child doesn’t need three hours of fast-paced cartoons; they can gain more benefits from half an hour of slow-paced cartoons watched with their parents, followed by manual activities or reading time.

For the family, this means more harmony, fewer conflicts, and more quality time. For mothers, it means less mental load and more breathing room. For fathers, it means a more stable environment to collaborate in.

6. Conclusion: Conscious motherhood as care for family rhythms.

The 90s cartoon experiment teaches us not only about children but about the entire experience of motherhood. Motherhood is not just about pregnancy, childbirth, and medical check-ups; it’s made up of daily choices, education, and care for rhythms.

For those who have gone through a fertility process, every step of motherhood is even more loaded with meaning. Protecting one’s balance, reducing mental load, and building serene family environments become essential parts of women’s health.

In a fast-paced world, conscious motherhood is also the ability to slow down. To say no to excessive stimuli. To create spaces where both children and parents can breathe. It is an investment in the health of children, but also in one's own.

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Sources:

• Lillard AS, Peterson J. The immediate impact of different types of television on young children’s executive function. Pediatrics, 2011.

• Christakis DA, Zimmerman FJ, DiGiuseppe DL, McCarty CA. Early television exposure and subsequent attentional problems in children. Pediatrics, 2004.

• American Academy of Pediatrics. Media and Young Minds. Policy Statement, 2016.

• World Health Organization. Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. 2019.

• Harvard Medical School. Digital exposure and family well-being. 2020.

• https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/family-kids/mum-plays-90s-cartoon-four-35582647