No TV before school?!

About learning, yes, but I'm sure plenty aren't remotely interested in what teachers say about what they do in their own homes, in their own time.

My two wake up before half 5 every day (if I'm lucky), tv has saved my sanity!

Just adding a different perspective to the others who have almost all said "no TV before school"... We do have TV before school because my children are so slow to get ready, I use it as an incentive. They can only have the TV on after they're dressed so they watch a little while eating their breakfast. Itd only be about 30 mins or so before having to leave anyway so not too long, and never tablets or YouTube. They also have to agree on what to watch but it's usually something like bluey or numberblocks.

I think as long as your routine works for you and you feel it isn't negatively impacting your child then do what you want. But you may decide to give it a go and see how it feels 🤷🏼‍♀️

I think you’re right, the research that gets through to people via the professionals we trust such as doctors and teachers is often followed by a certain type of person and ignored by others (often a smaller group). The pattern in who continued to smoke after health warnings would be an example.

@warmapplepies I disagree. They may not read the research papers but many people do heed school opinion about learning. I wonder why?!

Because most people don't live their lives based on research papers, that's why.

I'll bet there are plenty of things you do with your kids that aren't "recommended" by the research.

If it’s good enough quality research for the outcomes to be recommended by the school, why on earth would you ignore it, to the detriment of your children, just for convenience.

Screens before school have been shown to have a negative impact on a child's language ability.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328873272_Case_control_study_found_that_primary_language_disorders_were_associated_to_screen_exposure_at_35-65_years_of_age

The school might as well noticed this effect so they have given a general recommendation.
You can still choose to ignore since you best know your child. But there is merit in the schools advice. So why not try it?

TV is watched here before and after school. Not ideal but it sort of works for us.

We never watch TV when we eat. There's no TV in our dining room.

We only have one TV and it's in the living room.

No phones at the table or in bedrooms in the evening.

It's a fine balance and not all black and white

We have screen time before school and all is fine over here too 😃.

Feel totally free to ignore the school advice OP and just do what works for you guys.

I’m a TA , across various year groups and same here.

I'm a teacher & I can assure you I have never thought "That kid has definitely watched TV this morning". Things I do notice are children who haven't slept properly (some due to being on tablets till late), children who arrive obviously rushed and those who's parents haven't taken time to get them ready properly.

Everyone saying you can tell the children who watch TV before school after 13 years of teaching for the vast majority of kids it just isn't true.

@Needmorelego I’m never organised enough! But my eldest is autistic and gets to into what he’s watching he can’t transition away from it so I tell them both the TV only shows the news in the morning and they don’t much fancy that!

My son wakes at 5 every day. I'm not awake to stop him putting the TV on that time. He's 9.

But isn't it worse to introduce screen time at that age? A few people have said this but are judgey about older kids watching TV. Ours never had any screens at that age (and yes they all went through the 4am wake up phase) but do at primary age. To be honest I don't think either are damaging in small doses but seems odd that it's OK if convenient to the parent, but as soon as the kid is independent screens are bad in the morning?

Mine are primary aged and 2 are early risers. I just have no issue with them chilling to some cartoons for a bit before breakfast. Just to clarify, I also have absolutely no issue that you don't allow it in your home. I think we're lucky that tv has never caused issues- they turn it off the second they're told to, it doesn't affect their behaviour, they're lovely polite kids, do lots of sports and do so well at school. They like to watch a bit of TV in the morning 🤷‍♀️ they all get under a blanket together and have a snuggle, it's cute.

All of ours went for a period of waking up for the day at 4.30. One of us got up and was the entertainment every single day. They're all in primary school years now so if they get up before 6/6.30 our reward to ourselves for parenting so well in the toddler years (apparently this is qualified on here by no screens) is to destroy their developing brains with 30 mins of early morning TV clutches pearls.

I was being a bit tongue in cheek. We've had periods of no TV before school and it's fine. It doesn't affect our kids to chill to a bit of TV before school so we let them. They turn it off, have breakfast, get ready and we are always told they behave impeccably at school. I do understand that there was a time before TV. Also before cars. And cookers. But we like to use those too.

Ah of course, I've totally never got them to look at pages. We also have no toys or games. Why bother when you can get so many devices.

I have very fond memories of watching the big breakfast before secondary school, it did make me late a few times though 😅

Really though I don't think a bit of TV in the morning is going to have a huge impact on an overall healthy active child. We walk 30 mins to school every day so I'm sure any tv zombie-ishness is shaken off by that tbh.

Ours are always up at 6, one doesn’t leave till just after 7.30 and the other walks and has over 2 hours from wake up to leaving. They get dressed, eat breakfast properly at the table (not rushing), have a hot drink and brush their teeth within the space of about 20 minutes. We do showers/bath every night. Loads of time to watch tv in the morning but I do appreciate a child that gets up later or has to leave very early probably wont have much time.

I agree - I think its a cop out from the school instead of addressing it with the parents that just need to parent! My first thought was there’s some lateness at that school so a general email has gone out.

TV isn’t a problem for 99% of families and even if it is, that’s up to parents to set boundaries or decide on turning it off if kids won’t turn it off on time. Absolutely not the school’s job to email all parents.

No TV on here in the mornings. We leave the house by 7:40 am. We also don't have it on during dinner and all sit together to eat. They usually watch it for about an hour after dinner but then it is reading, bath and bedtime routine. Children (4,6). Some Amazon kids tablet is allowed at weekends.

Back in the 90s my mum always used to put GMTV on in the morning, for the news she claimed. While us kids whined about it being boring 😅.

6 is too early for my liking.