Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Be honest, how much tv do your kids watch

25 replies

DieAntword · 23/08/2018 21:26

And how old are they?

By tv I mean all video entertainment, YouTube, on demand, Netflix etc not just live tv.

OP posts:
FluffyMcCloud · 23/08/2018 21:27

Some days loads, some days none at all. Why?

StitchingMoss · 23/08/2018 21:28

Yes as above, depends on the day and the weather and how busy we are Smile

Pressuredrip · 23/08/2018 21:29

Too much. If we're at home it's nearly always on to be honest. But we do a lot of trips and activities so I don't worry too much.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

CoquetteRegret · 23/08/2018 21:31

We have kids shows on all day for my nearly 4 year old. He dips in and out as he pleases. Most of the time it's just background noise for him but he sits on the sofa to watch it when I'm settling the baby for naps.

I don't really mind him watching TV. He's learned a heck of a lot from it and managed to teach me things in the process! I now know the names for all the parts of a train and an excavator.

DieAntword · 23/08/2018 21:31

Some days loads, some days none at all. Why?

Feel bad that my 2 year old watched almost 3 hours of Sarah and Duck today.

Feel like a 2 year old should be watching half an hour max and I’m basically destroying his brain but I was lazy and didn’t want to have to include him in the housework because his ‘helping’ isn’t (also worry I’m damaging his work ethic by not including him and letting him hinder the housework).

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 23/08/2018 21:55

A couple of hours probably on average. She's 4

confusedandconfuddled · 23/08/2018 22:01

Most days half hour - one hour max. Very occasionally more than that if for a film or when he's ill. He's 5.

Crunchymum · 23/08/2018 22:05

Is this one of the questions like when a Dr asks how much you drink? Your answer is really half the true amount Grin

EnglishGirlApproximately · 23/08/2018 22:06

Dis has watched loads today as we’re on holiday tomorrow so I’ve been packing. Yesterday barely any as we were out and about most of the day. I try to take a weekly view rather than daily as it varies so much but probably a 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day on average - 1/2 hour in a morning as he gets up at 6 and we don’t leave for school until 8.30, 1/2 after school then a bit after dinner before bath if it isn’t a night he has a club.

Crunchymum · 23/08/2018 22:07

Waiting for the "I don't have a T.V" brigade!!

DieAntword · 23/08/2018 22:10

So how about yours Crunchy? 😎

OP posts:
minipie · 23/08/2018 22:11

Generally 1 hr before tea. Bit more at the weekend, maybe 1.5 hrs. Bit less for DD1 (5) now there's reading and homework. DD2 (3) loses interest after about 30-40 mins anyway.

Crunchymum · 23/08/2018 22:17

Way too much most days (in the holidays). I do have mitigating circumstances though.

I don't like it but situation dictates and all that

(In a nutshell I'm off my feet with Arthritis, DP is self employed and my MIL who has the older kids a few days a week is away for 3 weeks. Oh and we have a disabled baby who is tube fed so getting out is a struggle a lot of the time!)

Whatuip · 23/08/2018 22:20

We didn't have a TV for years (look away crunchy! Grin )

Then we caved in and purchased 2! Kids watch loads. Meh, they have a fruitful life so I don't stress too much.

Phillipa12 · 23/08/2018 22:23

Some days none, some days 1hr after bath before bed, some days they have watched peter rabbit 3 times.....they never ask for the tv on, they prefer playing or fighting with each other.

Stuckforthefourthtime · 23/08/2018 22:24

Mine range from 3-7 and usually don't watch during the week, apart from a few YouTube clips to explain something they've asked, and the older 2 get 30 mins or so TV or game time (Minecraft or Lego) two or three nights a week while I put the youngest to bed. I'm pregnant now, so over the school holidays they've often watched an episode or two of something on Netflix or cbbc after lunch while I rest a bit.

On the weekends they'll watch a movie over the weekend, sometimes all one day sometimes over two evenings, and often the elder 2 might have an extra hour of screen time between games/tablet/tv.

We find that the more screen time they have, the more they fuss for it - like now it's creeping up as I get close to my due date, and I really see the difference in how much less they are into self-directed play, they'd rather whinge for Netflix.
They'll be using screens so much at school later, even though we both work in tech, DH and I are trying to focus on other things while they're young.

You say you feel guilty, but unless you're doing 3 hours of cleaning daily, I can't see how it would be doing harm. Getting a 2 year old to help for that long would be a minor miracle, I certainly wouldn't feel bad about that!
Slightly off topic, I do find that big cleans plus small kids never work. There are some great routines online like flylady or (I think) the organised mum / housewife that break it down into little bits every day, then it is manageable either with a child 'helping' or parked in a corner with a morning snack and some duplo.

lizzybennett1926 · 23/08/2018 22:27

Haha I'm a member of the no tv brigade. 4 kids aged 3 to 19 they watch some programmes on Netflix or YouTube and Sport sometimes. Most days none, but sometimes a film or a couple of episodes on Netflix. When the Olympic or tennis is on we watch more.

QueenOfPharts · 23/08/2018 22:28

A lot and then some. My dd is 5 and some days watches 2-3hrs (not all at once) but other days nothing. Ds nearly 2 has only just got in to tv he is happy with 20mins night garden morning and before tea. Im strict about tablet use and dont let dd watch youtube on her own.
I watched heaps of tv as a kid and now hardly ever watch it.

H00T3R · 23/08/2018 22:38

Our tv is on all day and I just let the kids flick between the channels and programmes they like watching (cbeebies and boomerang mainly). They sort it out between themselves whose turn it is and record if there's a clash. They're getting into other things now besides kids' TV, such as that factory programme or something about how the digestive system works with Dr. Michael Mosely (sp?) or David Attenborough nature programmes because they flick through and find something interesting that catches their attention (don't worry, they are being supervised and anything unsuitable is switched off or even PIN protected).

They're not watching TV all day long, even though it's on in the background, they play and read and help with chores and do crafts and bake etc etc and just return to it when it's their turn. I don't feel at all bad or guilty or anything. It's just the same as when I was growing up and I've turned out fine.

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 23/08/2018 22:42

Unlimited screen time, always had. DC nearly 8 and 10.

chipshape · 23/08/2018 22:43

Depends on what time we get up, if it's 6am I let them watch a good hour of telly before I can function (2 and 3 yr old). If it's a more reasonable time then 45 mins in the morning give it take. About 40 mins for 3 year old when I'm getting 2 year old down for a nap and generally that's it. I'd love them to watch a Toy Story type film but so far they've no interest.

They ask for telly a lot and I say no then 2 minutes later they're doing something together.

GandolfBold · 23/08/2018 22:45

I can honestly say that neither of my 2 watch TV.

However they both play minecraft/Mario Kart/you tube way too much.

Oly5 · 23/08/2018 22:47

2-3 hours a day if we’re at home, hardly any if we’re out or on holiday

DieAntword · 23/08/2018 22:48

@Stuckforthefourthtime

Wasn’t exactly a big clean just had to put the clean laundry away, make mashed potato for supper (so washing, peeling, chopping, boiling, mashing) and tidy up the upstairs, making beds etc - but that was on top of the normal one or two episodes he gets (twice a day - baby has four bottles a day but second one is usually had out somewhere and last one is when my husband is already home so he can focus on the 2 year old) while I give the baby his bottle.

OP posts:
mockorangey · 23/08/2018 22:50

My 4 year old watches ~ 45min - 1 hour most days, sometimes less on nursery days. There are only 2 shows he wants to watch at the moment, and I limit him to 3 episodes of each per day.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread