Help - too much screen time for toddler- weaning off

[TinyTortoise]

My son is 21 months and for the past 4 weeks he has been watching far too much on screens. I suffered an injury which meant that I have been unable to lift him up at all, into pushchair, into high chair, cot etc. for the first couple of weeks I could really only lie on the sofa most of the time. I have not been able to walk far or well either. I am slowly recovering but it's been hard.

Unfortunately we don't have any support from family or any friends available. So my husband has been working from home instead of going into the office and doing all the lifting (nappies, meal times, bed time) while I supervise and play with our son as best I can around those times. It's been hard because husband still has his job to do but it's been the only way we can manage.

On top of all that my son got an ear infection and was unwell for a couple of weeks.

All in all I'm afraid we have resorted to screens far far more than I would ever ideally like.

Before all this my son only ever watched up to 30 minutes a day while I was making dinner. For the past few weeks it's been a lot and he's got a taste for it.

I try to engage him as much as I can, sit on the floor and play, read etc but still the screens have been a lot.

I am worried about how this will impact on him and also how to wean him off. He used to love reading together but now he's less interested which concerns me. I'm slowly able to take him out in the pushchair now so trying to get out as much as possible to the park but I still can't walk far or lift much at all so it's difficult. As soon as we are at home he wants to watch Bing or something because now he's had a taste of it he wants it all the time!

I know we have got ourselves into this mess so please no judgement.

Has anyone else found they are having too much screen time?

No judgment is needed, you do what you have to to get through tough times.
As the weather improves and your health improves too, you can get outside more which will help.
For now, think about how well you are keeping him safe whilst you are not so able - you can't chase him down the street, so gentle buggy strolls are great, for example. Bing is very gentle watching, I wouldn't stress too much.
Is there a duck pond to take grain to throw in, as an alternative to park park park? Or how about finding a safe spot to watch trains?
Best wishes as you continue to recover.

Blimey I think you’re being awfully hard on yourself!

In practical terms I just wouldn’t put it on and I’d hide the remote if he knows that controls it. Keep distracting and he’ll soon forget.

Hope you’re feeling better soon

Please don't be so hard on yourself!
You could go cold turkey or you could make him a visual daily plan with screen time on it so that you can point to what you're doing now and all the other things you're going to do before you put the TV on. That way when you get in and he asks for TV, you can show him "first we have story time then we have colouring then we have TV" or something like that.

Do you have a garden? My kids have always enjoyed pottering outside; lots of activities seem to last much longer in the open air eg they would always be much more captivated by drawing with chalk on the patio than with crayons on a piece of paper. There are lots of low key activities you can do outside which would allow you to sit and rest.

I had a physically difficult pregnancy over a long winter then a heavy recovery birth that significantly affected me until early summer... oh and the Chicken Pox month didn't help!

When I felt more human again, I used a timer on the TV and gradually cut the TV time down. At first DS had awful meltdowns (7 years before his ASD diagnosis) and I'd make sure I was out of the room when the TV was switched off. Over a few weeks he began to get used to it and ended up quietly taking himself to do something else.

You’ve not had it easy but at that age he shouldn’t need weaned off screens-you’re the one in charge so take charge and just don’t make it available

Just want to say stop being so critical of yourself! It sounds like really hard circumstances.
I have chronic pain and some days I'm.fighting back tears looking after my son... If screen is on I'm still engaging with him. If people judge that then I'd invite them to have a day in my body.

One thing I do is never have the TV on as background. So it's either an activity we are chatting about together or its off we are doing something else.

What TV does he like? Could you get books / figures from the shows he likes and play with them?

We got Alexa and that reduced screen time quite a bit. You can listen to stories and music and play games.

It’s not like you’ve chosen to sit on your arse and eat bacon sandwiches instead of parenting. Don’t worry about what’s happened!!

If my son starts asking for tv I just don’t put it on for a few days/week. He stops asking pretty quick.

Chill.
So long as its cbeebies and not horror movies
Do what you need to do

I'm a parent to older kids but I found that average daily screen time in the winter months was much higher than the summer months because it's much easier to entertain kids in the summer. For example playing with water and digging in the garden.

You needed the screens but I'd lay off the guilt and try your best. You can't do better than that

You are being very hard on yourself. You’ve kept him safe and cared for during a difficult time.