Do you watch your own shows on TV while your children are around?

[Eldermileniummam]

We have young DC and we let them watch TV but try to do other things as well. If they're not watching something then the TV is off. I love TV but only watch it in an evening when they're in bed.

As a child I remember my mum watching the soaps (not sure how young I was) and kids' tv wasn't on constantly like it is now. In theory I should be able to watch tv sometimes provided it's family friendly but then I don't want the tv on constantly as it was in my parents' and still is:

What do you do in your house?

When dd was a baby, I watched my programmes when I was breastfeeding.

Toddler/younger primary - bit of children's tv in the day, my programmes after she had gone to bed.

Older primary - tried to find things we would enjoy as a family. Mostly cbbc, nature programmes, inoffensive comedies. We did manage to get her hooked on Coronation Street.

No, not unless I want a commentary of 102 questions a minute. What’s that lady doing? Why is she going in there? Who is that man? Why is he talking to that lady? Why are they going on the plane? Is it the Paw Patrol? 🫠

So no I wait until he’s in bed.

my gran used to watch Coronation street with us and we had to sit still and be very quiet. Any question was met with a sharp ‘SSSH!’

Yes when breastfeeding in the early days.

Then for many years, no.

Now, at nearly 13 and 11, yes again.

Interesting question!

No, I don’t feel right doing this. At least not beyond the early days of breastfeeding, as others have said. But this is perhaps ridiculous as my own parents did it frequently. My mum had Radio 4 on constantly when at home in the day. On reflection I probably picked up quite a bit from it. They both watched the news a lot which was arguably less desirable.

It’s not our job to constantly offer our children entertainment and stimulation whenever they’re awake, yet I still manage to feel guilt whenever I don’t do this. My son’s preschool teachers tell me off about this and say it shows. He needs to learn to function more independently.

Similarly my mum used to drag me along on errands all the time, including a full grocery shop. DS complains when I need to do something as simple as pick up a pint of milk and I find myself apologising to him.

If it’s something I particularly want to watch at that specific time, and isn’t unsuitable, then yes. For example, Wimbledon will be on a lot, and sometimes I’ll put the news on for a bit.
I wouldn’t watch a drama, because the constant interruptions would be annoying, it’s probably not suitable, and I can always watch it later.

I do now. If they wake before about 6:30 which is the time I try to set on their gro clock then the early morning I catch up on my own things and they play around me.
I simply tell them if they don’t want to watch it they can go back to bed.

No, we haven't watched any show while DC were around before they hit around 7. Them we watched things like animal documentaries. Now at 10 we let our eldest watch things like Clarksons farm and young Sheldon with us.

No I don't. I did when BF as others said. But we don't watch much TV anyway and it is rarely on, even in the evenings. Sometimes DH will of there is a sports game on he wants to see, kids watch it too.

We always have music or the radio on instead - we battle for normal radio Vs kids radio, our grown up music choices or their music choices.

No not really.
We have watched clarksons farm and lego masters with Ds 5 the last few months. Which is fine as he asks a million questions and you miss at least 50%. But an actual series I would want to listen to, not a chance.

Ds is awake so earlier and takes forever to go to bed, so I haven’t really watched any films or series in 5+ years.

I can’t read a book either unless he’s playing in sandpit

No because I actually like to hear what im watching

No chance 😓

Yes but I only really watch sport. Currently enjoying some seniors darts 🎯

If I watch TV then I want to enjoy it and not being asked constant questions, DH sometimes has the habit and is annoyed if I can't answer something as I don't know it either so a small child is not the right person to be there as well.

When DD was 5-6 we watched things like animal programms, cookery shows or family films together.
She would watch children's TV on her own (with us in the room reading/on the computer).

She is now a teen, addicted to TaskMasters and I leave the room to have peace.

No only when everyone is in bed. Radio yes, tv no.

Yeah I'll get my turn to watch stuff, but I tend to pick things that are more suitable. My DS is 8 so he's old enough to understand taking turns and not always getting your own way

No I wait until the dcs are in bed (or sometimes when they're at school). I like to be fully available for the dcs when they are awake and to relax when they are in bed.

Not since the feeding days really anything geared to my own preferences

today we watch Monkey Life, Border Force and Highway Patrol together

No, I never felt right having the tv on when dd was little. Very different from my own upbringing. So I would only watch when she was sleeping, which meant I watched very little tv and sometimes watching a movie took several days.

she is a teenager now and I still don’t watch much when she is around. It feels strange to impose screen time on other people unless we are all specifically watching the show. I will put something on if I am folding laundry, but that is about it.

No, not unless I want a commentary of 102 questions a minute. What’s that lady doing? Why is she going in there? Who is that man? Why is he talking to that lady? Why are they going on the plane? Is it the Paw Patrol?

Yes I get all the questions!

No, I don’t feel right doing this. At least not beyond the early days of breastfeeding, as others have said. But this is perhaps ridiculous as my own parents did it frequently. My mum had Radio 4 on constantly when at home in the day. On reflection I probably picked up quite a bit from it. They both watched the news a lot which was arguably less desirable.

I feel the same. My mum always had the TV on. Even now, when we go over there, the TV is on. When I met my DH it was new to me to not just have the TV on all the time in the background, which is probably unusual!

If I put something on TV for me (even something like This Morning) they ask for their own programmes and I turn it off. I've only tried it a couple of times but it struck me as odd as my mum would have watched what she wanted.

Sport or Wimbledon makes sende

we tried to watch the kings birthday with them

No because I actually like to hear what im watching

😆

No, I never felt right having the tv on when dd was little. Very different from my own upbringing. So I would only watch when she was sleeping, which meant I watched very little tv and sometimes watching a movie took several days.

I agree and I'm the same but it means I stay up for hours even if I'm tired so I can have some downtime.

No, I don’t think anything I watch would be remotely appropriate to have on around kids. The exception to this is sports, rugby, f1 and occasionally American football for me and football for DH. It’s not all the time by any means, but sometimes.

I also stay up too late just to get some down time. And here I am awake again as DD has been up since 5 <sigh>.

I use my phone to watch stuff that doesn’t require too much concentration whilst getting on with chores etc. we do also sit down some weekend afternoons to watch something on the main telly, but DDs are teen/pre-teen now and we pause if they appear if it’s something non PG.

We did years of Disney etc on the main telly, it’s finally ours again!

Kids are 20s now so a while back but yes we watched as a family . They loved TV Burp and nature shows, Bake Off as they got older etc. They also had a fascination for Trawlermen and watched with DH. Quite a lot of family TV. It’s a long winter without it! We would never let them see Eastenders or anything else inappropriate but TV is educational in lots of ways.

I think age makes a difference. A 5 year old is far less likely to be sitting quietly and watching v a 12 year old.

Mine are 10 and 12 and I’ve just started doing this - I will have my show on an ipad with headphones in so they can’t see or hear it. I do this while doing laundry or cooking and if they are otherwise occupied eg playing upstairs or having screen time themselves.

They don’t go to bed till 9 or later so there isn’t much evening for me to watch stuff after they are in bed!