Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put TV and VHS player in 3 year old DD's room?

89 replies

LauLauLemon · 01/07/2011 23:35

DH suggested we put a TV in DD1's room today with a VHS player so she can watch old disney films.

I've always been against it but I found myself thinking it was a good idea and doing it. There's no Freeview or even normal TV channels, just the VHS player and TV.

Too far for a 3 year old? She doesn't watch too much TV but enough that The Princess and the Goblin makes me want to hurl myself into a wall despite it being my childhood favourite.

AIBU?

OP posts:
AngryFeet · 02/07/2011 08:32

No I wouldn't do it. Kids need to learn to go to wind down and go to sleep by themselves. Having a TV in the room is going to disturb their sleep if it is left on. I just don't like the idea at all. My 6 year old asked for a TV in her room and I said no way. Bedrooms are for sleeping. Maybe when she is a teenager and wants to chill in private but even then I would probably have a kids lounge instead of a dining room like I do now so everyone can watch their own thing (I appreciate I may have more space than some but at the worst I would have the TV in my own room for her to watch her films during the day if I wanted to watch something).

Wormshuffler · 02/07/2011 08:34

I wouldn't put telly's in my DC's room. They have a telly in the playroom they can use to watch stuff when the lounge telly has adult programmes on.
I just don't like the idea of them being squirreled away upstairs away from the rest of the family.

scattermummy · 02/07/2011 08:36

My four have story cd's, they all love them.I would never allow telly in bedroom.My oldest is 12 and is obsessed with telly.Dread to think how much tv he would watch with one in his room.You know the big young kids story books at waterstones(often on 3for 2 ). Some of them have cd,s in the back which can gomdown well if you read them the story first.

activate · 02/07/2011 08:38

yes unreasonable and bad parenting

Veni Vidi Judici

ScarletOHaHa · 02/07/2011 08:49

No playroom here and so DC watches TV in the lounge. MY 4 yo plays downstairs too. Bedroom are for sleeping.

handsomeharry · 02/07/2011 08:49

I wouldn't. DS 9 still doesn't have a TV in his room. He has always woken early but has learned to play or potter about quietly in his room. When he was little he would bring toys through to my room and play quietly on the bed or on the floor until I got up.

He still wakes fairly early but I prefer him to be playing, drawing or reading.

He watches about half an hour in the morning if/when he has had a shower and breakfast but after that I switch it off.

I love watching television so am in no way against it but think that it can be a distraction for children and they can come to rely on it.

cybboid · 02/07/2011 09:07

If you police it I dont think its a terrible idea, as long as its just tapes

sheepgomeep · 02/07/2011 09:08

If you are going to do it, you need to have rules regarding its use. - wouldn't use it as a sleep aid seen so many of my friends children develop sleeping problems due to a telly in the room.

Dd 2 shares with her eldest sister and there is a telly in their room but it always gets switched off before bed.

A1980 · 02/07/2011 23:50

I don't think it's a good idea either. If you start that at 3 years old, you'll never break the habit.

I didn't have a TV in my room until I was 26!

It isn't clear if it's for night time or not. If it is for night time it's a bad idea as children need to settle themselves. TV can actually be overstimulating. But you don't make it clear if it is, just that you're sick of the film she likes. In that case putting a 3 yo in her room alone to watch a film in the day time is also a bad idea. It's a bit lonely.

You say: Too far for a 3 year old? She doesn't watch too much TV but enough that The Princess and the Goblin makes me want to hurl myself into a wall despite it being my childhood favourite. Then try saying no. You have to let her watch it.

LineRunner · 02/07/2011 23:57

I wouldn't do it, if we're having a votey thing.

startail · 03/07/2011 00:07

I guess it's the modern equivalent of my mum digging out her old record player so she didn't have to listen to Thomas the tank engine stories or her old comedy records 20 times a daySmile

wonkylegs · 03/07/2011 00:11

IMO tv's shouldn't go in bedrooms full stop (unless they are hotel rooms)

LolaRennt · 03/07/2011 00:20

no, i think only being able to sleep when the telly is on is a bad habit (for any age). What if you visit visit family and they havent got a telly?

TragicallyHip · 03/07/2011 00:28

I would say no. I think she is too young and she'll just want it on more and more.

opusthepenguin · 03/07/2011 00:28

Bad karma!

You got a child, but do you want a family? If you do , then TV/ DVD / XBox / PC / PS3 etc in their room is the worst thing. Keep these things in one room (lounge / parlour / living room / sitting room etc depending where you live), and make the whole family, including parents, negotiate use.

Got 6 DC; one tV, which also operates for both XBox & Wii; also 1 DS & 1 PSP. Hard work at times, but they have learnt to negotiate, or at least to deal with not getting own way. What's really positive is that in enforced downtime, all DC's turn to books...

Original poster
LauLauLemon · 03/07/2011 00:32

These are the reasons I stated to DH when he suggested it but in my exhausted state I agreed with him and did it.

She's three. She hasn't touched it since it's been in there. I don't think it's a bad thing while she's playing in there but I certainly wouldn't be telling her to watch tv in her room alone.

It is pretty pointless :S

OP posts:
IAmATroglodyte · 03/07/2011 09:48

My 4 year old DD1 has had one in her room since she was 2 and is quite happy to take herself off upstairs to watch films in her room, she also needs them to sleep these day as DP works and I have full time care of DD1 and a 1 year old DD2 to contend with, we haven't had time for bedtimes stories in yonks!

Nanny0gg · 03/07/2011 11:21

Nope.
It will only incur battles as they get older (and sneakier).
No child should need a TV on to help them get to sleep otherwise what will they do when one isn't available?
My children weren't allowed one in their room until after their A-levels as I knew it would interfere with revision.
Yes I know I was an evil mother. But I'd do the same again.
If there's another family room to put a second tv in, then I'd do that as that will make life easier when they get to the squabbling stage, but if it's in their room you'll hardly see them.

Nanny0gg · 03/07/2011 11:22

IAmATroglodyte, no doubt I'll be shouted at for this, but I think that's really sad.

Bigglewinkle · 03/07/2011 11:31

There is evidence that things like tv, computer games tampers with our ability to sleep. I think its the serotonin levels that need to drop for us to sleep well and tvs etc keep them raised.
Forgive the quackery, I'm on my phone and can't check the exact details but the principle is sound. I wouldn't have a tv in any bedroom for that reason.
Hth?

ASByatt · 03/07/2011 11:31
  • NannyOgg, I agree with you - plenty of people with 2 young dc manage at least an occasional bedtime story......(hides under stone)
ASByatt · 03/07/2011 11:32

oh and no, I wouldn't put a tv in a 3 year old's room. I don't have one in mine, and I'm old and crumbly.......
Bedrooms are for relaxing and sleeping (etc!)

ranimaji · 03/07/2011 20:06

i dnt think its a good idea either u probably wont c her emerge from her room ever again... tv is very addictive it wud b difficult to limit her viewing time IMo

AmazingBouncingFerret · 03/07/2011 20:14

I wouldnt do it but I am blessed with children that, through no hard work of my own go to sleep themselves after I say goodnight and close the door.

If I had an early riser I'd do it aswell.

Kendodd · 03/07/2011 20:20

No way would I let a three year old have a TV in their room, or any child for that matter. We have one TV in the house and that's in the living room, I don't intend to get any more, one is plenty.

I expect my children, ages 3,4 and 5, (can you tell we have no TV in the bedroom!) will all have laptops when they are older and need them for school but until then no personal computers/TV/DVD players etc.

Swipe left for the next trending thread