to let my 28 week old son watch T.V whilst I make lunch/dinner?

[frankieb70s]

It hardly goes on in the day but when I'm making breakfast, lunch and dinner I have started putting on the children's channels for around 20-30 mins at a time, which distracts him. I vowed I would never use the tele as a 'babysitter', but it does make life so much easier when I need to get food prepared. Do/did you?

God yes. That and the washing machine on spin are great babysitters when you need to be doing stuff.

Of course. I don't think anyone can be 100% focused on a baby for every waking moment.

Yes. DS watches Waybuloo and ITNG every day before his bath. TV is a part of life.

Of course it's ok. You're not ignoring him, you're doing stuff that needs doing. No one can interact with a baby all the time. It's fine.....breathe!

Ha ha

Before I had DS I swore that I would never put him in front of the TV.

Now just 17 weeks later, Baby TV (thats channel 623 btw) allows me to grab a quick cup of (decaf) coffee and a piece of toast in the mornings, and sometimes, even go to the loo too.

Sometimes, just to ease my guilt I stick on a David Attenborough programme, turn the sound down and stick a Mozart CD on, just to kid myself that this is somehow different and better.

I don't do it for long - 20 mins at the very most but it is the only way I can get breakfast. Before I discovered it I was getting up at 6am (At his insistence) and not eating till about 9am when he would (sometimes) nap. Factor in breast feeding and low blood sugar problems and I would be passing out with hunger!

Don't beat yourself up - you cannot be doing stimulating, cultural, worthy and improving baby centered things all the time. 20 mins really won't hurt him.

Give yourself a break :)

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse can be a lifesaver!

Oh, the TV is a great babysitter . As long as DC isn't in front of it all day there's no harm if it helps you out a bit. You'll be a less-stressed mum as well.

YANBU the TV is on from the second my eyelids open to the minute they shut

Like Stranded my DS tunes in and out inbetween battling dinosaurs/being a power ranger/fighting the 'monster' (the dog) and generally grubbing about.

IMO if the TV becomes something 'forbidden' it makes it more attractive so they are more likely to become mesmerised by it when it is on and give it their full attention instead of it just being something that is just there all the time IYSWIM.

only 20 minutes? Sounds like a stealth boast to me..

No, I don't think this it is bad. I allow my children to watch TV aged 2.4 and 4, I like to relax and watch and bit of TV so why can't they? I do limit it though and they aren't allowed to just veg in front of it all day. When I am making lunch they are normally in the kitchen with me and I put some children's music on, I blot it out!

Yabvu, he should be using the time to brush up on his Latin!

YANBU - Balamory used to make my DD giggle when small and give me enough time to get dressed first thing

Hairylemon good point!
Catgirl good idea about the stereo, we like our music too!
I'm glad I'm not the only one, I thought it was a big parenting NO NO these days.

Oh god no its completely normal. Whilst my dh has been at work today my ds who's just over a year has been looked after by mickey et al whilst I tried to not throw up. Its a lifesaver sometimes.

Why has this never occurred to me? My DS is 25wks tomorrow, and I have never tried sitting him in front of the TV so I can eat/do washing/other boring but necessary tasks. I'll be trying this on Monday morning, I might actually get to eat before 11am! Although knowing my luck he won't be interested.

My DD used to do her tummy time in front of CBeebies! She could hold her head up very early .

at catgirl. We have BabyTV on here and we call it BabyTV 623.

The programmes are really short and it's the only channel that is on all night

OP, it's fine.

YANBU. DS is only 15 weeks old and already prefers Jessie J to ballads , thanks to the joy of 4Music. The washing machine or dryer are also up there on his fave things to do during the day. I too sometime salve my conscience by putting on BBC News 24, but he far prefers music videos...

When they're little they can't do anything but be distracted by noise and movement; and unless they're glued to it for hours all through childhood because their parents don't give a toss about that or anything else, it's not going to hurt.

I don't think it's bad, but is TV the only thing that distracts him?

When my DS was that age, and I wanted to cook or eat, I would put him in his rocker chair in the kitchen area, turn on the radio, give him a little toy to fiddle with, he would chill out and watch me. When he was a bit older, I'd give him a stack of tupperware or blocks to play with.

Logically I know a bit of TV is okay but I still feel a bit guilty so I didn't really use it for distraction until he was about 18 months and would otherwise be racing around the house and possibly up to no good.

I can't visualise what parenting would be like without the telly box

My boy was weaned to the delights of Scuzz (heavy metal music channel) - he still bops away to music constantly :-D

At 15 months I am DESPERATE for him to be vaguely interested, for longer than the 30 second theme tune, in any form of TV or DVD. No interest whatsoever, and as he's getting bigger some of the visuals on Scuzz are not massively suitable (don't mind the music at all, but Slipknot or Murderdolls nightmares may be tricky to explain to the HV...!)

featherbag - they can be shockingly fussy about what they do and don't like at that age too, so if he PFB doesn't like one program, don't give up :)

Does anyone know why TV is supposed to be bad for the under 2's?

HorribleDay - have you tried the nature type programs? My friends DS will not watch any 'childrens' TV' but loves the documentaries about sharks, crocodiles, dinosaurs etc - very gruesome but he loves them and never has nightmares or gets scared etc

I always figured it was something to do with trying to put off the odd 1 or 2 parents who would abandon their kids in front of it all day with 0 interaction, as opposed to the 99% of parents who use it in moderation and/or watch it with their DC - 'oooo look how clever is Mr Bloom...looks he's got a long red fork' etc etc.

I really really cannot see how short bursts, plus/minus parent watching too while quaffing a hot coffee, if an issue ....