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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have children's tv on all day?

121 replies

ispentitwithyou · 17/11/2014 08:41

I am more or less a Sahm (i work Sundays) to a one year old. We have our own little routine during the week and I like to think we do a lot of fun activities,games and learning during the day through a combination of structured and unstructured play and also just letting her sit and play by herself whilst I tidy up mumsnet however we seem to have fallen into the habit of having children's tv on in the background all day.......

Example: we will be playing with her dolls house and taking no notice of the tv (but the volume is on) a song will come on and we will probably stop and singalong to it, then carry on playing....

Bad for her concentration?

Distracting?

Interfering with some vital part of development?

Not to drip feed,her speech is advanced for her age(so people tell me) and we get out for a walk everyday weather permitting

Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
ispentitwithyou · 17/11/2014 09:52

Since not dice

OP posts:
meglet · 17/11/2014 09:53

yanbu. We usually have CBBC on most of the time if we're at home, it was Cbeebies when they were small. The dc's watch the programmes they like best then go and play. CITV with those evil adverts is only allowed for short amounts of time on sick days.

No effect on speech or development here (8yrs and 6yrs). They can talk the hind legs off a donkey and have fab imaginations.

eddiemairswife · 17/11/2014 10:03

When my children were little there was only Watch with Mother and Play School, so their viewing was limited and I did sit and watch with them.

manchestermummy · 17/11/2014 10:13

I think for school age children it's a bit different tbh. I really do feel they need their downtime after a day at school and with all the homework they are expected to do.

If you think CITV's bad, try Pop Grin. Dd2 is a little obsessed with Care Bears. Mind you, we tend to record stuff so I can zap through the adverts.

There was a very, very funny conversation on the FB page of Cbeebies not so long ago. Parents up in arms about something to do with the timing of Topsy and Tim or something. So many of them mentioned that their dc had "moved onto" Nick Jr, for example, like it was some sort of badge of honour and they were more advanced now. Hilarious.

Don't like the output, turn it off!

poolomoomon · 17/11/2014 10:36

We always had the TV on as kids. Some of my fondest memories are TV programmes I loved. No detrimental effect here, I barely watch TV anymore tbh... It's all just a lot of old drivel these days Grin. I ditched the sky subscription last year and now we just have netflix or YouTube. The DC are quite fond of watching a bit of Caillou on Netflix or the ever so irritating team umizoomi. It's not on all day and Tbf it sounds like it isn't quite ALL day in your house either- you mentioned other activities, walking, I'm guessing it's not on at meal times and bath times etc.

Don't worry about it, there's seriously way way worse things for a child's health and development than TV. As long as it's educational TV (and by that I mean no spongebob square pants shite which has been proven to essentially dumb kids down...) then it's fine. I used to fret that ours was on too much but the DC actually learn things from it so it can't be doing that much harm!

slithytove · 17/11/2014 10:42

We did this and once I noticed I've made a huge effort to switch it to music channels or radio.

Since we started this, I've seen that DS focuses more on his toys, dances more, and when we do put on kids TV, enjoys it more and it works better as a distraction.

slithytove · 17/11/2014 10:43

I also feel like my brain is less fried

slithytove · 17/11/2014 10:49

Though I do enjoy ben and holly

RiverTam · 17/11/2014 10:49

no idea what the effect would be on DD but personally I couldn't bear it. If I want some background noise (I understand what a PP says about it being 'homely') I put the radio on (I grew up in a house where the radio was always on in the kitchen).

I don't think I could think if I had CBeebies wittering on the entire day!

Leeds2 · 17/11/2014 10:55

I wouldn't have TV on unless there was a programme I was specifically watching. I have a couple of adult friends who have the TV on all the time they are in, and leave it on even when visitors are there. Drives me mad!!

If you like to have "noise" in the background, I would use the radio or music.

Gawjushun · 17/11/2014 10:55

I'm in the habit if having the tv on in the background when home. It's either CBeebies or the music channels. I try to limit the amount of commercials my DS watches.

Personally, I find it really hard to concentrate without noise in the background. When I work from home I'll often have chatty podcasts or old episodes of Gilmore Girls on in the background even if I'm doing something really involved. Growing up in a noisy house must have conditioned my brain. Plus being working class of course.

Thurlow · 17/11/2014 10:57

I'd try to keep it off if it's not being watched. I like telly myself, I like background noise, I don't have an issue with my 3yo watching telly - but I think it does interfere with how they play, as they sort of have one eye on the telly. Plus if it's on all the time I think it would be less effective as entertainment when you choose to put it on. Probably not the best parenting but hey ho, real life and all that - because the telly isn't on in the background, if I put something on for DD then she sits and watches it, and we get half an hour to cook dinner etc.

WaroftheRoses · 17/11/2014 11:00

Turn it off. If you're not watching it-why have it on? Not to mention the waste of electricity! We didn't have TV on when the kids were pre-schoolers unless it was to watch something specific and now it goes on only in the evening if there is something to watch. If you get used to it being on all day every day you will end up with kids who just want to sit zombified in front of it all the time. If you want noise/music put the radio on or CDs/IPod etc.

SavoyCabbage · 17/11/2014 11:12

When I have the TV on, I want my dc to be watching it. So I can do other things. I don't want they watching it for two minutes then asking me to get the play doh out.

I use the TV as an activity in a similar way to the other things we do.

Now we are painting so let's paint. Now we are hanging out the washing so let's do that. Now we are eating so sit at the table and we will eat.

MillionPramMiles · 17/11/2014 11:13

Doesn't it drive you insane???? All that forced jollity from presenters so obviously desperate to be doing Shakespeare or something.

NickyEds · 17/11/2014 11:17

I have the radio on almost all day around my DS (11 months) as I like background noise-no idea if I'm damaging him but I doubt it so I'll carry on. I "save" TV for when I really need to get stuff done as, even at this age it will hold his attention for a bit. Probably not great parenting but I do need to prepare food/eat/clean etc so Bing Bunny it is!

NeedABumChangeNotANameChange · 17/11/2014 11:27

Children do need to learn to be able to play by themselves and should not need constant stimulation. So many children seem to need constant snacks or a toy to play with just to stand in a queue without having a tantrum. Turn it off, there is simply no reason for it to be on. Constant background noise isn't really needed, quiet can be nice.

wobblyweebles · 17/11/2014 12:01

I need snacks to stand in a queue and I'm 46....

Original poster
ispentitwithyou · 17/11/2014 12:48

Finding it hilarious how someone said about the forced jollity and about them obviously being failed actors....I am somewhat of a failed actress myself so that might be why I like itBlush I actually sing and dance all day for my dd along with cbeebies...

Definitely do not use the tv to "parent" as someone suggested, I did not give up my career to do a bad job of this parenting malarkey, let me tell you

We singalong to all the songs,talk about the things on the screen etc etc and I am extremely strict about sitting in the kitchen with no other stimulus at mealtimes and obviously none at bath time,bed time etc either....

I agree with the poster who said that some of their favourite memories were of programmes they used to watch at a young age. I think we all surely feel more nostalgic about tv shows than most other childhood memories

Btw,we are currently at the park...it doesn't have a tv so we are both feeling a little nervousGrin

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Original poster
ispentitwithyou · 17/11/2014 12:54

Think it's so interesting how being working class has been brought into this.... I always feel I am neither working or middle class in my traits but maybe I am wrong.

I think that our tv itself is very middle class,as it is old,small and unfashionable,however we have sky Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
ispentitwithyou · 17/11/2014 12:55

Which is working class i assume

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Original poster
ispentitwithyou · 17/11/2014 12:55

Presume

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livelablove · 17/11/2014 16:07

I think your plan sounds really sensible. I definitely would do something like that if I was looking after a little one now.

raltheraffe · 17/11/2014 16:12

We limit screen time in our house and have a dedicated time where there are engaging activities such as alphabet, numbers or painting when TV is off. The problem with kids TV on in the background is like you say, a particular song or something comes on and ds gets distracted.
On a personal level several cBeebies shows do my nut in. I love Sarah & Duck, Dinopaws, Mr Bloom and Dr Ranj but when Justin comes on the TV I switch it right off.

hiccupgirl · 17/11/2014 16:17

I found CBeebies was really useful when DS was 18 months to 4ish - my DS talks non stop unless the TV and sometimes even the most saintly mother needs the constant chatter to just stop for 15 mins or so.

But I would agree it is a bit of a slippery slope and as your child gets older, they will start to demand programmes on when you try to cut it back. DS is nearly 5 and at school and he does have some TV after school to chill out to but we've just started limiting it so he doesn't just sit there for 3 hours till bedtime. So far he's been ok with this but he does keep asking for bloody Kate and Mimmim.

If it's just for background noise I would have the radio on instead as there isn't the distracting images and children seem less sucked in by it.

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