To have children's tv on all day?

[ispentitwithyou]

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

My parents had the TV on loads and liked us all to have lots of screen time too. I found it all so drab and pointless even aged 8

the reason for me was so i could got things done and i don't feel any guilt for this. the tv served a useful purpose.

OP - it's X fm until lunch (when I might have finally woken up!) then classic fm when I need everyone to calm the fuck down....

I don't think you need to reproduce the energy of a full room if you are regularly taking your DD to toddler groups and the like where there's lots of other children - she'll be getting that there, then at home, you have the advantage that she gets to have quiet, focused time with you.

More alternative?!? I meant more alert!

My next door neighbours are funny they have the radio and TV on at the same time! He likes T.V she likes radio.

alemci my reason is exactly the same. There's no shame in it. Actually, this is one of those subjects I'd thought MN would riot over but I've found people on this thread generally honest, pleasant and their methods and advice constructive.

Interesting, OP - I don't think that you need TV to produce energy. Personally I loathe background noise, because it just requires wasted effort to block it out. (Or it sucks up attention and reduces the ability to concentrate on a task).

mary thank you

jolleigh ,we have had a very full day today and were out from 10 until 5 and then my auntie visited so no time for TV at all! However.. We could have had it on whilst getting ready to leave the house to go to the stables but didn't,and my husband remarked that dd hadn't stopped talking all morning!

Coincidence?? I'm not sure but will be experimenting as you are and aiming to not put the tv on until bedtime tomorrow

Love the idea of it making your dd more alternative!
I feel exactly the same! I have lurked for three years and seen OPs get a right pasting for less this is my first ever thread and people have been constructive and lovely.

Perhaps it's because I am willing to concede I am being a tiny bit U, for the electricity if nothing else! Keep me posted tomorrow on your tv free day? We can conduct a social experiment

I find that people find the arguments and articles that support what they feel about TV most persuasive, and follow their initially based view more strongly and with the satisfaction that there are studies that back their beliefs.

I was more concerned about advertising than concentration development, and so only had, and now have again, TV on demand.

In the OP's situation, I would limit the TV a little more than the usage at first post so that TV shows hold more 'power' to 'babysit' when needed. And, with the need for socialising covered by out of the house, play-group-style activities, would worry less about trying to create a bustling atmosphere at home and allow it to just be naturally calmer and quieter by not artificially ramping up the noise levels with extra TV.

OP, get a Chromecast dongle - it costs about 30 pounds and allows you to stream Iplayer to your TV from your laptop, phone etc. We find this fantastic - we let toddler DD watch a few Cbeebies shows we like at times that work for us, but we don't have live TV on.

So yes to casting carefully rationed bits of the good stuff - a bit of Abney & Teal, Sarah & Duck, Show Me Show Me and ITNG - but none of the rubbish (yes, Charley Bear, Everything's Rosie and Kate and MimMim, I am looking at you.....)

I'll definitely keep you posted ispent. DD was very chatty too...she does go through periods of that though. I'll see if we have similar tomorrow.

What other posters have touched on RE TV becoming a more effective tool when it's used less is very interesting to me...DD isn't completely focussed on it when it's on, much the same as I'm not. But unlike me, she's not doing chores through the flat between playing...She's playing in the same room as the TV. It is background noise for her, just like it is for me. But if I were constantly in the same room as it, I'm sure I'd find myself idly watching it much more frequently than I do.

Life is very frenetic these days.

I would def have silence (from tv etc) for an hour a day at least.

Also once at school DCs will have 'noise' of everyone around them all day. Def think silence for a bit would be nice after that

We tend to find something on iplayer or love films and put it on for half an hour or an hour on evenings they are shattered. Otherwise we don't bother because they are all busy playing happily

Thank you to everyone posting,very interesting.

My votes for djs for mumsnet radio would be

Kate bush
Claudia Winkleman
Caitlin Moran

No fearne cotton??

I'd go along with that!

I would suggest turning it off if you are playing it with other things, and just put it on if you are having actual TV time, or you want her to watch it while you tidy up. Otherwise it will probably be a distraction and might drive you mad if nothing else. I often get programme theme tunes stuck in my head and it drives me mad!

My DD is 22 months and loves TV a lot more than her older brother did at that age. I certainly haven't managed the no TV until two for her. I often find myself putting the TV on when I need to get dinner ready, for example.

When I look after my two year old granddaughter she likes children's to on. She is not watching it just playing. However if I turn it off she complains. I think she likes the background chatter that it provide.

Florentina - do you think that's healthy? What about in the long term? I expect in a few years time she will be super glued to screens 24-7

decaff great post,thanks

I wouldn't worry about providing her with background noise for atmosphere. It sounds like you do a lot with her and eventually she'll get tons of busy atmosphere at nursery/ school. Honestly, I think that learning to deal with quiet and lack of stimulation is a good skill for the long term. Makes doctors waiting rooms, long car journeys, mum being ill, boring-for-kids-but-unavoidable events like weddings and funerals much easier for them. Hard to cut back on screen time later on but she prob wouldn't miss you switching off now.

Have any of you come across the digital radio station called Funkids? Is also available over the Internet. We listen to it at weekends and all the music played is lyric suitable for kids (DD is almost 10 and chooses to put it on herself over stations like Capital). During the week, during the day time, the music played is more suited to younger/pre school audiences.

I am working class but chose not to have the TV on during the day when on maternity leave or when at home on my non work days: I was determined not to get sucked in by Jeremy Kyle, etc. The only time the TV was on during the day was if there was a sporting event on that DH was watching (Match of the Day theme tune was one of the first tunes she knew!)