To let my DD watch tv?!

[Bridezilla3521]

I have just read a thread in which screen time was discussed, regarding how much etc. Some people said they don't let their DC watch tv AT ALL. Never. Ever.

Really?!!!

I find that extremely hard to believe.

My DD is 16 months old. She has tv on in the background in the mornings while I'm getting ready, tidying up etc or in need of just 30 mins of peace! In total, I would say she 'watches' (has it on while playing, occasionally turning around if a song or a programme in particular she likes comes on) 2-3 hours at the very most. That being a day we're at home by the way.

Is this too much?!! Can any of you honestly say that you NEVER have the tv on at any point during the day?!

Cardi - because TV would be on talking loudly/ showing programmes presumable in main room. Our radio is just background music, little talking, and on in kitchen so a sutle background noise in flat.

The only way I can get DS (9mo) to have a morning nap, is to plonk DD (2.6) in front of CBeebies to keep her quiet and not wanting me. That way I can take him upstairs and sit quietly with him for 5-10 minutes until he's asleep. I'll usually then let her keep it on until the end of Bing

We will always watch 30-45 minutes before bath time.

It might be on during the day for half an hour if I really need to do something that I couldn't during the post lunch nap time.

We do plenty of other fun things, and my DD language and communication is incredible. It's not hurt her one bit.

I don't agree with on constantly in the background though. We have just one tv in the living room. Our playroom and kitchen/family room are on a different floor, so we have to make the effort to go and watch it.

Artandco that majestic no sense! Why would TV need to be on louder than the radio?

Cardi - so you can understand the words rather than just music..

showme- I love twirls... mmmm.

Depends what you do the rest of the time. How much you talk and communicate the rest of the time.
Cbeebies is fine.
DVDs of letters numbers etc.
My son learned to read from watching videos. And he has severe lds.

Actually the dependence on technology is an interesting point. At some point DH and I decided that once we get home till DS goes to bed (sound asleep by 7) there will be no ipad/phone. This is actually hard for us, and it demonstrated how much we rely on these gadgets. DH has a job where sometimes he does need to keep his phone on and check it (he's a medic), but I really don't do a job where if I don't check email for 3 hours the world will end. And yet, my hand strays towards the phone when there is that familiar ping. I have found though that really enforcing the technology ban when it's the three of us with DS did help a lot in terms of our family dynamic.

But as I said in my post up thread, we don't do much TV because we are not a TV watching family, not because we are following some principle/philosophy. It's just how we are. I was once sick on a day DH was on call. Throwing up repeatedly and I had to put some movies on till DS went to bed because I had no choice. No guilt about that at all. Also we are originally from India and do 2-3 long haul flights a year (I mean 10 hour+) so DS is free to watch what he wants during that time. Similarly, we have a family tradition of watching 'The Sound of Music' on Christmas Day. And a couple of Sundays ago we curled up on the sofa after lunch with hot chocolate and watched 'The Snowman and the Snowdog' and 'Father Christmas'. I am always a little skeptical of the 'my kids watch loads of TV because it is educational' brigade. I am more than happy to admit that when I do deploy the TV it is because I need a break (on a flight, at home when sick, after a long day etc), or because something is on that I really want to watch (i.e. Wimbledon or the Olympics).

There have been quite a few studies done. They recommend no tv for under 2's and very limited tv for older kids

Love how a few people on here are so judgemental about other mums. For example - using mobile hones while out in the pram, maybe the baby is asleep and this is the first chance he gets to check calls etc?!

And I also feel like I must give an average day for our 'screen time'. On work/nursery days it's 20mins max while I get ready and 30 mins in evening. As I stated before, it's 2-3 hours on a rare day we're in, weather is terrible and no option but to stay in.

Ds is 17mo and until recently (the last month or so) he wasn't allowed to watch any TV at all as he would literally have been staring at a screen blankly (I don't believe very young toddlers actually take in what they're watching). He now has the TV on maybe 15-20 mins in the day but I talk about what's happening on the screen and he laughs in the right places etc so must be taking it in. I do occasionally break my own rules and put the TV on for him if I'm having a particularly stressful day - I am current half way through a hyperemesis pregnancy and have been unable to do a great deal, so occasionally have turned to the electronic babysitter.

I must admit though I'm guilty of having the TV on a lot in the background for myself but usually just the news channel.

I thought it was supposed to be zero screen-time (which includes laptops and iPads) for under-twos.

Therefore, 2-3 hours any day, any day, is a ton.

(And yes, I love people who proudly say they 'don't watch tv because they don't have a tv at home', yet it transpires that they watch tv shows on a laptop/iPad. So what they mean is that they don't watch a device called a tv )

It's up to you. We don't have a TV, that's up to us as well. That does sound like a lot of TV for a baby though and I'm not sure what the point is in having it on if you say nobody's watching it?

Oh yes, the DC do watch the occasional film on the iPad but it's about once a fortnight. Definitely not worth having a TV for (I can't remember the last time I watched it, not because I think it's virtuous but because there's nothing on that I want to watch).