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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think a 5 year old shouldn't have a TV in their room?

149 replies

Needmorechocolate · 21/02/2015 21:30

My niece (who is 5) has a TV in her room. Apparently they put on a DVD every night at bedtime and she'll fall asleep watching it after an hour or so.

I think 5 is too young to have TV in the bedroom and don't think it's healthy to be falling asleep in front of the TV every night. AIBU to think this?

OP posts:
StarOnTheTree · 21/02/2015 22:01

southeastastra Your first post has just convinced me to get DD3 (8) a tv for her room.

Iggly · 21/02/2015 22:02

I will add - I don't shut my DCs in a dark room and expect them to sleep just like that. We have lights out and have a chat which relaxes them (they love asking me questions etc) then they drop off to sleep with me there.

MrsBungle · 21/02/2015 22:02

My dc aren't expected to have lights out and to go to sleep immediately. Both are allowed to read. To each their own, I certainly don't judge others I kist know that I watched a load of inappropriate stuff when I was a kid and I prefer dd and ds to read.

Sparklingbrook · 21/02/2015 22:02

No, it's books or TV *Downstairs. Children with TVs in their rooms cannot and will never be able to read. Wink

usualsuspect333 · 21/02/2015 22:04

I know Sparkling it's a wonder my kids ever learnt to read at all, what with them having a TV in their room.

JudgeRinderSays · 21/02/2015 22:04

My kids all have tablets/PCs in their rooms so can watch TV on them if they want.
i wonder if all these insufferably smug technophobes are the same ones who start threads about having to sit with their Dc for 2 hours every night because they can't go to sleep alone.

DownstairsMixUp · 21/02/2015 22:05

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

blackheartsgirl · 21/02/2015 22:05

i see the judgy twats are out in force tonight Hmm

So what would you do if you had a child who couldnt sleep until the wee hours, no matter what you tried. or if you have a child with asd or adhd who was kept calm and safe by the flicker of a familiar tv programme or familiar soothing radio sounds?

or a child who was so scared to sleep at night they jump at everything, imagine a monster on every step or every creak.

when i was 12 I had a very real (to me) fear of vampires and coffins (my mum now things I have an asd or adhd,other things fit too) and my mental health is poor. If I hadnt have had my radio or my little tv I would have cracked.

I also think it is very poor parenting to leave a child upstairs on it's own for hours struggling to sleep and ignoring it whilst the adults are downstairs.

flame away. Grin

Sparklingbrook · 21/02/2015 22:05

They can always put the subtitles on and have a little try usual. Grin

pud1 · 21/02/2015 22:06

My dds age 5 and 7 share a room and have a TV in ther . It isn't tuned in so only plays dvd . They watch a film at bed time about twice a month and probably the same amount during day time.
We live in a 2 bed flat with only lounge, kitchen , 2 bath and 2 bedrooms so don't have other options for the dds to relax and watch a DVD. I don't have TV on during the day much as it drives me mad.

That said I also have a TV in my bedroom and love watching it in bed

WrappedInABlankie · 21/02/2015 22:06

I have a TV annd laptop in my room, can't sleep without it hate just lying there in the dark.

My DS doesn't but i know someone who has just brought a 40" TV for their three year olds room so "he has a decent TV to play the xbox and playstation on"

My dad has just given me a computer for my DS, no idea why he can't use it so it's in the babys room until i can find somewhere else to put it.

MrsBungle · 21/02/2015 22:07

Well, I'm a lazy parent too - My kids watch tonnes of tv, just not their bedrooms when they're not supervised. That's my personal preference.

monkeyfacegrace · 21/02/2015 22:07

I don't get the issue Confused

I don't read. I fucking hate reading. It's tedious and I'd far rather watch a film. My life isn't worse for not reading.

We all have a tv in our rooms. The kids like watching a dvd in bed, or in the mornings on a weekend.

So bloody what?!

We also live rurally, get covered in mud, walk 3 hours a day with the dogs, climb trees and run around corn fields to our hearts content.

I'm happy to be thought of as a fucking lazy parent by some anonymous Internet pleb Wink

TerryTheGreenHorse · 21/02/2015 22:09

I am currently a no telly in bedrooms but DSS are only little.

I don't think it's lazy parenting though, I don't know why that is the case. It is merely a difference of opinion.

southeastastra · 21/02/2015 22:09

staronthetree, i really did hate the awful pressure that was put on me to go to sleep, i wasn't tired half the time yet if i was the slightest noise woke me up and made me jumpy

TerryTheGreenHorse · 21/02/2015 22:10

Well I am far lazier than you Grace so in our small sample we have disproved the theory.

ChillySundays · 21/02/2015 22:10

For the ones who say 'lazy parenting' then walk a mile in my shoes. My Ds had one at an early age. Trying to get him to sleep was a nightmare - TV put in as a last resort.

I have to have the TV on to get to sleep. If we go away and there is no TV we are talking early hours before i get to sleep

DownstairsMixUp · 21/02/2015 22:13

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

blackheartsgirl · 21/02/2015 22:13

one of my greatest pleasures in life is watch telly or youtube on my little tablet with my headphones in bed. I am out like a light very quickly these days most nights. I can't fall asleep to the telly though now

basgetti · 21/02/2015 22:14

My 6 year old has a TV in his room for dvds and his xbox. We also read together every day. It is possible to do both.

springlamb · 21/02/2015 22:14

My dc both had TVs in their room from the age of about 4, they had those TV/video ones and then moved onto TV/DVDs. I have never limited screen time, never had to say 'that's your half an hour done', not with telly, nor with computers.
Now late and early teens, they both are very articulate and well read, the older has his GCSEs in English Lang and Lit, the younger is top half of the top set for literacy. They converse quite confidently on politics and current affairs, even my 13 yr old. Their general knowledge is extensive, and their specialist knowledge of their hobbies is rather intimidating.
What I think is - whatever was on the screen, I was more interesting. It was more fun to be with me, talking to me, listening to me, chewing the cud with me. I also read to them a heck of a lot and funnily they are both huge readers.
We have spent most evenings this week at the kitchen table from 8 till 10 together doing our paint by numbers and playing that old game Mastermind (where you guess the code, you might be too old to remember). Counting all the devices, they have 4 screens each in their bedroom but they're at the kitchen table with me.
So in my experience, TVs in the bedroom mean nothing.

twinkletoedelephant · 21/02/2015 22:15

Did went in a sleepover where the mum put on a DVD for the girls to fall asleep too... It was a double film one...

Dd went to wake the mum up at half 1 as she couldn't figure out how to turn of the TV and all the other girls were asleep.

ImBatDog · 21/02/2015 22:16

my kids have tvs in their rooms, but they're only allowed them on in the mornings after 6am if they can't get back to sleep, because they're not allowed up before 7am.

i dont really agree with them having it on at night time, so neither have dvd players in there.

EugenesAxe · 21/02/2015 22:16

YANBU.

Treaclepot · 21/02/2015 22:17

Maybe fucking lazy was harsh. But I think it is short sighted. Two of our four were real nightmares to get to sleep for a while so I had to be really work at getting them to sleep by themselves. One of mine has behavioural issues that is made far worse by any sort of stimulation, though annoyingly he is far easier to control when in front of a screen or bribed by a screen.

Tv in bedrooms isn't good for adults or kids as can disturb sleep patterns.

I do also think it is sad to think of little kids watching tv on their bedroom. Don't know why that is worse in my head than them reading but it is.