Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
DixieNormas · 21/02/2015 23:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WindMeUpAndLetMeGo · 21/02/2015 23:08

Yes American Horror Story and Orange Is The New Black

ChillySundays · 21/02/2015 23:09

Skittycat - I am the same. Dark and quiet is just the worse.

I never had a tv in my room until I left home though

Penquin · 21/02/2015 23:10

Why aren't we allowed to be lazy? We're in our own homes, do we have to be attentive, nursery teacher-style super parents all the bloody time? I'm at home, I'm tired and sometimes I want to be lazy.

And dd absolutely loved film night with popcorn in bed with me before she went to sleep tonight. As did I (Although tbh if it had been up to me we wouldn't have watched a Tinkerbell film).

DixieNormas · 21/02/2015 23:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WindMeUpAndLetMeGo · 21/02/2015 23:14

It's brilliant Dixie, though quite a Bit of lesbianism in it (just in case that bothers you - not to offend anyone!!)

Philoslothy · 21/02/2015 23:16

I have been in bed most of the day today, sometimes with a child sometimes without

WindMeUpAndLetMeGo · 21/02/2015 23:16

You're right Penquin - me and the DSs often watch films in my bed with munchies (hate the crumbs though)

DevaWalls · 21/02/2015 23:20

My 5 yr old has a TV and dvd player in her room. The tv has no TV input so can only play dvds. She is only allowed it on when we say that she can and that is only for an hour on a Sunday morning so I can doze in bed for a little longer.
I can't see a problem with an hour of care bears on in her room once a week, to each their own.

DixieNormas · 21/02/2015 23:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

frazzled74 · 21/02/2015 23:49

My dc's have had TVs in their rooms from around the age of 7, great for watching tv in peace without siblings quarrelling, playing playstation whilst dh is watching cricket or I am wanting peace, they can watch DVDs with their friends when they come over, they also have lots of books, enjoy listening to music and have a set bedtime/ lights off. Just because they have a tv, doesn't mean they fall asleep watching it.

WindMeUpAndLetMeGo · 22/02/2015 00:16

Dixie what's Black list?

louwn · 22/02/2015 00:46

I don't have a TV in my bedroom....did have one as a child (not as young as 5 though). Don't think you need one to be honest!

wartsnall · 22/02/2015 00:56

needsmore what age do you think a child should be before having a TV in their room?

Fanjango · 22/02/2015 01:04

My younger kids had a TV in their room from age 4. It played DVDs only. They all have TVs now, xbox mad the lot of them. Rules still the same though, no tv at bedtime, ever. No problem having a telly on the room, there is an off switch!

CallMeExhausted · 22/02/2015 01:14

My 9yo disabled DD goes go sleep with music playing in her room. If she had a TV, she would not sleep. When my DS turned 14, we bought him a TV for his room. It collects dust - he rarely uses it (16 yo now).

I think 5 is far too young, and now that the precedent is set, what is to stop the child from waking in the middle of the night and turning on the set instead of settling back to sleep.

Sadly, it is up to the parents to draw the line.

RJnomore · 22/02/2015 01:17

YANBU. There's a world of difference between blue light from a tv or other screen and radio or music and how they effect your brain.

I used to sleep to radio 4 as I liked the talking.

My kids have tvs enabled only to play DVDs but up until the last year neither got them on for bed. Now dd1 is 15 I trust her to sort her own sleep.

WindMeUpAndLetMeGo · 22/02/2015 01:22

Callme if the trust given with a tv in their room is broke then it is taken away - simple

chocolatemademefat · 22/02/2015 01:27

Not your child so none of your business. My son's both had tv's from the age of three and haven't suffered from it. Both university graduates earning more than their parents. (Stealth boast!)
Leave people alone to parent their kids as they see fit.

LaLyra · 22/02/2015 01:40

My 7 year old has had a tv/dvd in his room since he was out of his cot. He (and his body) believe that sleep is for the weak. He only sleeps for around 5 hours a night. We have tried every sleep training going over the years and various doctors we've seen believe he simply just doesn't need a lot of sleep. 5 hours once he started school was a dream (until he was 2 he never slept for longer than 3 1/2 hours in one go).

It's on a timer plug so that when he wakes at 5.30am every morning he has to lie in bed or read a book for half an hour and then he can put a DVD at 6am. If DH is home he is up at 6.30am so he'll take him down for breakfast, if he's away he gets half an hour in bed with me.

He'll read before sleep now, but when he was younger he'd get a DVD a couple of nights a week if I needed sleep so it kept him quiet.

People can call it as lazy as they like, but I had 3 other children (now 4) and a job to look after (which I had to drive too) and simply couldn't function with 5am wake up calls. The tv in his room saved my sanity.

Mousefinkle · 22/02/2015 05:34

Yanbu. Bedrooms are for sleeping in, TV isn't good in anyone's bedroom let alone a five year olds.

HoleinmyBucket · 22/02/2015 06:22

Each to their own in my view. What works for some might not necesarily work for others. I had a TV in my room from the age of about 11 - used to watch it long after I should have been asleep with the volume almost off - scared the pants off myself watching late night horror! I couldn't fall asleep to it because it was back in the olden days when the telly went all fuzzy after about 1am!

My ex-H gauges his success in life by the amount of electrical gadgetry in his house - and, my goodness, he managed to cram a lot in - all churning out one kind of noise or another, often at the same time! When we split up I found it very refreshing to get away from it all, and consequently it was quite some time before I even bought a TV (the peace was wonderful!).

When I didn't have a TV in my house he went on a 'charm offensive' with the kids - assuming they missed the TV (they didn't) - and packed their rooms at his house with TVs, VCRs, Gaming stuff. I then found that the youngest couldn't get to sleep at mine without some sort of noise in the room - even after winding down reading stories etc. I found that a DVD player with talking books did the trick. The older 2 (DDs) didn't have the same problem but they shared a room and often chatted until they fell asleep.

Youngest DS (2nd marriage) doesn't have anything electronic in his bedroom, neither do we - I really like having a peaceful place to retreat to.

In answer to the OP asking are they BU in thinking the way they do - no, you are not BU having your own point of view - but you would BU if you tried to make the parents in question feel bad because they have a different view to yourself.

Original poster
Needmorechocolate · 22/02/2015 06:41

Wow, so many replies, thanks everyone. It's interesting to see everyone's thoughts on it. Holeinmybucket - I've not actually said anything in RL to them about the tv because it's up to them how they choose to parent but I do still have concerns that 5 is just too young.

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 22/02/2015 07:21

YANBU

Andrewofgg · 22/02/2015 07:49

Agree. DS (30, and I know times have changed) was not allowed a TV until after A-Levels. A child who is used to a dark silent room will never expect sound and light after going to bed.

Swipe left for the next trending thread