Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

about the amount of TV my kids watch

29 replies

deliverdaniel · 19/07/2017 19:24

I have two DC's aged nearly 4 and nearly 7. I feel as though they watch too much TV and want to cut down a bit for various reasons (not enough time to do other stuff/ starting to say other stuff is 'boring' and my older DC doesn't read for pleasure even though he is a good reader etc) They do enjoy other games- lego/ outings/ imaginary play/ art etc and the eldest is doing well in school (youngest hasn't started yet) so I don't think it's terrible, but still...

They have about half an hour in the morning before school, then about 1 hour in the evening before bed (weekdays) . Weekends they have about an hour in the morning, my eldest has an hour of ipad at lunchtime while youngest (and we) take a nap or get a break and then an hour before bed.

Apologies that I'm sure this has been asked a million times before.

Does this sound like a lot to you? How much TV/ screen time do your young DC have? Thanks

OP posts:
Pengggwn · 19/07/2017 19:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
deliverdaniel · 19/07/2017 19:30

thanks Pengggwn. That makes me feel better. IT's hard to get a sense of perspective as I know people who have the TV on all day long (which I think is too much) and people who don't let their DC watch any Tv at all (which seems equally extreme) so really not sure what the happy medium people do.

OP posts:
Angelicinnocent · 19/07/2017 19:33

Not excessive but never been a fan of TV first thing before school. Time better spent talking about what is happening that day etc. I would suggest not getting into that routine but otherwise I don't see a problem.

Pengggwn · 19/07/2017 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

formerbabe · 19/07/2017 19:37

It doesn't sound like a lot to me.

Original poster
deliverdaniel · 19/07/2017 19:38

Angelicinnocent i totally agree with you. WE got into bad habits because the youngest was waking up early (5.45am) and we were so tired we just stuck the tV on. School doesn't start til 9.10 so it's a lot of time to fill. But agree. our days do seem to go much better wehn they don't watch TV in the morning! BUt then that seems to involve more of us entertaining/ refereeing them. I'm obviously just being too lazy

OP posts:
Pengggwn · 19/07/2017 19:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BastardBernie · 19/07/2017 19:47

The quicker you get ready and eat your breakfast, the quicker you can watch the television in my house.
Bit mean really on reflection, as I wake them up at 7.15 and we leave at 8am(ish). Whoopsie daisy Smile
None after school unless it was an especially tiresome day; two programmes before book and bed.

Me264 · 19/07/2017 19:57

It sounds like less TV than I watched at that age!

bigkidsdidit · 19/07/2017 19:59

Almost exactly the same as you here, which I think is fine. Afterschool they have an hour ish in the park with friends, homework, a board game or puzzle with me, dinner round the table, a bath and two or three books / chapters read to them. An hour of CBBC in amongst that is completely fine as far as I'm concerned!

nocutsnobuttsnococonuts · 19/07/2017 20:01

Weekdays in our house will be about 1-1.5hrs in evening after dinner and tidied/ready for school next day. This is usually a family film or a couple of episodes on netflix.

Weekends are another story.... if we are in the tv can be on most of the day. But meals are at the table and I encourage other activities in between. However sometimes they are knackered and want to chill out, it's no different to me sitting on mumsnet/watching crap in the evenings after a long day/week.

Tablets are limited to 1hr of apps/videos per day (unlimited reading) but must be off before 7 as I don't like then to be on stimulating screens just before bed. (On timers to save arguments) they have tv or tablets not both :)

My dd's are 8 and 5.

Calvinlookingforhobbs · 19/07/2017 20:02

It doesn't sound like a lot but if I were you'd I'd cut the time before school out.

bigkidsdidit · 19/07/2017 20:04

I don't mind tv before school - mine can only watch it if dressed / shoes on / teeth brushed and it does hurry them up

Unihorn · 19/07/2017 20:04

Our 7yo watches 2-3 hours some nights and none on others. Sometimes she plays out on her bike for hours, sometimes we play board games, sometimes she sits and reads. 1-2 hours a day is not excessive.

Original poster
deliverdaniel · 19/07/2017 20:08

thanks for the replies.

Agree with PP who said it's less tv than we used to watch as kids (eighties) but I do feel that TV was a bit different then. our kids watch netflix on demand so can watch several episodes of their favourite thing in a row, with no delayed gratification, no boring bits of Blue Peter etc,

Sounds like we are not way off base then for most people?

OP posts:
Original poster
deliverdaniel · 19/07/2017 23:14

I think a lot of my concern about this is DS's reluctance to read for pleasure. I can't help thinking that if he watched less TV then he would want to read more, but maybe the two aren't related at all.

OP posts:
heatherscot · 19/07/2017 23:19

I'd not let them watch TV before school. A bad way to start the day...

Original poster
deliverdaniel · 19/07/2017 23:21

heatherscot agree. We got into the habit because our younger DC was waking up at 5.30-6 and we were too tired to do anything except put on the TV but that's getting better so we need ot get out of the habit...

OP posts:
heatherscot · 20/07/2017 00:21

Yeah I think you're right to take stock, easy to fall in to habits like that. Currently trying to stop watching crap TV out of tiredness in evening - actually read a book last week for first time in about two years...

EsmereldaMargaretNoteSpelling · 20/07/2017 06:17

I'm fairly relaxed about tablet/telly/general screen time but found that the before school pressure improved beyond recognition when our telly 'broke' for a week a few years ago! As per a previous poster, if they want 15 minutes or so on the tablet in a morning they have to be ready to walk out the door - teeth, lunches, shoes, the lot. Only then are they allowed on it. After school if homework and music practice is done, then screen time is relatively relaxed.

sahbear · 20/07/2017 06:41

Re: reading for pleasure, how about giving DC1 some "quiet time" before bed which is only for reading himself or similar. The other option is to go to sleep. We approsch this as a treat so only if behaved well, so quiet time is a positive. My DS will choose to read/look at books and therefore more likely to get into a book and choose to read it another time.

BasketOfDeplorables · 20/07/2017 06:44

That doesn't sound like too much tv. I know a lot of children who haven't enjoyed reading until they've found something that has really grabbed them, and then they've really got into it.

NotTheDuchessOfCambridge · 20/07/2017 06:47

I know my two watch far too much Tv and PlayStation, we are going to a campsite for two weeks so I'm hoping this will break their Tv habit.

Love51 · 20/07/2017 06:53

Apparently the biggest thing to encourage reading is modelling, ie they see role models reading and discussing books. Also, its still good if you read to them, assuming they like it.

InDubiousBattle · 20/07/2017 06:56

Well the average daily screen time for 5-10 year olds is 4.5 hours apparently. So 90 minutes is entirely reasonable. Probably less than I watch as an adult most days. Nothing to worry about imho.