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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to give my daughter have baby crisps and put the tv on?

86 replies

RedRobyn2021 · 21/01/2022 12:14

For context DD is 11 months, I washed my hair this morning and needed to dry it so I brought all the bits downstairs and gave her some fruit and some Sainsburys baby crisps and put on some cartoons

She quite happily munched away and occasionally looked over at me to smile whilst I dried and straightened my hair

This is something I started doing sometimes maybe a week ago. I read online babies/toddlers shouldn't have crisps and shouldn't watch tv as it can effect them negatively in future with their speech and reading. do feel a bit guilty about it like I'm letting her down. Got me thinking about what are mums of multiples meant to do when they have a new baby? I barely get off the sofa in the early days feeding her

Would be interested to hear your thoughts. Please be kind.

YABU - you shouldn't be giving your daughter baby crisps, you shouldn't be letting her watch TV and certainly not at the same time.

YANBU - it's ok to do this occasionally

OP posts:
megletthesecond · 21/01/2022 12:16

Yanbu.
Cbeebies and a snack keeps the peace.

Bushkin · 21/01/2022 12:16

This is totally fine

IDontLikeMondays88 · 21/01/2022 12:16

I really wouldn’t worry about this.

My son is slightly older but he gets baby crisps and a bit of age appropriate tv just not all the time. Needs must.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 21/01/2022 12:17

YANBU!

Of course not! Frankly I'm surprised you survived this long without CBeebieds Grin

AsYouWishButtercup · 21/01/2022 12:18

It’s absolutely fine, I strongly believe that women need to stop trying to feel they have to be the perfect parent 100% of the time. The pressure is so damaging, the kids will be fine!

I know this is anecdotal but my DD is now almost 9, watched a shit load of TV as a baby and she’s an excellent footballer as well as exceeding in her maths and English at school.

And YADNBU if it’s Pombears, I still buy them just for me Bear

Workin8til6 · 21/01/2022 12:18

This is literally my entire parenting philosophy 😂 she will be fine

mylittleyumyum · 21/01/2022 12:18

What are they meant to do while you are watching telly? I never blindfolded mine when I was feeding her and she was stretching my nip trying to see the screen.

Same with the 2nd one, by this time 3 year old had an infatuation with reruns of the Crystal Maze, so by default number 2 was forced to watch too.

All joking aside, I'm pretty sure she's not sitting glued to tv for 12 hours straight, but prepare yourself to be judged as if she is!

becca3210 · 21/01/2022 12:19

Absolutely fine don't worry!

mistermagpie · 21/01/2022 12:20

Is she your only child?

I have three children, aged 6, 4 and 2. Obviously I had them close together and therefore it's anything to survive in this house! My 2 year old has grown up with the tv on a lot, she's not really watching it all the time but it's on quite a bit, her speech is no worse than my other two children's.

I really wouldn't think twice about what you're doing at all, crisps are fine every now and then, it's not like this is a daily thing and TV is also fine as long as you're not plonking her in front of it for hours on end.

If you're bothered by it though, just wash your hair while she naps or at night. I wash my hair at night now because the idea that I might get time to dry my hair in the morning is a distant memory, but I have a job and multiple children!

TulipsGarden · 21/01/2022 12:21

She's absolutely fine. Mine started watching In the Night Garden while in a playpen (the horror! 😁) at six months so I could make dinner. And he was basically weaned on Ella's Kitchen puffs. He's just three now, has known his alphabet for months and can count to 100. He's doing absolutely fine.

SpringRainbow · 21/01/2022 12:23

It is absolutely perfectly fine, she is happy and occupied and you get the chance to do something for yourself.

As long as that isn’t all she does/ her entire diet then give yourself a break and crack on.

KatyRebecca84 · 21/01/2022 12:26

No issue with this at all! We can't be entertaining our kids 24/7! I put my now 3 year old in front of the tv any time I need to get something done and can't play with him.. this might be makeup in the morning, starting on the dinner, going for a wee in peace! As long as it's age appropriate tv and you are watching if they have snacks so they don't choke, it's fine and normal!

BadDogCujo · 21/01/2022 12:26

It’s absolutely fine, I strongly believe that women need to stop trying to feel they have to be the perfect parent 100% of the time. The pressure is so damaging, the kids will be fine!

100000000000%

I sent myself crazy with this stuff in the first year, she can't have this or that or too much of X, can't watch TV can't do Y or Z. Have calmed down a lot now she's over 1 and the world hasn't ended and I'm much more chilled which is good for everyone.

You'll never be the picture perfect parent or do everything by the baby books you read. Please don't kill yourself trying. In reality a lot of the days are spent just trying to keep them alive ha.

sweetbutapshyco · 21/01/2022 12:29

Seems like she is your first child. Don't worry, been there done that. She will be fine. However, don't give her normal crisps, only baby ones as normal ones have a high salt content which is not good for them.

ladycarlotta · 21/01/2022 12:35

This sounds perfect to me. You were present, baby was happy, PLUS you were doing something that made you feel a bit more human. I would not underestimate that.

Slipperfairy · 21/01/2022 12:36

My telly addict child is an avid reader and was way ahead of other kids in primary. He's not anymore, but TV didn't damage him.

My non TV addict child is not a reader.

Heyahun · 21/01/2022 12:36

i do this with my 10month old - the only way I can get a bit of lunch for myself or start dinner! really don't worry :)

I also have to bribe her with melty puffs to stay in the buggy on the bus haha

TroysMammy · 21/01/2022 12:43

Have you got a cat to keep an eye on her? My sister used to say this every so often Grin

Krustykrabpizza · 21/01/2022 12:45

I would stop reading whatever it is you are reading

Suzanne999 · 21/01/2022 12:47

If your baby is only fed crisps and spends hours in front of TV, that’s not good.
Few crisps and half an hour of TV while you do your hair perfectly ok.
This is real life —- you have things to do and a baby just has to be safe & distracted while you do those things.
Count up all the other stuff you do with her —— play, sing, go to the shops/park/ baby group. That’s the stuff that counts.

Frazzlerock · 21/01/2022 12:50

I wouldn't even question this. My 15 month old has just finished his lunch and now I want to eat mine, so CBeebies is on and a bowl of veggie sticks (crisps basically) placed in front of him.

Siameasy · 21/01/2022 12:51

Another one reminiscing about how I agonised over doing similar. Go for it!
DD is now nearly 7 and does not stop talking so I still say “wanna put the TV on” when it gets to me!

MacaroniCheeseCat · 21/01/2022 12:54

Totally fine!

Don’t worry about her speech until you have something to worry about - I have a four year age gap with mine and the younger one has seen a lot of TV. Like, more than I ever would have let my first have. His speech is more advanced than his brother’s. Mind you, DC1 knew his alphabet and numbers at 2.5 thanks to Little Baby Bum….

Lancssss · 21/01/2022 12:54

I think it’s totally fine. I’d just be aware to keep checking she’s not choking. It happens to quickly and totally silently so if you were looking in the mirror and not at her you wouldn’t know.

Kanfuzed123 · 21/01/2022 12:55

Nooo, YANBU. Probably not the most kosher advice but I do feel like TV actually helps with vocab. The only thing might be it encourages mindless eating but here and there perfectly fine