To have my 2 yo watch 5 hours of TV?

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

God that sounds so bad written down.

He goes through stages of waking at 5 and it usually lasts around a week then reverts to half six again, not sure why.

I don’t know what to do with him at this time other than let him watch TV! Then he has another hour or so at the end of the day

Do others do the same?

[ChronicOverthinkr]

watching TV 5-730 and 8-9ish and then presumably the hour before bed too?

I’m pretty lax but I feel like that’s too much. If you remove the TV as an option entirely, he will entertain himself with toys. It’s a process he’ll need to learn because imaginative play is a skill, so yes - he will likely need input to begin with to make sure he’s not destroying the house. But you will reap the rewards of persevering and positive reinforcement during the day too. Mine used to watch a lot of TV before I realised what a negative impact it was having on their behaviour and sleep patterns. It was a rough couple of months when we decided no more than an hour of TV a day but now they get up and play with Brio, Duplo, marble runs, cars etc (they’re 2 and 4).

[RIPQueen]

i think no tv until 6am is reasonable then 6-7 is reasonable. 8-9pm is way too late for tv as well it’s overstimulating can’t you do an hour 4-5 whilst you make dinner or whatever. 2 hours is over the amount recommended but I think probably fine. More than that every day is too much - it’s different on a one off rainy Sunday or when you or they are sick but that’s really a lot!

[ReeseWitherfork]

@Romeoalpha

@ladydimitrescu
scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=screen+time+and+adhd&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1665124206518&u=%23p%3DaAwtxczAykAJ

As with PP, this suggests screen time has an impact on ADHD-related behaviours not ADHD. Following to the study that it is citing, they seem to be suggesting that these behaviours can be reversed by lowering the amount of screen time. They also talk significantly about the type of TV, which I think is something often overlooked in these conversations. The woman who rips apart CocoMelon adds an interesting take where she talks about the quality of the TV. I’ll be back once I’ve found her. Worth reading OP!

[Brighteyedtriangle]

Honestly I would try and avoid this.

Im usually the camp of do anything to get through the day but when my 6 year old watches too much tv she is so ignorant and honestly her whole persona changes.

BTW She watches plenty of Tv so its not dont do it at all its limit it as much as you can. We have a no morning before school rule and if she turns cheeky it goes off and she cant watch it for the rest of the day.

Bizarly once it goes off shes happy as larry and entertains herself with other stuff.

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

I meant 8-9 in the morning, not evening!

I honestly don’t think it’s affecting behaviour or sleep … if I did might have to rethink. Bear in mind we’re talking maybe two mornings a month where it’s that much.

[marvellousmaple]

No criticism from me. I'm a TV on in the background type person and all 4 of mine have watched heaps of kids tv. Obviously all kids are different but mine are very capable and successful ( 3 being grown adults with very responsible jobs). 4th is in an accelerated learning programme through state school. Try not to stress.
One thing I would do is make sure I went out everyday if I was home with them. You don't seem to be but maybe even a little wander in the garden with a cup of "tea" each if you have 5 minutes spare in the morning. Otherwise just give your little one a big cuddle when you come home. I would be astounded if any actual teacher could pick the amount of tv each child had watched when they start school.

[SleeplessInEngland]

I don’t see the big deal. I grew up watching tv and I turned out tv.

[ReeseWitherfork]

@ReeseWitherfork

As with PP, this suggests screen time has an impact on ADHD-related behaviours not ADHD. Following to the study that it is citing, they seem to be suggesting that these behaviours can be reversed by lowering the amount of screen time. They also talk significantly about the type of TV, which I think is something often overlooked in these conversations. The woman who rips apart CocoMelon adds an interesting take where she talks about the quality of the TV. I’ll be back once I’ve found her. Worth reading OP!

Check out this lady OP: raisewildflowers.com/screen-time

She’s qualified in child development and has taken a particular interest in screen time. She talks heavily about the importance of choosing better quality TV for your kids and not putting on the high dopamine stuff like CocoMelon. You can tell the folks at CBeebies are concerned with actually putting on high quality educational shows for kids. Whereas anything that originated on YouTube is just trying to create addictive shows so they get more plays and more ad revenue. So four hours of CBeebies is better than two hours of CocoMelon in my book! Even though the latter meets the WHO recommendation and the former does not.

[mynameiscalypso]

I have to admit laughing a little at some of the ideas of what to do at 5am with a two year old. I think TV then is fine.

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

We’ve never watched cocomelon. He hates it, thankfully.

It is generally Mr Tumble (pre 6am) then CBeebies where there are things he likes (teletubbies, Chuggingtons - annoying talking trains - has started to get into Hey Duggee) and things he’s not bothered about he wanders off and engages in meaningful play (trashing the house …) 😂

[ReeseWitherfork]

@Cbeebiesismybestfriend

We’ve never watched cocomelon. He hates it, thankfully.

It is generally Mr Tumble (pre 6am) then CBeebies where there are things he likes (teletubbies, Chuggingtons - annoying talking trains - has started to get into Hey Duggee) and things he’s not bothered about he wanders off and engages in meaningful play (trashing the house …) 😂

It’s easy to overlook how little they’re actually watching the screen. I’m not a morning person so always stuck the TV on for DS when he woke for a couple of hours but I reckon he watched all of ten minutes of it until he turned about 2.5 when he could start requesting what he wanted. He’d sit glued to Paw Patrol until I had enough and banned it 😅

[FiveMins]

Tbh it's pretty shit. Even as an adult that's a lot of screentime. At that age we had a "magic light" that meant they weren't allowed to leave their bed until it came on. We put toys at the end of the bed and books and they have to stay in bed until 6am. You have to be strict with it and make it fun (we said it was the morning fairies,). It worked with all three of ours Having the TV first thing makes them much more likely to wake up I reckon.
Then you could give him an hour of telly which means by then it's 7 a.m. you can get up at a reasonable hour. And you can then let him play by himself.

[FiveMins]

@SleeplessInEngland

I don’t see the big deal. I grew up watching tv and I turned out tv.

😂

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

He is still in a cot. He isn’t quite two - I rounded up but he is 22 months. He wouldn’t understand something like a light or Gro clock yet.

He isn’t doing anything naughty. It is just that for about a week once a month - and obviously I’m massively approximating here - he’ll wake really early, between 5-530.

For three of those days we go to nursery at 730 anyway. For the other days, he probably does end up with the TV on. As I’ve said, I’m open to ideas, but I’m not leaving him crying in his cot, I think that’s worse parenting than putting the TV on. Sorry but I do.

[ChronicOverthinkr]

@Cbeebiesismybestfriend

I meant 8-9 in the morning, not evening!

I honestly don’t think it’s affecting behaviour or sleep … if I did might have to rethink. Bear in mind we’re talking maybe two mornings a month where it’s that much.

I’m not quite sure why you posted then 🤷🏻‍♀️ you have already made up your mind.

[NotEnoughMud]

I'd worry that TV would be a reward. If mine knew she'd get TV when she woke up before getting up time I'm sure she'd do it just to get some TV time!

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

I’ve posted to ask if it’s too much. Many people think it is and I have said I am open to meaningful suggestions as to what to do instead, but as you’ll appreciate they do have to be sensible.

Or do you think I shouldn’t have clarified that he isn’t watching television at 9pm at night? I don’t think it’s wrong to correct misunderstandings, is it?

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

I’m absolutely positive he is not waking on purpose to get TV. Maybe when he is older I’ll have to watch for that but I would bet my house he isn’t doing that.

[ChronicOverthinkr]

Loads of people have given you ideas but you keep reiterating “I don’t think it’s that bad” (in various forms) and “actually maybe it’s not as much as I originally said” so in my opinion you were just looking for confirmation that what you’re doing is fine. Which is okay! It’s hard parenting small kids.

Are you okay with him being up until 9pm too? You say you don’t think the TV is impacting his sleep but 9pm is a pretty late bedtime for a 22-month-old.

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

Well no, you are misquoting me there.

I have said it isn’t that bad in relation to correcting myself - as in he isn’t watching five solid hours. And also some posters do seem to think this is literally every day.

And sorry but some of the suggestions just wouldn’t work at the moment or are at odds with how I want to parent - I’m not leaving him crying in his cot.

But you sound a bit like you want an argument and I really don’t, so let’s leave that there.

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

For gods sake, he’s not up until 9pm

[Beees]

I think you're underestimating your almost 2 year old if you think he hasn't made the link between waking up early and getting TV and that he wont understand the concept of a gro clock.

If he wakes and cries let him come and snuggle in with you in your bed and keep it calm, talk to him, cuddle, sing or tell him a story. Chances are he might not fall asleep again but equally he might. Either way he's definitely not going to go back to sleep when the TV is on.

[lannistunut]

I am open to meaningful suggestions as to what to do instead, but as you’ll appreciate they do have to be sensible. It is a binary thing, you as parent either have the TV on or off. The only variable is the amount of time in each state. If you want the TV on, do that.

[ReeseWitherfork]

I’d say 22 months was peak TV time for us. They’re in that annoying stage of nothing holding their attention so it’s two minutes of TV followed by two minutes of toys followed by two minutes of poking the cat in the face. Having the TV on just gives them something more to rotate between. I reckon give it 4 months, 6 months max, and he’ll be playing independently for a lot longer and you’ll find yourself turning the TV off a lot earlier.

And FWIW, you can lay on all the morning activities you want, he’ll still flit between them at that age. And then you’ll have used up all your energy and good ideas before 9am when you’re half asleep and engaging a lot less meaningfully. Save them for the middle of the day when you’re more interested and he’ll get more from them!

[Cbeebiesismybestfriend]

Believe me there’s as much chance of him falling asleep again as liz truss raising benefits.

In any case, I don’t want to stress or angst about it too much. It’s an every once in a while thing (if it was daily it might be different)

He really isn’t all that fussed about TV. Again I accept this may change but at the moment he doesn’t ask for it, he only watches morning and evening and I do accept morning is too much when he’s waking early but I really am absolutely confident he isn’t waking early intentionally.