For thinking it's ok for DC to watch TV before school

[thirdistheonewiththehairychest]

If they're completely ready to walk out of the door.
We just got a TV in the lounge yesterday, and DH has gone a bit huffy about them watching it this morning.

Just want to check if I'm being unreasonable because DH has a tendency to be a bit of a party-pooper and I'm not sure if that is colouring my judgement and I'm unwisely pushing back against that.

Do your DC watch TV before school?

I’d think the majority of children have the TV on before school! We do and they don’t necessarily sit and watch it but it’s useful when I’m trying to do DD’s hair although that is for nursery not school.

I used to have the soundtrack of Mary Poppins playing on a dvd while I did the girls hair for school! They both had long hair and I plaited it for them, they didn’t mind so long as they could sing 😂
ds opts to have more time in bed, I usually have breakfast news on when he comes down for his breakfast but he wouldn’t have the tv on and watch anything because he doesn’t have time.

I think the issue is how much TV they watch overall rather than when they watch it. We never had it on in the mornings before school but I don't see a problem as long as they're not glued to it for ages after school as well.

I’m in the camp of kids watch far too much tv so I certainly wouldn’t allow it

We don't because it would just cause rows when it had to be turned off. I really miss watching the news over breakfast! But if it's not slowing you down then I don't see the problem, and we don't allow any TV Monday-Friday because we're never home . It's not like it's taking time from sport or homework at that hour!

Mine have never been allowed TV before school. It stops them getting ready. If there is time left before we have to leave then they can read or play with toys.

We all watch the news together on TV while we're eating breakfast at the dinner table.

We don't as it sets their heads in a better place if they read or play before school.
We don't have screens everyday for the same reason.

Yep mine do while I make breakfast/sort out bags/drinks tea in peace/hide in the cupboard. Probably 15-30 minutes depending on what time they get up, then it's switched off for breakfast, they get dressed and we're out the door. No problems getting the TV switched off as they know the routine.

Maybe mine are in the minority then! They aren’t school aged just yet but don’t get upset when it’s turned off for nursery and half the time play in the other room anyway and occasionally come back to watch it if it’s Duggee or something they like. After that, they have it on at certain times and it’s not just on playing in the background.

Many years ago my kids went off to school after watching tv years ago (25) were all breakfasted ,ala dressed ready to leave .Where is the drama ? To go back to my childhood it was dramas about radio over who shot whatisname John Lennon .

Mine are all in secondary school now, but never watched tv in the morning. I think it is too distracting.

Our rule is you have to be totally ready including shoes, bags and coats (our house is cold so no issue!). It’s a great incentive to get ready quickly!

It’s not a big deal either way but is it worth falling out with your dh over 10 minutes of cartoons? Overall they’re probably better off without it in the mornings anyway.

It would never even enter my head to turn on the TV in the morning,
So an absolute no in our house.

We listen to to the radio and chat about the news/sport and take part in the morning quizs.

this morning we had a little dance and sing along with that song"shut up and dance with me"

Have you not had a TV before then?

The other rule was if they made a fuss when it was time to leave for school then the next day there was no TV. It only happened once or twice. Now they do genuinely just turn it off when it’s time to go. No drama.

We used to use Milkshake on Channel 5 as a timing method.
Although it was a pain in the bum when they changed the schedule around 😂

My daughter never asked to watch tv before school and I wouldn't have allowed it anyway. We always had the radio on while getting ready so I could listen to the news.

Nope never in our house but we have to leave by 8am latest so there isn’t spare time anyway

Even if they were ready early I wouldn’t want it going on as there might be arguments about turning it off when it’s time to go “but it just got to a good bit” “but it’s nearly finished” etc

It's on most mornings here.
But only when completely ready to walk out the door, and it gets turned off at the same time every day. Any fuss about turning it off means we can't watch it before school.

Gosh, the TV is used to distract from the ipad or the switch, both of which live in my bedroom overnight as DC were caught waking at half 5 and getting a good 2 hours of youtube in then creating hell at having to come off it.
If your DH requests no TV but the routine is working, he can do breakfast if he knows so much.
I like it because it has the little clock and we all know just how long we have.

We timed getting ready around CBeebies. Breakfast at the end of Octonauts

My DCs are ND (not that I knew that then) so it was very helpful to have time and focus chunked up like that.

DS1 would still happily watch Octonauts before school if he could, but secondary school is earlier and further away.

In the early years of primary school they could have the tv on once ready to leave the house - including shoes. Used to help them be ready earlier. Both secondary now - no one has had the tv on for years. Stopped well before the end of primary.

No chance