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?

No we NEVER watch TV or other screens in the morning on school days. I agree with your DH it’s not the best start to a productive day. One of my kids usually tries to watch YT on iPad at breakfast before school but I always fend it off. On weekends/holidays the younger ones tend to go on screens first thing but I then stop them after a while. I think it’s best to ‘create before you consume’.

I never allowed television on in the mornings in primary, and no television or other screens/devices during the week after school either. Now, that DC is in Y7, it’s the same. (Year 5 we did extra maths in the mornings before school as we had limited time to cover the Y6 curriculum for the 11 Plus exam, and I had to squeeze it in whenever I could).

Up, breakfast, washed and ready?? Yes? Then, if theres time , tv can go on.

Of course it's ok for some TV in the morning. And I'd take some of these replies with a pinch of salt tbh.
DS6 and DD3 both love watching Cbeebies on a morning, especially Numberblocks! Despite this they both make their beds, have tidy rooms, get dressed themselves, eat their breakfasts and absolutely zero fuss turning it off because it's not a huge massive big deal.
DS6 is in advanced phonics and Maths groups at school, reading age of 8-9, plays chess, swimming, Karate, Beavers, great at Independent play. Also loves TV and his Nintendo Switch! Most kids can enjoy TV AND still manage to do well in life and enjoy other things.

I used to watch TV before school as a child. It didn't cause a problem, infact it was unconscious alarm clock as we use to leave before the magic roundabout

We never have the TV on in the mornings before school.

I don't allow it simply because they are up an hour before we leave and we are on a tight schedule. TV slows them down so it's not on.

Mine are 9 and 5 and no to TV before school as there would be rows trying to turn off and get out the door.

They have to do their reading, spelling and times tables and then they usually colour or fight and argue play before we leave

Neither of them want to do any reading or homework etc in the evening so we do it in the mornings as they are much more receptive to it and it isn't a battle

No TV until dinner time in our house. Mornings are for practicing spellings, times tables and maths. I find it much easier to get them to do homework in the morning than after school when they’re tired.

No, for me tv is something you put on if kids are tired/not really up to much else. That never applies in mornings unless ill.

We need that morning time, its when we do spellings & reading and music practise.

My DH did the same years ago - “why do they have to have the television on in the mornings?”….. errrrr because you’re still in bed so if they’re under my feet I won’t have time to empty the dishwasher, get the washing on, make breakfast for everyone and get them ready for school before I go to work!

And obviously if they get behind the schedule it’s immediately off to make sure they’re ready on time, and no loitering at turn-off time.

He agreed on my strategy as soon as I explained the alternative was him getting up at the same time as me.

I agree - I didn’t realise so many people were so rigid with their tv time. So long as everything which needs doing is done, no reason not to let them have some fun in the morning. DT’s went to breakfast club and also watched tv there with their second breakfast.

That's a bit depressing to read.

Once they are ready, they can do what they want in our house. It's an incentive to get ready quickly!

I watched tv before school, didn't do me any harm! I went on to get a first class degree.

No, my children don't watch TV before school.

Secondary school now, we don’t and never did .

Mine do. It doesn’t cause any arguments when it goes off. I don’t know anyone who has a set rule like no tv in the mornings. I mean, obviously my eyes have been opened on this thread! I do prefer my mornings loud and busy, the silence would be too much like my childhood where I wasn’t allowed the tv on.

I agree. I watched a bit of TV on a morning when I was young (Big Breakfast, anyone?) or listened to the radio. My DCs had TV on if they got dressed in time and never any fuss when switching off.

The very idea of children having to do maths or spellings before a full day of school makes me feel utterly sad. Mine both went to very selective grammars with stiff entrance tests (without being tutored) and are happy children without a reliance on screens, so I’m really not feeling like a subpar parent.
I find the replies here very odd and verging on puritanical.

I grew up with GM TV on in the kitchen on a week day but then both my parents worked, so it was how they caught up on the news every morning.

Now, neither of our TVs have been switched on since Christmas (as we just watch stuff on our devices) but DC has ten mins on YouTube kids on iPad every morning, whilst I listen to LBC in the kitchen and sort my meds out for the day. It's become part of our routine, so doesn't hinder getting ready.

Half of MN is “a bit puritanical”! I always read these threads and hope the OP can pick out the answers she needs to hear rather than the judgey ones… (goes for virtually every thread)

@MaryShelley1818 I'm finding it extremely difficult to believe that any decent teacher would tell a parent that their 6yr old child "has a reading age of 8-9" A decent teacher just wouldn't say that

My daughter does. It's really not a big deal. Like a pp has said, take these replies with a pinch of salt.

I only let them when absolutely everything else was done, breakfast, teeth brushed, they made their beds, bags ready etc, so actually it didn’t go on much at all! 😅

🤣🤣🤣

It's fine