AIBU to believe that TV isn't that bad?

[letsnotIRL]

Okay here me out. I know we need to monitor screen time with our DC's, but for some reason my brain just doesn't class TV as "screen time". Ipads, tablets and phones are placed in a DC hand, they're inches from their face, they have full control over buttons etc and can access a lot more. A TV just sits on a unit with 1 thing playing. For context we don't have ipads or anything, and my DC have never watched YouTube, or kids programs that are episodes. As a family we use the TV to watch films and thats it. My 2YO can watch a full film, he's even been to the cinema already and sat no bother. We never leave TV on as background noise, if we're not watching a film it's completely off. My DS will play independently great, and we're now at the point where he'll point to the TV and say "mam buzz please" and then jump onto the sofa, so we watch the buzz lightyear film.
My friend said this was really bad? Does anyone else see TV time as separate to screen time or is it just me ?
Ps we still limit how many hours a day he watches.

I'm going to get flamed but I agree and unlike you my TV is on all day in the background. I know many people who grew up this way and no issues. Tablets and phones are a different thing for the reasons you said

A brain is literally more active when you stare at a wall than when you watch TV.

My TV only isn't on all day because I'm a music girl, I've always just had alexa on or a CD playing. So there is always background noise! And I love that he asks for films, I don't see the issue with television. It's how I grew up like you say. We had tvs in our rooms and loved movie nights.

I also have never really counted TV as screen time.

I always have the TV on.

You’re right. Risking childhood myopia isn’t too bad. A cigarette once or a few times a day isn’t too bad.

My son has learnt a lot from TV. I understand your point, but being able to watch a full film has taught him empathy, he cries at sad parts, laughs at funny parts, his attention span is amazing for his age, he understands the humour behind things, and his new thing now is pretending to talk into walkie talkies, it's great 😄

It's kind of bonkers you only let him watch him movies. An hour max is the most tv he should be watching at his age, I can't understand why a couple of episodes wouldn't be enough, not a whole movie.

Our TV is also always on in the background. Could be a film, cartoons, the news, music. Anything really.

You're putting tv and cigarette in the same category? One gives you cancer and destroys your lungs. But okay.

Kids movies are max 1.5hrs so not really any different. I didn't want him getting use to there always being a "next" playing automatically. When a film ends, the TV time is finished. He fully understands this concept

Omg the “we don’t watch tv / do screens” brigade are insufferable. I have raised 2 interested, intelligent and caring kids to mid teens so far with TV, internet etc but they have seen many great quality programmes that enrich them.

Watched TV my whole life. Had one in my room from aged 5. I have a masters and I'm a fully qualified accountant. So I guess that tv really made me dumb.

I think the attitude to children watching TV on here is absolutely fucking mental.

You could just show him one episode, there doesn't have to be a next playing automatically..an hour and a half is a lot of tv in one sitting

At least you're more in control of what they watch on there.

It’s TV - it’s fine. At 2 a few hours of CBeebies is not going to damage your children.

Yeah I much prefer TV to personal screens. All TV is not created equal, that’s for sure, and I like that we can all watch together rather than on personal devices. We always have the subtitles on and I swear that’s why my kids found reading so easy 😆

We don't always do it in one sitting, sometimes I half a film and finish it later in the day. On a movie night we would watch a full film.
I just dont like the idea of episodes playing one after the other, especially for my DS, he would think it was never ending 😅

I seen a funny meme where the mam said she muted the telly and put the subtitles on, so now it's technically reading time and not screen time lol

I do limit tv time, but I do think that there is research that individual screens are worse than sitting watching something with a child. It’s also obviously easier to monitor content.