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Original poster

No TV before school?!

418 replies

Tireddadplus · 03/10/2025 08:41

Hi! Just got a message from our DD’s (5yo) school that we should not let the kids watch any tv before school! Bad for their brains or something…

DD watches a bit of tv while myself or DW sort out lunches or whatever…just makes getting out the door easier!

Am i being unreasonable to ignore this advice?

OP posts:
BabyToothbrush · 04/10/2025 07:47

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 04/10/2025 07:31

Does nobody else's kids get up mega early and have the TV as babysitter until breakfast? Genuinely shocked at how many people have no TV in the morning. Do you just wake up with your kids and entertain them at god-awful o'clock??

I sort of understand this with very young children (although personally no we didn't/don't do that). But this thread is about primary school aged children who are well capable of playing quietly on their own in their bedroom/looking at books/drawing whatever else.

Although to be fair only one of mine is in primary school and they've never been a super early riser. Most of the time we have to wake them up on school days. But if they do wake very early now and then they usually just occupy themselves in their room until they hear someone else wake up.

NightIbble · 04/10/2025 07:49

Mine has T.V while he eats his breakfast (not allowed to be YouTube). If he was playing games/toys he would never eat breakfast, he's not allowed to play until it's eaten.

SisterMargaretta · 04/10/2025 07:50

Families need to do what works best for them. My autistic DD needed screen time to regulate her before school. She had a set routine and had to watch 30 minutes between breakfast and leaving for school or she would have a meltdown. She still managed to get Greater Depth in all her SATS.

PurpleFlower1983 · 04/10/2025 07:50

BabyToothbrush · 04/10/2025 07:47

I sort of understand this with very young children (although personally no we didn't/don't do that). But this thread is about primary school aged children who are well capable of playing quietly on their own in their bedroom/looking at books/drawing whatever else.

Although to be fair only one of mine is in primary school and they've never been a super early riser. Most of the time we have to wake them up on school days. But if they do wake very early now and then they usually just occupy themselves in their room until they hear someone else wake up.

Show quote history

Yes this, I watched many a Disney film at 4am with my kids when they were 1-2 years old!

ListsWonderfulLists · 04/10/2025 07:52

Both of my children play video games before school! And I have no issues with behaviour, getting them off the screens when needed or getting to school on time. They're both up 2 hours before we need to leave for school anyway. Both achieving really well at school. If it had an effect on their behaviour or learning then I'd think again but they're happy and doing well so it's fine.

notacooldad · 04/10/2025 07:58

Am i being unreasonable to ignore this advice?
You do what you want but personally I never 'allowed ' tvs untill after tea and homework, never mind before school.

The tv was never switched on and that was the kids normal. I didnt want the noise or distraction as it was mad enough getting g the lads ready and through the door.

I wasnt being a smug parent or anything, probably just subconsciously mirroring what happened when I was a child.
Now as adults the 'children' mimick their childhood ( in more ways than one!) They don't have the tv on when getting ready gor work and only turn it on to watch a specific programme and then turn it off once they leave the room for a while.

Chick981 · 04/10/2025 08:00

Yeah my youngest wakes up typically at 5.45 each day - we watch tv in the mornings. But they will also play, especially the oldest one. We don’t have to leave until 8.30 so would be a long old morning with no tv

PurpleFlower1983 · 04/10/2025 08:02

NightIbble · 04/10/2025 07:49

Mine has T.V while he eats his breakfast (not allowed to be YouTube). If he was playing games/toys he would never eat breakfast, he's not allowed to play until it's eaten.

Mine are the opposite, will not eat if the TV is on, too much of a distraction. They’re all different!

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 04/10/2025 08:07

Jade3450 · 04/10/2025 07:36

Interesting that’s not what the professional educators are saying though…

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Really?? 10 minutes?? Can you share the research that 10 mins of TV is that horrendous

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 04/10/2025 08:09

Reading through the replies I there’s such a mix. There are some particularly smug ones.

I think it’s a bit like food - it’s all about balance.

PurpleFlower1983 · 04/10/2025 08:12

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 04/10/2025 08:09

Reading through the replies I there’s such a mix. There are some particularly smug ones.

I think it’s a bit like food - it’s all about balance.

Honestly everyone is different, screens turns ours into little sods, not so much the TV but definitely the iPad so we reduced it right down. We made mistakes early on with meal times when we needed them to sit for a long time (cruise) and it took ages to get out of so now it’s severely reduced. No judgement here for anyone else but it definitely does impact some children’s concentration/attention span negatively.

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 04/10/2025 08:19

PurpleFlower1983 · 04/10/2025 08:12

Honestly everyone is different, screens turns ours into little sods, not so much the TV but definitely the iPad so we reduced it right down. We made mistakes early on with meal times when we needed them to sit for a long time (cruise) and it took ages to get out of so now it’s severely reduced. No judgement here for anyone else but it definitely does impact some children’s concentration/attention span negatively.

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Yeah totally get that. I was mostly responding about TV as that’s what OP asked.

Psychologymam · 04/10/2025 08:19

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 04/10/2025 07:31

Does nobody else's kids get up mega early and have the TV as babysitter until breakfast? Genuinely shocked at how many people have no TV in the morning. Do you just wake up with your kids and entertain them at god-awful o'clock??

Yes! Never had tv even when 5am was wake up time - we took turns every morning! Good time to connect and snuggle on sofa with books. I do think many British people put their kids to bed very early (7 is an obsession!) because they want an evening to themselves so then of course kids wake up very early too as 12 hours sleep isn’t achievable for most kids.

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 04/10/2025 08:32

Jade3450 · 04/10/2025 07:34

No, if my kids ever got up early they had to read books.

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Congratulations. Even before they could read?

C8H10N4O2 · 04/10/2025 08:57

Jade3450 · 04/10/2025 07:40

Are you only interested in how it affects them academically?

I’m sure playing games on the bus doesn’t affect their learning much, but it sure as hell affects thei socialising, as if theyre playing games they’re not talking.

I’ve banned phone use while we’re in the car for this reason.

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Depends on the games they play.

mamagogo1 · 04/10/2025 08:58

I never allowed screens before school, I don’t understand how people even have time to be honest. Mine barely had time to finish breakfast before we had to leave

mamagogo1 · 04/10/2025 09:00

@Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo

yes of course before they could read, you need to get them used to looking at pages, though mine weren’t at school until they were reading really, dc1 could read before school started

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 04/10/2025 09:04

mamagogo1 · 04/10/2025 08:58

I never allowed screens before school, I don’t understand how people even have time to be honest. Mine barely had time to finish breakfast before we had to leave

Some kids are awake super early.

GagMeWithASpoon · 04/10/2025 09:09

It all depends on each household’s routine, time constraints and kids.
We had the telly on . It didn’t affect DD’s behaviour, we were always on time (with a bit spare most mornings) and our mornings are slowish, relaxed and chill (even now she’s a teenager). We walked to school, then she had an hour at breakfast club. It worked for us(and still does) so there was never any need to change it.

Trainstrike · 04/10/2025 09:11

mamagogo1 · 04/10/2025 08:58

I never allowed screens before school, I don’t understand how people even have time to be honest. Mine barely had time to finish breakfast before we had to leave

Ours get up at 7.30 and get dressed straight away then come down and watch TV til about 8.15, with breakfast in there somewhere. Then the TV goes off and they have about 15 minutes for washing, teeth and hair before we leave.

I log in to work from about 6.30 and they do that while I'm in the other room. They're primary aged and that's been the routine since Year 1. I've never had any issue with them dallying in the morning, or feeling rushed.

The only exception might be if they've had a late night beforehand but that's probably once or twice a year for a special occasion.

GagMeWithASpoon · 04/10/2025 09:11

mamagogo1 · 04/10/2025 08:58

I never allowed screens before school, I don’t understand how people even have time to be honest. Mine barely had time to finish breakfast before we had to leave

Some people have early risers. Some people like a longer morning before they leave the house. Some people have a very short commute to school.

notacooldad · 04/10/2025 09:23

Does nobody else's kids get up mega early and have the TV as babysitter until breakfast? Genuinely shocked at how many people have no TV in the morning.
Do you just wake up with your kids and entertain them at god-awful o'clock??

Yeah I had one that would get up really early, the other one wasnt so bad but if you are up with one you may as well been up with both!
We didnt have a tv until ds1 was around 4 and1/2. No particular reason, im not anti tv or anything.
I said on another post I didn't have the tv on when I was a child and I carried on the same way.
Im not smug about it, it was just normal for me and dh as well. He didnt have morning television on either.

Some mornings I have to go into people's houses to support families with getting their children to school. I feel really overwhelmed by the noise and the images from the television 'first thing' in the morning. Everything seems so chaotic. Saying that, thats one of the reasons I'm there. Once I've persuaded the family to turn the telly off ( after a few mornings of tantrums from the kids) the environment does become calmer.

SalamiSammich · 04/10/2025 09:27

Tireddadplus · 03/10/2025 17:56

Good point! But we’re talking 20 minutes before school and maybe 30 mins before dinner…is this really that bad? I genuinely am not sure…

Show quote history

It's more what they could do in that time instead.

We have a no screens in the week rule so that time is used for homework, reading, play etc. Kids can do that at the table while we cook. We use wraparound when we can't supervise and DC has clubs in the week as well so we just don't have that much spare time.

YouCantParkThere · 04/10/2025 09:32

What a lot of nonsense.

popcornandpotatoes · 04/10/2025 09:32

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 04/10/2025 07:31

Does nobody else's kids get up mega early and have the TV as babysitter until breakfast? Genuinely shocked at how many people have no TV in the morning. Do you just wake up with your kids and entertain them at god-awful o'clock??

Well we have to get DD up at 7.45, then she comes in to our bed for 15 mins to wake up and chat. Breakfast at 8, get dressed and do hair and teeth then leave at 8.30. there's just no time on school mornings and it would be completely unnecessary. She has tv weekend mornings though