Page 14 | No TV before school?!

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 05/10/2025 05:29

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

Ah of course, I've totally never got them to look at pages. We also have no toys or games. Why bother when you can get so many devices.

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 05/10/2025 05:32

Shr3dding · 04/10/2025 10:27

Did you know that millions of us were born before there was television in the morning?

How do you think parents raised children then?

I refuse to believe that children have so fundamentally changed that mornings can't be managed without TV

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I was being a bit tongue in cheek. We've had periods of no TV before school and it's fine. It doesn't affect our kids to chill to a bit of TV before school so we let them. They turn it off, have breakfast, get ready and we are always told they behave impeccably at school. I do understand that there was a time before TV. Also before cars. And cookers. But we like to use those too.

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 05/10/2025 05:37

Swiftie1878 · 04/10/2025 10:38

My kids only got up at god-awful o’clock in the pre-school years. Once they started school, they had to be woken.

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All of ours went for a period of waking up for the day at 4.30. One of us got up and was the entertainment every single day. They're all in primary school years now so if they get up before 6/6.30 our reward to ourselves for parenting so well in the toddler years (apparently this is qualified on here by no screens) is to destroy their developing brains with 30 mins of early morning TV clutches pearls.

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 05/10/2025 05:42

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.

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Mine are primary aged and 2 are early risers. I just have no issue with them chilling to some cartoons for a bit before breakfast. Just to clarify, I also have absolutely no issue that you don't allow it in your home. I think we're lucky that tv has never caused issues- they turn it off the second they're told to, it doesn't affect their behaviour, they're lovely polite kids, do lots of sports and do so well at school. They like to watch a bit of TV in the morning 🤷‍♀️ they all get under a blanket together and have a snuggle, it's cute.

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 05/10/2025 05:46

PurpleFlower1983 · 04/10/2025 07:50

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

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But isn't it worse to introduce screen time at that age? A few people have said this but are judgey about older kids watching TV. Ours never had any screens at that age (and yes they all went through the 4am wake up phase) but do at primary age. To be honest I don't think either are damaging in small doses but seems odd that it's OK if convenient to the parent, but as soon as the kid is independent screens are bad in the morning?

tammie49 · 05/10/2025 08:17

My son wakes at 5 every day. I'm not awake to stop him putting the TV on that time. He's 9.

Nelly91 · 05/10/2025 08:32

Needmorelego · 03/10/2025 21:29

Don't you check the running time or the schedule?
Don't watch something that's too long or is on at the time you need to leave.

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@Needmorelego I’m never organised enough! But my eldest is autistic and gets to into what he’s watching he can’t transition away from it so I tell them both the TV only shows the news in the morning and they don’t much fancy that!

Bananaloaf88 · 05/10/2025 09:42

I'm a teacher & I can assure you I have never thought "That kid has definitely watched TV this morning". Things I do notice are children who haven't slept properly (some due to being on tablets till late), children who arrive obviously rushed and those who's parents haven't taken time to get them ready properly.

Everyone saying you can tell the children who watch TV before school after 13 years of teaching for the vast majority of kids it just isn't true.

GagMeWithASpoon · 05/10/2025 09:44

Bananaloaf88 · 05/10/2025 09:42

I'm a teacher & I can assure you I have never thought "That kid has definitely watched TV this morning". Things I do notice are children who haven't slept properly (some due to being on tablets till late), children who arrive obviously rushed and those who's parents haven't taken time to get them ready properly.

Everyone saying you can tell the children who watch TV before school after 13 years of teaching for the vast majority of kids it just isn't true.

I’m a TA , across various year groups and same here.

MistressThere · 05/10/2025 11:04

Iocanepowder · 03/10/2025 09:16

We have tv on before school. Just something like cbeebies or milkshake. They quite often get up at 6.

I was also going to make the point about us 90s kids. We watched tv before school and it has been fine.

We have screen time before school and all is fine over here too 😃.

Feel totally free to ignore the school advice OP and just do what works for you guys.

Cel77 · 05/10/2025 11:09

TV is watched here before and after school. Not ideal but it sort of works for us.

We never watch TV when we eat. There's no TV in our dining room.

We only have one TV and it's in the living room.

No phones at the table or in bedrooms in the evening.

It's a fine balance and not all black and white

kattaquack · 05/10/2025 11:30

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?

Screens before school have been shown to have a negative impact on a child's language ability.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328873272_Case_control_study_found_that_primary_language_disorders_were_associated_to_screen_exposure_at_35-65_years_of_age

The school might as well noticed this effect so they have given a general recommendation.
You can still choose to ignore since you best know your child. But there is merit in the schools advice. So why not try it?

Timeforabitofpeace · 05/10/2025 11:58

If it’s good enough quality research for the outcomes to be recommended by the school, why on earth would you ignore it, to the detriment of your children, just for convenience.

warmapplepies · 05/10/2025 12:00

Timeforabitofpeace · 05/10/2025 11:58

If it’s good enough quality research for the outcomes to be recommended by the school, why on earth would you ignore it, to the detriment of your children, just for convenience.

Because most people don't live their lives based on research papers, that's why.

I'll bet there are plenty of things you do with your kids that aren't "recommended" by the research.

Timeforabitofpeace · 05/10/2025 12:25

@warmapplepies I disagree. They may not read the research papers but many people do heed school opinion about learning. I wonder why?!

APatternGrammar · 05/10/2025 13:37

Timeforabitofpeace · 05/10/2025 12:25

@warmapplepies I disagree. They may not read the research papers but many people do heed school opinion about learning. I wonder why?!

I think you’re right, the research that gets through to people via the professionals we trust such as doctors and teachers is often followed by a certain type of person and ignored by others (often a smaller group). The pattern in who continued to smoke after health warnings would be an example.

BettiJay · 05/10/2025 18:16

Just adding a different perspective to the others who have almost all said "no TV before school"... We do have TV before school because my children are so slow to get ready, I use it as an incentive. They can only have the TV on after they're dressed so they watch a little while eating their breakfast. Itd only be about 30 mins or so before having to leave anyway so not too long, and never tablets or YouTube. They also have to agree on what to watch but it's usually something like bluey or numberblocks.

I think as long as your routine works for you and you feel it isn't negatively impacting your child then do what you want. But you may decide to give it a go and see how it feels 🤷🏼‍♀️

Elliebells123 · 05/10/2025 18:59

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??

My two wake up before half 5 every day (if I'm lucky), tv has saved my sanity!

warmapplepies · 05/10/2025 19:26

Timeforabitofpeace · 05/10/2025 12:25

@warmapplepies I disagree. They may not read the research papers but many people do heed school opinion about learning. I wonder why?!

About learning, yes, but I'm sure plenty aren't remotely interested in what teachers say about what they do in their own homes, in their own time.

GagMeWithASpoon · 05/10/2025 19:29

APatternGrammar · 05/10/2025 13:37

I think you’re right, the research that gets through to people via the professionals we trust such as doctors and teachers is often followed by a certain type of person and ignored by others (often a smaller group). The pattern in who continued to smoke after health warnings would be an example.

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Not a lot of people will change something that works for them and that doesn’t cause any issues just because “research”.

Once upon a time cigarettes were beneficial according to “research”.

Superhansrantowindsor · 05/10/2025 19:32

Never let my kids watch tv before school. There wasn’t time!

C8H10N4O2 · 05/10/2025 19:39

kattaquack · 05/10/2025 11:30

Screens before school have been shown to have a negative impact on a child's language ability.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328873272_Case_control_study_found_that_primary_language_disorders_were_associated_to_screen_exposure_at_35-65_years_of_age

The school might as well noticed this effect so they have given a general recommendation.
You can still choose to ignore since you best know your child. But there is merit in the schools advice. So why not try it?

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That isn’t what the results or the paper’s discussion say. (read the authors’ section on limitations as well as the results and the conclusion and the underlying data).

Jade3450 · 05/10/2025 22:36

Shelllendyouhertoothbrushtoo · 04/10/2025 08:32

Congratulations. Even before they could read?

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You know there are books for pre-readers?

They’re called ‘picture books’.

So yes, mine looked at books in their cot from under one. It’s a great habit to get children into because then (who’d have thought it) they don’t need to watch tv.

Jade3450 · 05/10/2025 22:41

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.

As the parent of an autistic child this makes me so sad.

You do realise that at some point you introduced this to her? And no, she didn’t ’need’ it.

ResusciAnnie · 05/10/2025 22:52

Jade3450 · 05/10/2025 22:41

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.

As the parent of an autistic child this makes me so sad.

You do realise that at some point you introduced this to her? And no, she didn’t ’need’ it.

Why does a child watching 30 mins of TV before school make you sad? Also why does it matter that someone else’s child watching TV makes you sad?