To think it's ok if my son doesn't watch cbeebies ALL day??

[NeedanotherOpinion]

Ok, here goes.

To start off, I should probably explain that I don't like Cbeebies, so DS doesn't watch it. I think it is full of nonsense, and I don't like DS to watch programs that 'teach' him rubbish.

I do, however, let him watch cartoons - he likes Ben10, chowder, spongebob etc as I don't think they do him any harm (aside from his realisation that he is NOT and alien). And I let him watch an hour a day of his own programs. And usually we will watch a Disney movie etc during the week. Although, I much prefer him to be playing outside or playing with his toys etc etc.

Whenever we visit my parents or DH's parents they prefer to switch their TV on to Cbeebies for DS to watch rather than let him go out into the garden to play. Because they think that he needs to watch cbeebies to feed his imagination

But I don't think this is the case. I don't believe that children NEED to be sat in front of the tv, I think it's fine for a bit to give them something different to do, and sometimes it can be a godsend when they are refusing to stop screaming

Both, my parents and in-laws think we are being too harsh on our son and insist that he is not having any fun. He has a room full of toys, a large garden to play in and a craft table that I am envious of and he never complains of being bored, but they insist he needs more stimulation.

He got a DS for xmas from PIL and they gave him a stack of games to go with it, they told me to let him play on it all day But I said he can't play on it all day as he needs to be doing other stuff during the day, he can't just be sitting on his arse playing the DS. They weren't impressed.

Whenever we visit them and other relatives are there, they will mention how we like DS to be active, play outside etc like its a bad thing!!

We always feel like they are having a go at us for raising our son to enjoy a large range of activities.

Whereas SIL lets her one of her sons play his DS all day, only stopping to eat - then he is back on it. And her other son is sat in front of the tv watching cbeebies til it goes off at night - then that is his bedtime. I think that whenever the PIL go round to their house, their kids are always quiet because they are engrossed in the TV/DS and therefore are deemed to 'better behaved' children.

I know it all sounds rather stupid, but am I doing a dis-service to my son by not allowing him to watch more cbeebies?? Or am I seeming like some sort of 'smug' mum because I want my son to do other stuff with his time??

Oh my goodness - that is really long and boring - Sorry!!!

Don't know if it makes a difference or not - but DS is 4.

I would have thought Cbeebies would be better,than cartoons,but obviously in moderation!!

no yanbu ad I can't believe they think you are - surely no one thinks TV all day every day is good for children?
I have just stopped letting DS watch it most of the day now DD is 20 weeks and feel much better for not having to rely on it any more

Oh my gosh, don't think you're going to get many people on here saying you should let your DS watch more telly!

You don't say how old your ds is, but you should perhaps point the PILs towards some of the research that says that children under 3 (I think it is) shouldn't watch any TV and that it should be severely restricted for all children. It's not stimulating, it's passive. The child is not engaging in any sort of creative thought when they are watching television. The child who watches tv all day is receiving other people's ideas of imagination, not using their own imagination.

Sorry, ranting a bit, and I do let my children (3 and 4) watch some; it can be a lifesaver, I know. But I would dearly love to chuck it out.

Of course YANBU - but Ben10 and Spongebob for a 4 year old sound far less appropriate than cbeebies.

i think there's nothing wrong with cbeebies in moderation but agree that children need a mix of activities and plenty of time outside.

My ds is ten and when he was little we'd watch cbeebies between 6 & 7pm as i liked the bedtime hour. My ds has a psp and a wii but only plays about an hour a week, he does hockey and cubs and is forever out playing with his mates. Cbeebies hasn't harmed him and he is a very bright, kind, talkative kid

I don't see why cbeebies is better than cartoons? They are both full of rubbish - at least with the cartoons, DS understands that they are not real (99% of the time) Whereas when you have an adult on cbeebies telling you that ping pong balls grow on trees - then showing her picking them off the trees -you try going into B&Q and not coming out with a ping pong tree but a screaming toddler who is adamant that they are real because the lady on cbeebies told him so, you may rethink cbeebies.

I have been told repeatedly by SIL that kids are really easy because you can just plonk them in front of the tv/ds and they will just take care of themselves!

my kids both watched a fair bit of cbeebies. i thought it was mostly educational, and i wouldn't have liked them fossilising in front of the tv,but i really don't think that tv is *SO^ harmful that i would ban it. restrict it a bit.

i would zone out if you'd said all that to me in rl. I'd have been thinking omg, how admirable zzzzz

bit confused. you think ben10 and spongebob are better than cbeebies?!

como?

no comprendo.

is this a joke post?

FWIWI don't think this is about tv.

I can't believe that two sets of parents both independently have raised lack of tv viewing as an issue.
I don't know any sets of parents who think that children should watch more tv.

I think you are hearing what you want to . I think your parents and in laws are expressing that you think you are tough on your child for some other reason ( probably wrongly)- and you are quoting the bit that you think is most obviously unreasonable.

I am sure that your child is pefectly fine. But I just don't believe that any parents would push for a child to watch more tv if he was happily engrossed doing something else so I find two sets of parents saying it at the same time very odd indeed.
I think there is a disconnect going on somewhere. You are the two sets of grandparents are not understanding each other for some reason

I didn't say i thought they were better, I said they were both full of rubbish, but at least with cartoons - My DS doesn't think its all real but he does with cbeebies because they are real people

And I'm not trying to be admirable or smug. I just genuinely don't want my DS to be sat in front of the tv like my parents and ILs tell me

Well, pagwatch, unfortunately, both my parents and DH's think that more tv will feed my DS's imagination. This is not something I have chosen to hear or me misunderstanding what they are telling me - this is what they have said to us.

FF, they bought DS a tv for his 2nd birthday!!

Agree with pagwatch, there is omething else going on if this is not a wind up.

Typing as dd watches tv....

Are you sure that you are not misunderstanding?
Maybe they sem like they want DS to watch cbeebies when actually they are suggestingthat cbeebies is better than the shit cartoons he is currently watching?

maybe that would make sense. Because situation as described does not

Why does it have to be a wind up or a joke? Because it's unheard of?

Well, I wish it were a simple case of misunderstanding but I don't think it is.

And I really don't see how it is any worse him watching cartoons than watching cbeebies. Someone explain that to me??

If you have watched sponge bob/ ben 10 and still think that they are preferable to postman pat or balamory then I can't help you.They really are the most appaling shite

I don't think it is a wind up. But I think it is a statistical jackpot to have the only grandparents I have ever heard of whop think their grandchildren should watch more tv

If you are happy with him watching the cartoons you choose and are happy with the quantity he watches - then that is all that matters.

He is your son and lives in your home and as his parent you make the decisions and the rules.

They are entitled to their opinion - you are entitled to yours - and the people on here are entitled to theirs too - but he is your son and you must bring him up as you see fit. Surely it is quite simple really.

My PIL dont much like my DS1 cos he WONT sit in front of the telly for hours on end...like their other precious Grandson! (no bitterness here!) THey dont like having to entertain DS hence they've only looked after him for longer than half hour ONCE in his 2.7 years of life.

What??? Surely this is all made up.

How could anyone ever think that watching more TV is better. Thinking it is ok is one thing, thinking it is better is just unbelievable. A bit like saying that eating sweets instead of real food for every meal is better. Some people do it and think that it's ok, but even those people wouldn't argue that it's better. It just doesn't scan.