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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

TV Addiction

23 replies

Lauram · 27/01/2002 19:50

My two and a half year old is addicted to TV. When ever there is a pause in the day e.g. when we come back from shopping, from the park etc, he asks to watch a video. I find my entire day is spent trying to distract him before he has his next 'fix'. It has crept up on me - we used to have 20 mins in the evening but somehow this has increased to a bit before lunch, and then whenever he is tired. I am worried because he is getting very bad at playing on his own - either I'm playing with him or he wants to watch TV. Any suggestions?

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smokey · 27/01/2002 19:59

I found my 2 children went through phases of wanting to watch TV - sometimes it would be all they wanted to do. But then the phase would pass and they'd go nowhere near the TV or video for weeks and I would be desperate for them to sit down quietly for just for 10 mins!!!

Lill · 27/01/2002 20:26

Beaten myself up over this issue many a time. However, have always been glad of the tele during pregnancies as it has enabled me to rest! I dont think you should worry too much, I agree with smokey - kids go through phases. If you sit and watch it together then at least you get time for cuddles and you can talk about what you are watching.

Janus · 27/01/2002 21:33

I found mine was, I thought, watching too much TV which I put down to partly being a phase and partly because it is Winter and so less to do. However, I grabbed the bulls by the horns and now do something each morning and each afternoon which gets us out of the house and, obviously, away from the TV. This can be just a visit to the local library, some classes I do, walking in the park, swimming, going to the supermarket, etc. I've found this much better for both of us, she gets more worn out, the day seems to go quicker and is more fun and I don't feel guilty if she does watch a video while I prepare tea. It sounds silly but I really had to make a conscious decision to do this as often I found the morning had gone and we hadn't got out but she had watched some TV (eg Bear in the Big Blue House and more on Channel 5). I now don't turn it on until I really need to do something on my own, like preparing a meal.

martina · 28/01/2002 11:35

Our two and a half year old daughter was also a bit of a telly addict. We started switching off the TV at the socket (when she wasn't looking - this won't work if your toddler knows where the switch is) and told her it was "broken". She doesn't really seem to mind, and since we've started doing it she's been spending many happy hours just playing with her dolls and toys. Also, now she doesn't automatically go and switch on the telly when she gets up in the morning. In fact, we have whole days of her not going anywhere near it.

jodee · 28/01/2002 13:15

Yes, ds would happily watch videos all day if he could. He knew how to put them in correctly from 18 months. I go out a lot with him to different activities, but when Granny is looking after him when I'm at work he doesn't go out as much.

I found the trick is to put the tv into 'standby' on the remote then hide it, the on/off button the tv won't work then and he then gets bored of trying and finds something else to do.

Minky · 29/01/2002 12:32

I found that my dd was watching more television up until about 2 1/2 but then she became very interested in dolls and has started playing with them by herself much more.
One thing I used to do was to put the TV on the Ceefax page so that when she switched it on it came up with something very boring.
Now I am trying to save the TV until after lunch when we have some quiet time and maybe watch a video together.
Also found that if the weather is dry she loves to go out for a walk even if it is to the postbox at the end of the road - just tends to break up the day a bit.
One thing I will say is that some programmes (particularly on BBC Choice) are very educational and my dd has learnt a lot from them eg colours.

Ann · 29/01/2002 20:49

We tend to use Tv as a treat for our 3 yr old. I think its helped him going to nursery m-f so Tv is only allowed a) if theres time after tea/before bath/bed b) if he's been good a nursery. Plus its something we do together. We do slob out at the weekend & allow watching tv in bed with mum & dad before breakfast when we all have a cup of tea/milk & watch together.
We have slipped into extended watching on sundays before tea - especially in the winter when its difficult to go out side & play in the rain/dark.
I've tried to make a conscious effort to do something together as an alternative which he usually enjoys just as much.
Loading the washing machine is a special treat if he's allowed to press the button to turn it on. Mind you if i was at home with him every day I doubt i'd be so eager to find alternatives & the telly would play companion alot more.
I guess you need to see how this fits into your lifestyle - how much you like watching tv vs walking outside etc.

LizP · 29/01/2002 22:57

My two and a bit ds is also a telly addict so we decided to limit it to one program / video of about 30 mins after his nap. We got a TV guard and leave the TV on stand by with the remote on top of a curtain pelmet (he used chairs to get them off the mantle shelf!). Sometimes he gets a bit extra as a treat (like today at tea time as he had to spend all afternoon in A&E for his little brother). He still asks for TV often, but he doesn't complain when he doesn't get it now. Our main reason for the limit was that he is a poor eater and would take two mouthfuls of food, say he was finished and then get down & turn on the TV. So we picked a time not near any meal and try to stick with that. I think watching things has improved his speach and it was nice to be able to do some chores knowing he was happy, but the lack of eating seems more important at the moment. Think my husband was a bit shocked when I pointed out I didn't want him watching sport on TV all afternoon last weekend as this doesn't seem fair on the small people!

pamina · 30/01/2002 08:42

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChanelNo5 · 30/01/2002 10:39

Pamina - I have to say, I love it when mine get videos as I do get a few minutes peace when I put them on. Dd has got a Maisie video which she loves, I think that it is quite educational for a young kiddies video (teaches about washing hands after going to the bog, counting, playing nicely with friends etc) and the colours are lovely and bright. The Bounty packs sound like they've improved since I got mine, which contained (if my old mind serves me rightly) a variety of different sized Bodyform (only one of each, of course), a 10p money-off voucher for Petit Filous and a thimble-sized pot of Sudocrem - how times have changed!

pamina · 30/01/2002 12:28

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ChanelNo5 · 30/01/2002 13:26

Course I don't, matey. Bet you think that I sound like one of those mothers who stick their kiddies in front of videos all day? Actually I stick them in front of BBC Choice - well there's nothing like a bit of variety in their TV diet - God Bless TV! I agree, the Bounty packs are a bit 'idealistic-sit-around-clapping-and-singing-with-your-children-in-a-circle-hippyish!'

MotherofOne · 30/01/2002 13:58

Didn't know there was a follow-on pack for Toddlers - how did you get that?
Have to confess IMO, of all the videos my (now) 2 year old has, Maisy is by far the best - he sits and shouts out the letters/numbers and words in the alphabet one, and the colours & counting...
Does anyone have any experience of the Muzzy language videos by the way?

pamina · 30/01/2002 19:39

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jasper · 31/01/2002 00:10

Chanelno5 - BBC choice - fantastic! you can watch the same episode of Tweenies about six times in one day! ( So I'm told)

Batters · 31/01/2002 11:36

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ChanelNo5 · 31/01/2002 14:16

They do recycle the same programmes every couple of hours, which is great if it's Tweenies etc (for the kids anyway) but a complete nightmare when it's Chucklevision!

Enid · 31/01/2002 14:24

or Radio roo

Batters · 31/01/2002 14:31

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ChanelNo5 · 31/01/2002 14:41

Batters - Mine love it too. Is it perhaps because Paul and Barry are sooooo sexy? No, I didn't think so! I suppose it's because it's the sort of silly humour that kids (and my dh) find hilarious. If my eldest ds is naughty when he's in the bath, we dry his hair sticking up like the Chuckle Brothers, which he hates (doesn't stop him being naughty though!)

Enid - Don't you think Radio Roo is full of double entendres, or is it just my warped mind. I'm thinking of things such as (and I quote) 'Big down under' and 'twiddling the knobs' to name but a few.

SueDonim · 31/01/2002 18:24

My DS loves the Chuckle Brothers too. Trouble is he's 22! I guess it's the slapstick element that makes children laugh. DS loved them when he was wee and now says he finds the subtext hilarious. Don't ask me what the subtext is, he's a Psychology student; I can see he'll end up doing his thesis on the Chuckle Brothers.......

Ailsa · 31/01/2002 20:42

dh, dd and ds LOVE Chucklevision.

Gillan · 01/02/2002 14:12

Lauram I understand your problem. My daughter at that age and even earlier was a total addict and also not very good at amusing herself. I remember feeling incredibly guilty whenever the TV was on but desperately wanting time to myself which meant I did quite often give in. Now she is almost 4 she enjoys watching a liitle after lunch and again before bedtime sometimes but she has become more willing to play on her own and her little brother is also a distraction. I'm not suggesting you should have another one to deal with the problem but I do think it is a phase they all go through and it will pass.

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