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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

The relentless RELENTLESS demands for 'telly'...help!

10 replies

Lambertszinco · 06/12/2013 17:25

My three year old son watches about 4 episodes of either Peppa, Octanauts or Thomas a day. He's never watched TV - he refers too all the above as 'telly'.

And he's obsessed with it the rest of the time. he constantly asks for it. It's so wearing. He has lots of toys, we do great stuff together, yet he plays on his for a nano second and then asks for 'telly.'

It's actually really depressing me. Is it a stage? Is it him? What can I do?

I know some kids watch more but I just don't feel I want him in front of a TV all the time.

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MillyMollyMama · 06/12/2013 18:16

Stick to your guns. He is not the adult in charge of bringing him up, you are. What he watches is perfectly reasonable. I would consider decreasing it so it is only switched on as a reward for not continually asking. It is interesting how some children get so demanding about tv or Xbox or computers. Few seem to incessantly ask for books. I can honestly say my DDs never kept asking for tv and readily accepted it was time to do something else. Perhaps go out when the tv is turned off so you are not around the tv. Don't buy anything else that he will get addicted to!!!

Whatnamenext · 06/12/2013 18:24

When we found it was getting "too much", the TV got "broken". We switched it off and that was that. It didn't get put on at night until we were certain they were asleep.

Mine are 4 & 6 and it worked a charm.

"It's broken so go and find something else to do"

We were nervous but it worked. When we decided to reintroduce it, We pin protected loads of channels so there couldn t be any flicking. Even now it's much more limited - especially the horrible bratty Disney channels my 6yo was watching. She hasn't seen anything like that for months.

bundaberg · 06/12/2013 18:27

we did the same as whatname.... mine have a ban on all screens during the week now because I was so bloody sick of it. they're allowed them at weekends (although that was also limited for a while)

we don't actually get broadcast tv but they'll want dvds on or the wii or whatever.

when DS1 was small and we did have "real" tv he was awful, constantly wanted cbeebies on. eventually I stopped using the freeview box and we had 5 channels and that was IT. so he could only watch it in mornings and afternoon and that was that

Original poster

Lambertszinco · 06/12/2013 18:29

Thanks all.

He's never watched telly - only DVDs but maybe the broken thing will work

Are these relentless demands normal?

OP posts:

Whatnamenext · 06/12/2013 19:16

Yep I don't know anyone else who hasn't had the same problem!

MillyMollyMama · 07/12/2013 00:40

I didn't!!! I monitored very closely what we watched and we watched it together and talked about the programme. When it had finished, tv was switched off. They never knew what came next and we never, ever, watched the same programme several times. I think it is easy to let the tv baby sit and then it becomes a problem.

cindyrella · 07/12/2013 06:32

My friends dd got so bad she'd demand it when out. If they were at the museum for eg, she'd scream for telly. So embarassing...but it was a phase she grew out of with strict guidelines at home.

Squitten · 07/12/2013 11:37

My eldest is very attached to his screen time. We actually got rid of our telly so now they only use the iPad, which can be put away more easily.

Eldest is 5 and at school now so he gets no screen time at all Mon-Thurs because there's no time. We let them have a film on Fri nights and then weekends depends on what we're up to. Sometimes he gets stroppy when it's time to put it away but he will be sent to his room under threat of a ban if he continues.

FadBook · 07/12/2013 11:43

We don't watch kids tv in this house unless a necessity. The 6 weeks holiday my DP (teacher) gave in more than I would have and DD became a little reliant on Peppa Pig.

I've gone cold turkey with her the last 3 weeks and it's been fine. When she mentions Peppa Pig we distract with her PP toys instead.

Like MillyMommyMamma said - you're the adult, stick to your guns.

It's normal for them to push boundaries yes, so it's normal for them to keep asking for TV. I'd unplug it and tell them it's broken and then use distraction, distraction, distraction!

ZuleikaD · 08/12/2013 13:26

We don't have TV and it's not a problem. The children are allowed a few episodes of something at the weekend and that's all. I agree with those saying cut it out altogether. And don't let him hear you watching in the evening.

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