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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

ok honestly now, how much TV does your two year old get?

92 replies

kjaysmum · 20/09/2006 21:52

My ds is a very stroppy 2.4 and TV/DVD is one of the biggest points of contention in our house. I have set some rules, no TV before 8 in the morning then a baby einstien video (essential for a stess free nappy change) and we try to have a gap but not always, then Bob the builder for 20 minutes at 9 (if no playgroup) then off. He is waking up from his daytime nap screaming for a DVD and I've reached the end of my teather so have said no TV in the daytime until is time to cook tea then he has another hour or so until his dad gets home and then it's off. Does that sound reasonable?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

3andnomore · 20/09/2006 21:55

Absoluetely....f that is what you are happy with....I am to soft and my Kids watch far to much if we are at home...hence us going out a fair bit! But I do think it's important that they know there is more then TV in life!

dinosaur · 20/09/2006 22:03

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster

kjaysmum · 20/09/2006 22:12

sounds like you both have 3 kids, guess I'd use it much more if I had more than one . Also I left uk and we get disney channel here which is just soooo american (no offense to any american mn's out there it's just not the same as the BBC). Anyhow I really feel I need to put my foot down on this one.

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MamaAfrika · 20/09/2006 22:28

I worry that dd (22 months) watches too much TV. We used to watch morning news on BBC1 over a bowl of weetabix, but now we only get to see Hoob News! It does mean she's occupied while I look after dd2 (14 weeks) and get dh and self ready for work etc. In the late afternoon, she will watch The Wiggles for an hour (...or two, depending on how much resistance I have!), even having her dinner in front of the TV. . In a perfect world we'll all have dinner together, around a table, without the TV on! We have to be really strict over weekends and limit TV time to three hours a day. She also loves the Baby Einstein series.

Original poster

kjaysmum · 20/09/2006 22:46

I've been going through a choose your battles cafefully frame of mind and thats enough I am the one who says whats what IYKWIM. My way of giving in slightly is that Baby Einstien doesn't really count!! Really though MamaAfrika you have hardened my resolve on this one a working mum I'm not and only one to deal with, I should definately be able to manage it without too much tele help, good luck, I'm sure selective program choice helps.

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schneebly · 20/09/2006 22:49

anything from half an hour to 2 hours per day depending on what we are doing.

aviatrix · 20/09/2006 22:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

kjaysmum · 20/09/2006 22:59

wow, well done Aviatrix, but I guess what they don't know...wonder what will happen when she sees it at other peoples houses, quess you just have to stay firm, good luck

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noonar · 20/09/2006 22:59

too much. its hard with an older sibling, i find.

mazzystar · 20/09/2006 23:05

DS watches about an hour of cbeebies in the morning on the 3 weekdays that he doesn't attend nursery, and sometimes he and I watch a dvd in the early evening if the weather is to bad to chuck him out in the yard. I don't feel guilty about it because he does LOTS of other activities both with me at home and at little groups and classes. We never watch any at weekends unless one or the other of us is poorly and not up to anything else.

Original poster

kjaysmum · 20/09/2006 23:08

is a grey rainy morning on this side of the planet, dp has got the cat ds is ok at the moment but is going through a very demanding phase, he seems to be doing lots of growing at the moment may b that's why, wonder how long I can hold out he asks for dvd about every 10 mins am doing activities with him inbtween posts

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Original poster

kjaysmum · 20/09/2006 23:09

oops I meant car

OP posts:

breadandroses · 20/09/2006 23:22

Mama Afrika- being really strict and limiting TV time does not equal 3 hours a day. I would consider 3 hours a day desperate measures, rather than a limited time!

hunkermunker · 20/09/2006 23:28

Loads some days.

None other days (more than the loads days, I think).

All evens out, I think. Am very laid back about TV

handlemecarefully · 20/09/2006 23:31

Oh hark at you Breadandroses!

(Bite your tongue MamaAfrika, I know it's tempting )

Ds watches an average of 2 hours per day. Since he's up by 07.00 and not in bed until 20.00 I figure that's 11 hours of his 13 waking hours when he is doing something else.

handlemecarefully · 20/09/2006 23:32

I'm fairly laid back re tv too. As long as dd and ds look animated and interested that's fine. If they look slack jawed and catatonic it gets switched off

Original poster

kjaysmum · 20/09/2006 23:33

I think it's really easy to slip into the tv trap especially if you have a toddler and young baby and work! Ds is responding already by zooming through activities at break neck speed, but it's been hard to get him to stay focused on one thing. I know this is a toddler trait but his mind constantly going back to wanting a DVD says something really important to me and thats why I am taking measures to correct it. I wonder if a child can take or leave TV then does it cease to be a problem?

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hunkermunker · 21/09/2006 00:10

I'm going back to work next month to watch TV all day. I think there are bigger things to worry about than how much they watch a day - if they're not interested in anything else, if they do the slack-jawed catatonic thing, if they grow another head, etc, etc - then fret.

But if they're just watching a bit of telly while pottering about doing toddlerish things, what's the big deal? DS1 learnt the whole fecking alphabet from Countdown before he was two and knows enormous numbers from Deal Or No Deal - both watched every day when DS2 was tiny and I was bfeeding loads.

If I was worried about his speech or his intelligence I'd fret more about the telly. I'm not. So I don't

MarsLady · 21/09/2006 00:26

Far too much... but hey ho! With 3 older children it was never going to be easy. They watch much less now that they have playgroup to go to. Also, it tends to be on rather than watched these days. If I turn it off one of the wee beasties turns it back on again. They'll grow out of it. All of mine do. Lots and lots of sport will sort it!

NotAnOtter · 21/09/2006 00:40

i did not let my ds3 watch tv till he was 3 as ds2 is mad on it.
I am very pleased at how it has gone. He loves dvd'd but only on non nursery days (1 weekday and weekends) and no more than 1 a day
3 hours is excessive imo

maisiemog · 21/09/2006 01:56

It depends, are you sure the TV is doing any harm at all to your LO?
My DS and I watch quite a bit of TV some days he has the TV on for three hours usually in the background. Couldn't say for sure because I don't have a viewing schedule whereby I put on the the TV for a specific event then off again, half the time I have no idea what is going to be on, it's exciting.
I don't understand where all these arbitrary figures are coming from: 3 hours, 4 hours? Is this based on some guideline, or just a kind of guilt because we are supposed to pretend that children live in the 1950s, but without the rickets and manual labour?
I'm not worried about him watching TV, he loves it and so do I and we are both geniuses.
If he didn't watch TV he would stare at me all day long instead, and I'm not convinced that would be very beneficial for anybody, not least him.
Ooo I do like a film in the afternoon. I also like the odd property programme (Homes Under the Hammer etc...)
He doesn't watch DVDs at all, just CBeebies and he really seems to enjoy Tellytubbies, just laughs all the way through, and Boo. Who am I to deny him that kind of fun?
I really get the impression that a lot of the anti-TV sentiment is based on good old-fashioned snobbery or some kind of misguided puritanism.
I remember seeing some research about this, someone decided that TV caused ADHD then another report came out and said 'Oh no it doesn't'. Well that's good enough for me, the research is all over the place, so we will carry on watching and having a super time.
Oh and to be honest, I really don't want to have to entertain a 2 year old all day long unaided. Speaking as a mainly at home Mum, I have hours with my son and making it all top quality, educational and super is really a bit much for me.
. So in between finger painting and violin lessons, we like to watch Tweenies (which I'm sure is educational in its own way).
But hats off to those of you who can spend the whole day with a child of under two without spending thousands of pounds on 'Sing and Sign' lessons, and carting them around parent and toddler groups all week. Respect from me.
Sorry do I sound sarcastic.

Original poster

kjaysmum · 21/09/2006 07:22

well thanks for all the imput, what differing opions we all have, interesting.
As I said at the begining TV/DVD's is just the strongest point of contention in my house and contend he does, big style, so by removing it I hope to prevent a few tantrums in the long run so far so good, I have given him far less than usual and he really seems to be moving away from it, wonder what the next thing will be?

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FrannyandZooey · 21/09/2006 07:36

We don't watch TV at all. It isn't because of old fashioned snobbery or misguided puritanism. That's a very patronising and dismissive post maisiemog. Have you ever discussed their reasons with someone who doesn't watch tv, or are you happy just to make judgements based on your own assumptions?

CaptainFlameSparrow · 21/09/2006 07:54

We are watching much less now that DD is at pre-school in the mornings (nearly wrote school and would have been attacked ) - before she was exhausting me so much that yes, she was watching a lot of tv so that I could have a break from the constant whirlwind.

We only have a tv in the lounge, and that is how I intend for it to stay... as much as I know I'd get a lay in if she could watch tv in her room in the morning, I don't want to start it being in there. We don't have one in our bedroom partly for double standard reasons (how can I say "no tvs in bedroom" to children when I have one?), and partly because I can see it making us talk even less than we do already!!!

MM did say that she "gets the impression" not that it was a blanket statement.

Pruni · 21/09/2006 08:11

Message withdrawn

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