Screen time toddlers and babies - your experience

MummytoJE · 2025-08-25T19:27:39+00:00

I for one am sick of hearing about all these studies on screen time for children. One saying it's awful and the next saying it's fine as long as x age, x content, x duration, or co watching etc. So this is a thread for people to share their own experience. So that mums and dads can see anecdotal evidence for whether screen time really can harm or help. Mainly looking for stories from parents and carers or babies and toddlers. Did your child watch loads or no TV/screens? How do you think it effected them? Did they have speech delay or behavioural problems later? Did you think certain types of content helped with speech or development? What was your experience?

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teaandkittehs · 30/08/2025 16:11

I really wanted to keep mine away from the screen for as long as possible, but as she approached a year we had little bits of tv here and there, the gruffalo etc. She has since then watched more than 'they' say is okay, but she has a very active life with a lot of time spent outdoors and lots of activities like soft play and gymnastics. We live in a place where these things don't cost too much luckily. We've had no problems with her except nursery said her attention can be quite fleeting, no idea whether this is linked to tv, and she can focus on activities for a long time when she wants to. She's very physical, and hits the bottom end of 'normal' for speech. I told the nursery I was concerned about screen time but they said they see kids who are raised on tablets and phones and she's definitely not like them and that if she can concentrate on a tv programme then that shows concentration, too. We tend to watch it with her and talk about it, or play with toys and build stuff while it's on, which I realise you are not meant to do. We don't and won't let her have any of her own hand held devices for a long, long time, it's only the tv right now or Netflix on the phone for occasional long car journeys. We can't afford childcare so are working while passing her back and forth between us, i fine most people who have little to no child screen time often have their kids in nursery a lot so don't have to amuse them as much as we do so they don't have to resort to tv!

teaandkittehs · 30/08/2025 16:13

teaandkittehs · 30/08/2025 16:11

I really wanted to keep mine away from the screen for as long as possible, but as she approached a year we had little bits of tv here and there, the gruffalo etc. She has since then watched more than 'they' say is okay, but she has a very active life with a lot of time spent outdoors and lots of activities like soft play and gymnastics. We live in a place where these things don't cost too much luckily. We've had no problems with her except nursery said her attention can be quite fleeting, no idea whether this is linked to tv, and she can focus on activities for a long time when she wants to. She's very physical, and hits the bottom end of 'normal' for speech. I told the nursery I was concerned about screen time but they said they see kids who are raised on tablets and phones and she's definitely not like them and that if she can concentrate on a tv programme then that shows concentration, too. We tend to watch it with her and talk about it, or play with toys and build stuff while it's on, which I realise you are not meant to do. We don't and won't let her have any of her own hand held devices for a long, long time, it's only the tv right now or Netflix on the phone for occasional long car journeys. We can't afford childcare so are working while passing her back and forth between us, i fine most people who have little to no child screen time often have their kids in nursery a lot so don't have to amuse them as much as we do so they don't have to resort to tv!

She's currently 2 years 8 months and sat on my lap watching a studio ghibli film having spent the morning at a role play centre followed by a walk through the woods in the rain. I don't feel too bad about the situation to be honest! She recently dropped her nap and is quite tired by 4 so sometimes chills with us with tv in the late afternoon.

teaandkittehs · 30/08/2025 16:18

She's currently 2 years 8 months and sat on my lap watching a studio ghibli film having spent the morning at a role play centre followed by a walk through the woods in the rain. I don't feel too bad about the situation to be honest! She recently dropped her nap and is quite tired by 4 so sometimes chills with us with tv in the late afternoon.

MixedBananas · 30/08/2025 20:05

My niece watxhed loads of screen time. From qeaning age 6 / 7 months my DB and SIL could not sit her down without it. Apparently. It got so bad around age 2 she had TV on and Mobile phone at the same time. She is now 11 and is very addicted to the screen she is very antisocial but super bright. She doesnt engage in social interactions and she is not outdoorsy at all. She packa in physical skills badly. She ateigglea to do a toddler jungle gym and has poor balance. She is still addictes to her smart phone. She was given at age 8!!! I don't agree with it at all but have no say. She has suffered terribly becuase of it.

My 2 DC have 45mins screen time a week as a treat on Fridays. They are very imagniative, very social and are well spoken my oldest is nearpy 4 and has very complex conversations. He can socialize and doesn't get bored. He knows how to engage with all family of all ages and is very emotional aware. We only allow non fiction viewing so educational but still fun. Stidies and child experts state fictional should be reserved for ages 7+ before then kids can not tell the difference. Luckily both are into cars and trucks so an abundance of things to watch on that and books and places to visit.

We don't have a TV in our home. But when we visit family and friends we dont mind but we ask it is age appropriate no dead brain rot stuff. So they have watched the odd kids movoe here and there but they have not veen overly interested.

MixedBananas · 30/08/2025 20:10

teaandkittehs · 30/08/2025 16:11

I really wanted to keep mine away from the screen for as long as possible, but as she approached a year we had little bits of tv here and there, the gruffalo etc. She has since then watched more than 'they' say is okay, but she has a very active life with a lot of time spent outdoors and lots of activities like soft play and gymnastics. We live in a place where these things don't cost too much luckily. We've had no problems with her except nursery said her attention can be quite fleeting, no idea whether this is linked to tv, and she can focus on activities for a long time when she wants to. She's very physical, and hits the bottom end of 'normal' for speech. I told the nursery I was concerned about screen time but they said they see kids who are raised on tablets and phones and she's definitely not like them and that if she can concentrate on a tv programme then that shows concentration, too. We tend to watch it with her and talk about it, or play with toys and build stuff while it's on, which I realise you are not meant to do. We don't and won't let her have any of her own hand held devices for a long, long time, it's only the tv right now or Netflix on the phone for occasional long car journeys. We can't afford childcare so are working while passing her back and forth between us, i fine most people who have little to no child screen time often have their kids in nursery a lot so don't have to amuse them as much as we do so they don't have to resort to tv!

Neither my kids are in nursery I am a FTSAHM and will be homeschooling.I got my eldest involved with house work and he uses his imagination and role plays and has lots to do if I am busy. We have no TV and no childcare at all. Just me all week and DH on the weekend. It os tough but we got used to it. They have 45mins a week for screen time. And the rat is learning and playing, walks, park, story time. My eldest now helps with shopping I give him a small.list and he has to find the items only 3 or 4 things. He is learning life skills and having fun.

teaandkittehs · 30/08/2025 20:28

MixedBananas · 30/08/2025 20:10

Neither my kids are in nursery I am a FTSAHM and will be homeschooling.I got my eldest involved with house work and he uses his imagination and role plays and has lots to do if I am busy. We have no TV and no childcare at all. Just me all week and DH on the weekend. It os tough but we got used to it. They have 45mins a week for screen time. And the rat is learning and playing, walks, park, story time. My eldest now helps with shopping I give him a small.list and he has to find the items only 3 or 4 things. He is learning life skills and having fun.

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Like I said, we both work, so we have to fit it all together like a puzzle and it's not always possible to be actively amusing her. I'm full time but partly work from home, my partner is part-time and self-employed so his amount of work is unpredictable so we make the best of what we've got 🤷‍♀️ and I must admit I look forward to her being old enough for family film nights even if it has to be a kids film (which it will of course).

teaandkittehs · 30/08/2025 20:32

MixedBananas · 30/08/2025 20:05

My niece watxhed loads of screen time. From qeaning age 6 / 7 months my DB and SIL could not sit her down without it. Apparently. It got so bad around age 2 she had TV on and Mobile phone at the same time. She is now 11 and is very addicted to the screen she is very antisocial but super bright. She doesnt engage in social interactions and she is not outdoorsy at all. She packa in physical skills badly. She ateigglea to do a toddler jungle gym and has poor balance. She is still addictes to her smart phone. She was given at age 8!!! I don't agree with it at all but have no say. She has suffered terribly becuase of it.

My 2 DC have 45mins screen time a week as a treat on Fridays. They are very imagniative, very social and are well spoken my oldest is nearpy 4 and has very complex conversations. He can socialize and doesn't get bored. He knows how to engage with all family of all ages and is very emotional aware. We only allow non fiction viewing so educational but still fun. Stidies and child experts state fictional should be reserved for ages 7+ before then kids can not tell the difference. Luckily both are into cars and trucks so an abundance of things to watch on that and books and places to visit.

We don't have a TV in our home. But when we visit family and friends we dont mind but we ask it is age appropriate no dead brain rot stuff. So they have watched the odd kids movoe here and there but they have not veen overly interested.

Your niece sounds a lot like my stepson, but he is autistic and for him that manifests in not wanting or needing social interaction but loving computer games etc