How much tv do you allow your LO's to watch?

[janjas]

I feel as though I allow my dd to watch too much tv, but am now in a situation where if I try to turn it off, it turns into a full blown battle! She is 2.3 and watches it for about an hour in the morning whilst I am getting my jobs out of the way, for an hour or so at lunch time whilst she is chilling, and for a short time in the evening whilst I'm getting tea ready. In between watching tv we are obviously playing, going out to park etc. She does interact with the programmes she watches and I quite often hear her answering questions that whoever is on is asking ie Dora, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse etc. I'm looking forward to Christmas when she gets some new toys because I think she may be getting bored of the toys she has and thats why she wants to watch tv.

We don't have it on in the morning because it's too distracting (getting ready for school etc)

I might put it on before lunch if we've been out. If not, dd2 (2.2) will amuse herself or we'll play something together

I put it on when I'm cooking dinner if the dds aren't fully engaged with something (like colouring-in or playing together in their room) otherwise they are just under my feet and it drives me NUTS

Don't have it on after dinner

IMO if they're moaning when it's time to switch off then it's on too much

My DSs watch cartoons for about 30mins in the morning until I can be bothered to get up then DS2 might watch another 30-60 mins in the morning when DS2 is a school and I am doing housework. He is in nursery in the afternoons then we might all watch The Simpsons or something together in the evening so DS1 might see about an hour and DS2 might see up to 2 hours which is not too bad I dont think. It is on in the background at other times but not showing anything they are interested in! They probably watch a good bit more on a wet weekend!

We switch on cbeebies at 4.50pm when I start dinner as this is what I call the witching hour when thye are starting to get tired so they probably get about 40 mins.

If they are driving me mad or are ill I may put it on earlier.

Although saying that we have started to work our way through the Disney Classics I think I'm enjoying them more than the DDs.

I hate going into peoples houses and cbeebies is blaring in the background all the time and no one is watching it.

mine watch about 45 mins when they get in from school. that's it on weekdays - my DS is SUCH a screen addict that i dread what might happen if i allowed him any more than that!! we never have it on in the week in the mornings but they do get about 45 mins on sat and sun mornings too and maybe another half hour to an hour after that on one of those days too if it's raining or whatever. i often impose a telly ban on holidays (i have been known to race manically to the tv set in a holiday chalet or wherever and declare it 'tragically' broken which, so far, my kids accept aged 7 and 5 )

Mine watch it for HOURS .

I keep telling myself it will change when DTs are a bit bigger.

It is getting harder now the weather is so shite, and it is dark so early, and DS1 gets bored while I am trying to sort out DTs all the time.

I have cut it down a bit though. It was about 6 hours a day for DS1 sometimes . He usually does other things at the same time as watching tv, is only sitting like a zombie for maybe a total of an hour.

I know I should just turn it off.

im glad im normal - reading all these :0

my dd is 2 and we have it on the morning before playgroup/outing while im doing some jobs, she east her breakfast watching it! When we get home Tv is on but usually the news for me. Then she probaly watches about 1-2 hours in early evening whilst im doing jobs and dinner/or watches a dvd.

the satelite dish fell down on Sunday, we have been without TV for 3 days - cannot wait until the damn thing is fixed so i can switch Nick Jr back on

I don't have it on before breakfast on school days. They play together if it's not on. When they watch it they appear lobotomized. After school they can watch up to an hour, although I keep trying to restrict it to special programmes like Sarah Jane Adventures, Raven etc. Eight years on I think they are completely obsessed by DVD's and a film is not nearly the treat it should be. Music, or storytapes, or even Fun Radio or Radio 7 (CBeebies in the afternoon)is much less overwhelming. I hate going into people's houses where Cbeebies is on the box when children are trying to play or adults converse. What does it teach them about concentration? It has been the source of many arguments with children, and my husband. Beware of using it as universal panacea. I would make a special time for it, warn you are switching off after x-programme, and then switch off. Despite initial reaction, they will learn how to amuse themselves or perhaps chat to you while you are busy. Better still watch with your child a lovely film when they're a bit older. I was thinking of starting this thread myself as not sure whether my children are now couch potatoes!

my DTs 5 (next month) sometimes watch it for up to an hour when they get in from school, if they are particularly tired and just need to relax, this is about 2-3 times a week at the most, its never on before school, then at weekends if we're not out and about we sometimes put a film on after sunday lunch and they like to watch strictly for a saturday night treat so max of an hour a day over the week I guess.

about 6-7 hours a day

as much as he wants to.

Not worth obsessing over imo.

They don't watch TV but they watch about 3 - 6 hours a week of DVDs. It depends how much other screen time they have had (Wii, computer) and the weather.

I agree with armidillo. There is a lot of pressure to be 'model' parents and have your children engaging in stimulating educational stuff rather than watching tv....

I personally hardly watch TV but my dd who is now 2 watches about an hour in the morning as she gets up at 5.30am so I give her a drink of milk and we cuddle up on the sofa so I can doze off until 6.30am!!!!

She might watch another half an hour before lunch and then another half an hour after lunch as Peppa pig is on NickJ which she absolutely adores.

I suppose that adds up to 2 hours a day... oh dear - sometimes when it's raining she might even have a little more.... Or if she's irratable and I'm tired.... I'm sure my dh lets her watch more on his days in the week when he looks after her.

I'm not too worried though - apparently my mum used to let me watch hours and hours of TV a day! It was constantly on in the background too. We usually had our lunch and tea infront of it. I'm honestly ok! Got A levels and went to uni and have a great job - I hardly watch TV now!!!

I think that most children get bored of their toys quite quickly... you will probably get some new ones for Xmas that will hold her attention for nanoseconds and then she will hardly touch them!!!

Reesie, DD used to watch a lot more TV when she was getting up at 5.15 every day!

But I don't agree with the 'most children lose interest in their toys' thing. People at the school bus stop are always saying their children lose interest in their Christmas presents before they are back to school but mine are still enjoying last years and the ones from the year before. I don't know how much this has to do with TV watching or the nature of the toys though.