Ok I am going to be really honest here, think ds is a TV addict!!! Please read!

[cheekymonk]

Ds first sentence every day is "I'm hungry" fine I hear you say so usual routine of make breakfast, telly on whilst I either go back to bed or go and have shower etc (work day).
On a work day he will watch about an hour of telly before he goes to nursery.
On our return at 4.30, telly goes straight on and it is on until he has a bath (6.45ish) so 3 hours 15 mins on a work day. On the weekend it is much more, about 5 hours per day.
If the telly is on in the day it is kids telly and I watch mine at night time. it is dawning on me that he watches far too much and it may well be a cause in his very aggressive tantrumy behaviour. He is constantly saying he is tired even with a good 12 to 13 hours sleep.
Don't get me wrong, I take him to soft play, library etc, play with him in his room so telly is not on all the time but I am sure it is too much. I just have so much to do especially as dh is away and has left finances very complicated.
Is his tv cosumption appalling, worse than average or average??
Am really embarrassed and know how crap I am but need honest advice to help me get ds out of rut...
BTW his weight is fine, he is very active and after a hard day at nursery I know he loves his chill out time...
Going to inlaws and ds wanting tv on so much and always his choice just highlighted things.

schprooz i like those rules a lot! i too watch virtually no telly and DD, DH and i all read a lot - i think DS will too, once he can read independently, which is only a few months off now. i also find, as others have said, story CDs great as an alternative - they listen to them as they're getting dressed in the morning in DD's room and also in the living room as a telly alternative. then they can colour in at the same time. DS does have melodramatic moments where he flings himself on the floor begging for telly but we're trying to implement a straight-to-your-room strategy for that one .

schprooz - I too might try your strategy of no TV during week - the thing that worries me the most is the trance like state dd gets in to when she watches it. She doesn't respond to questions, she can even fall off her chair sometimes ....It's very good as a calming activity after school (and it's good for language learning - we live abroad) but this is getting a bit much frankly ...

and that's a good idea about story CDSs katie123 - I tried them a couple of years ago and dd wasn't too keen - but I think the time is right to give them another go

Another thing I might try is moving the tv away from the sitting room/play room area where we spend most of our time. That way you actively have to go and watch it rather than it just being "on in the background" which I detest!!

Have been watching this thread with interest. Have 2 DCs DS(4.9) and DD(2) we bought a new tv after xmas and have got cbeebies back after 18 months without. I am finding it hard to gauge the right amount to let them watch. They have it for up to 30 mins in the morning once dressed teeth brushed etc befroe leaving for school. Iwon't put it on during the day. But it tends to be on between 5 and 7. We usually do something straight after school. They are not both watching it all that time. They watch while iget supper then they eat (TV off)DS watches while i bath DD, then she watches night garden while I read with him (30 mins). Then we all watch 630-7 while I clean up. I am thinking of telling them it do esn't go on till after tea as I feel this is too much.

There has been progress! Have started a new routine today that I devised with help of navy social worker...
Both get up together but not until alarm goes off (ds has been waking earlier and earlier to get more telly in as he knows I curb it in the day, crafty so and so!)he woke at 5.20 today but I didn't allow him downstairs. he is not allowed downstairs until he gets dressed (will aim for him to do this himself but one step at a time). He got dressed really well and 50% independently. Both went down together at 6.45 he has telly on while I shower and get ready then at 7.15 telly off he lays table for breakfast (he loved this) and we sit and eat breakfast together in dining room. We clear up, brush teeth, get shoes on and go. It was after breakfast and his realisation there was no telly that he kicked off a bit but apart from this he responded really well. It was FAR LESS STRESSFUL AND THE BEST MORNING I HAVE HAD FOR AGES!! WE WEREN'T LATE EITHER!!
I am happy for him to watch some telly but not the 2 hours 20 mins it would have been under our old routine. Today it was 30 mins only!
It is early days and it could all go pear shaped but feel really pleased. Hopefully this will knock his early waking back to a reasonable time too.
I have got a new afternoon routine to do too but again, one step at a time.
I feel better and in control and also that I am being a good mum.
Am really chuffed and surprised at how some simple adjustments make all the difference!

that's brilliant cheeky