tele addict 3.5 year old

[georgi101]

my son is 3.5 years old. I origionally got him into cartoons and films to try and keep him quiet when my daughter was a baby but now he is not interested in doing anything else no matter how exciting or creative the subject is all he wants to do is watch scooby doo sponge bob tom and jerry chicken little and incredibles. What can i do to take the magic of t.v down a few notches?

I've never done it to make quiet for a second sibling but I can really appreciate why you initially did it so I can't judge you.(I have done it so that I can get jobs done and oh, I know what you mean!) BUT, you have made a rod for your own back. So, firstly, do you have SKY, Virgin Media or something with all the channels? If so, use the parental control and de-activate them so DS can see that the TV works, but those channels don't and say " Ooh, I don't know, I'll have to get on to the TV company blah, blah..". I do it with DS who is 8 and it works! He doesn't know, just knows there is no access. I just blame it on the cable company!
If you have a Digibox, SettopBox only, disconnect it and say it is broken and "someone is coming to fix it soon". Meanwhile, start to try to engage DS in those other activities that you want him to get into. When there is no other alternative it becomes easier. Little friends to play?

Yeah i know its my fault. If i turn it off i get screaming till the cows come home, if i then dont turn it back on he starts to spit on the tele and push it off its stand. I have bought him a bike a trampoline a sand pit a paddling pool we go for picnics in the park etc but as sonn as he is finished he wants it back on. No he does not really have friends about. I live 180 miles away from family and we live the furthest away out of all his school mates from school so he only gets to see them at school and once a fortnight he has a friend round for tea. I really am stuck beacuse my daughter always wants to be outside and doing something but my son always wants to stay in and is really miserable and naughty if we go out.

yeah see thats my problem i dont seem to be able to be strick. I have tried but every time they cry i give in. I know that they know that so thats why they cry but i cant help it. naughty naughty me!!!!! x

Yes, and you do anything for an easy life, to make things better for you and I know it's tough because I've done it and if you believe me, I'm going through it now with TV, DS games, Computer etc at aged 8. You are not a bad mother nor are you different to loads of others. It only gets worse though and I read your post because it was the start of my downfall in a way. So, do not let it drag on (like I have). So, assuming that DS at 3.5 goes to bed between 7 and 8pm (!), NO TV for you. It's broken, you can't afford a new one! After DS has gone to bed fill your boots! Just keep promising that mummy will get it sorted eventually, and in the meantime you have to do other things!

logging out now need some sleep, have organised a play date after school for him with my friends son hopefully we might be out of the house all day and no t.v. but feel free to leave more messages for me i will read them tommorrow, every little helps, although i do think i need to be a bit more tuff with my kids i just find it hard to punish them when they are weeping. IM TOO SOFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok lol night night hope everyone else gets on better with their problems than me.

Remove TV like cat64 says then buy a TV cupboard with a lock on it and put it in there when he's not looking.
Do not open the cupboard ever while he is awake and

ah feck it, just get rid of the damn thing.

Get a timer for the TV. That way it goes off with no arguments. Simple.