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Original poster

Now recommended no TV at all for under 3's

240 replies

Furball · 19/02/2007 07:38

Just seen on BBC news it is now recommended no TV at all for under 3's but can't find any info about it on their website.

OP posts:
tripod · 19/02/2007 08:53

also remember craving going to other people's houses to watch telly and feeling a bit annoyed at my parents for being "so" different! not knowing the songs to cartoons, the characters' names... still was read to loads, listened to a lot of music and remember making up tens of characters with my brother... boredom can make you very creative!

Original poster
Furball · 19/02/2007 09:04

I used to spend hours watching This waiting for it all to start surely thats totally buggered me up!

OP posts:
hana · 19/02/2007 09:07

I think kids do watch too much tv these days
I'm not against tv and my own watch their own fair share - but we go to houses where the tv is on all the time - before school, afterschool, during meals, before bed and during playdates. Think that is awful.

I'm all for an easy life ( and it's about to go on while I get dressed!) but I'm def in the minority in the amount of tv that my children watch

There have been posts here before about what shows for my baby to watch? or what age to start tv for my baby? things like that......babies are stimulated by lots of other things. And I've never gotten the whole industry of DVDs for babies (Baby Einstien that sort of thing)

WideWebWitch · 19/02/2007 09:08

at the idea of getting through the first 3 years with no tv, it constitutes mental cruelty to parents imo.

tripod · 19/02/2007 09:21

hana: was given two music cds this weekend: one was playtime music box by Baby Einstein.I like the idea of my baby listening to classical music (it's nice for me too!) but the tracks had been tampered with, to make them "baby-friendly"... there's probably good reason to do so, but the resulting sound was HIDEOUS! Carmen with xylophones... yuck!

hana · 19/02/2007 09:22

when we had only a precious first born (lol) use dto play our classical cds to her - didn't have any of the babystyle cds - much nicer to have the 'real thing' imo!!

tripod · 19/02/2007 09:30

exactly! kept all of my parents' classical music vynils and got a record player from baby's father for Christmas to listen to them... brought back tons of memories and the sound is SO good... don't know if baby is as enthusiastic as me, but prefer it that way... and it's much cheaper!

MissesF · 19/02/2007 09:31

furball...that brings back memories....

fishie · 19/02/2007 09:32

we had no telly till i was 5. i cannot concentrate on anything at all. including tv!

burek · 19/02/2007 09:33

we withdrew telly watching from our ds aged 3.6 all this past week (trying to encourage him to start liking preschool - so is only allowed a little tv after school) and have seen an amazing change in his behaviour. He'll now happily get out forgotten toys and play happily and imaginatively for ages by himself if we are busy. He was getting 2 hours a day before and wouldn't play by himself. Makes you wonder.

Jimjams2 · 19/02/2007 09:36

"it can cause autism"

oh FFS.

MissesF · 19/02/2007 09:38

i have 'faked' the odd poer cut in my time....weak parent that i am...couldn't just say 'no t.v'!!! ...and amazingly they did survive.....then they went quiet .... and found them upstairs playing gameboys!!!!!

hana · 19/02/2007 09:39

agree. is a shite article

foxinsocks · 19/02/2007 09:39

here's the times article on it

MissesF · 19/02/2007 09:39

oops meant to say power cut...not 'poer'!!!

MissesF · 19/02/2007 09:43

talking about concentration etc.... my adh/autistic son sits stiller watching tv than he ever does anywhere else... and my youngest son...well...i dread the adverts interuppting his viewing... as that is when his attention wanders and he needs close supervision....

and also if my son is sat down colouring...or playing with playdo... he will sit for longer if the telly is prattling away... he glnces up every now and then...but is still colouring etc!

AitchTwoOh · 19/02/2007 09:44

Aric Sigman is that drippy american that used to consult for This Morning - wouldn't trust anything he says anyway. which is fortunate, as i have no intention of separating DD from the Teletubbies. far from putting her in a trance, they make her dance around the room phsl.

foxinsocks · 19/02/2007 09:45

the melatonin thing is interesting but surely that would apply to just being up in the evening (with a light on) anyway

would also think that most under 3s watch TV during the day rather than after dark iyswim

Jimjams2 · 19/02/2007 09:47

a short attention span is a long way from autism! What a ridiculous thing to suggest.

I vaguely remember some ridiculous study linking autism to TV watching. The author didn't seem to understand that the children watched a lot of TV because they are autistic rather than the other way round.

MissesF · 19/02/2007 09:48

yes JJ----chicken and the egg agin!

AitchTwoOh · 19/02/2007 09:50

JJ would you mind having a look at my MMR thread in Health? will bump it for you.

Aloha · 19/02/2007 09:56

I better rescue my just two year old from Mary Poppins which she is watching with her dad atm!
(it did inspire her to make her first ever proper joke the other day though - we put in the video and she sang 'Wind the Poppin up'! Who says telly is bad for you? )

And agree - 'TV causes autism' - what a big pile of steaming poo!

Booboobedoo · 19/02/2007 09:59

The average child has watched a years worth of TV by the time they're 6? That means an average of 4 hours a day from the day they're born. I find that pretty hard to swallow, tbh. I mean, did he get those stats from those set-top boxes they use to measure ratings? The ones you have to be really into TV to countenance having in the house in the first place?

Tribpot: agree about Baby Einstein. Mozart played on Bon Tempi - yuck.

hana · 19/02/2007 10:02

4 hours a day easily adds up
30 min before school
couple of hours after school
and then after tea

more for c hildren who aren't in full time school and more before school starts for a lot of children. tv goes on as a matter of course in many houses as soon as people are up

Booboobedoo · 19/02/2007 10:04

Yes I see that hana, but this would have to be from the day they're born. Newborns can't even see the telly unless you hold them up against it.

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