how much telly do your lo's watch?- or does anyone NOT have one?

[bourneville]

My 2.3 yo watches at most an hour a day - not including Neighbours & The Simpsons which is mummy's tv time! (and she doesn't watch much of that). I grew up without a TV (and am pretty resentful about it tbh) but at least i have a healthy scepticism towards it and am determined to moderate viewing time... however i am also known to have the Tv (well, vids & dvds) on most of the day if i have a hangover or if i'm ill. My mum tuts and says "Don't you be mucking up your daughter's brains!" which really gets to me cos it's only once in a while and I feel guilty enough about it already..... I guess I'm just wanting some reasurrance that everybody else's kids watch as much as or more TV than mine does!!

Would be very interested to hear from people who don't have a TV too...

About the same here. Some weekends it doesnt get switched on at all but some days its longer if it makes things easier.

DD (4) watches a lot of tv. i am actually thinking of bringing in the rule a lot of my parents' friends had, which was 'no tv until 6pm'. i would very much prefer to let DD watch a dvd (of for example postman pat episodes) rather than sit her in front of cbeebies all day.

My kids watch loads of tv.

mine is the same as yours on weekdays, but she watches more at weekends (dd is just 3). i don't like it but there's so much to do at the weekend and she can be so full on right now.

Definitely more tv during the winter months (hardly any in the summer).

I don't beat myself up about it unduly. Probably some days up to 3 hours, other days barely any, and a good batting average is 1 and a quarter hours (in two sittings, probably half an hour in the morning and around 45 minutes in the evening)

breakfast and at tea times, maybe a couple of hours a day? Not sure, it is just in the background, they don't sit there like zombies anyway.

I didn't have a tv when a child as my dad banned it and I always felt different at school and hated it, so will not inflict that on my two.

It can have a bad influence but I do not think it is the demon it is made out to be tbh.

ds addicted to thomas the tank video at the moment,brain turning to mush as we speak!

My ds is 5 and doesnt really like watching tv...he has it on but only so there is a background noise...he hates being on his own so the noise comforts him!

He would rather be doing something else than watching it...he had a cd player for his birthday so listens to that whilst playing rather now instead. He does like his computer and plays it maybe 3 times a week for half hour.

He also plays on the PC every day, whether its just typing words in Microsoft word for his keywords practice for school or playing a game.

I think sometimes people also underestimate the positive impact of carefully selected programmes.I think that watching children's tv has enriched dd's life in balance with the things we do when the tv's off. She's mad keen on ballet at the moment (2.5) - an interest she wouldn't have if it weren't for Angelina Ballerine (yuk). At the same time, I've let her watch bits of recorded "The Queen's Cavalry" because she loves going to see the changing of the guard and going to St James's Park (obviously not bits showing warfare etc - only the soldiers and horses really). We're fortunate to have a media centre tv thingy that records progammes we/she might be interested in and that way we can pick and choose.
At the moment she's watching far too much as have 11 week old, weather is pants and I'm trying to potty train. At other times, particularly when dh is around, she watches less.

DS, if he's at home with me all day, he'll maybe watch a couple of hours, split up throughout the day), but he doesn't watch it intently, more in an on in the background till something catches his eye (although he does say "bye-bye" to Fifi Flowertot more reliably than to his own father!). He likes to play and potter around and climb on and off his ride-on while it's on though.

His favourites are Fifi (Fufu) and Noddy (whom he calls "parp-parp" ).

But we're rarely at home all day, so there are lots of days when he doesn't watch much, if at all. And with a new baby due when he's 21mo, I'm not getting too hung up about it

I had my viewing restricted at home till I was in my mid-teens - and even now my dad will say, "Oh, you don't watch that do you?!" - but my job involves watching TV all day, so I have rebelled in the ultimate way, I think

lol @ parp parp and fufu (which is friends DDs name for girls bits)

Masses and masses and masses. If they're on their own with their dad, double that.

I wish dd2 would watch tv

she just cant do it

moondog doesnt have a telly, i think

PMSL at Fufu - yes, hadn't quite thought of it like that. Mind you, Fifi's probably a similar reference in some households if past "what do you call parts in your house" threads are anything to go by!

First thing in a morning (Mummy want to go downdairs and put my programmes on!) and before bed, so a couple of hours a day.

Ds is 3.5 his faves are Backyardigans, Peppa Pig and Lazy town. Dh was watching Knightrider the other day and ds was engrossed!

Must admit, I remember laughing at the kids at school who had no/limited TV viewing. One girl wasn't allowed to watch Home & Away she was forced to watch Blue Peter instead.

about as much time as I spend on MN

We do not have a TV. We live perfectly happily without one.

When we're spending the day in the house then DD nags to watch CBeebies and it'll probably be on for most of the day if I'm truly honest
To be fair though she doesn't stare intently at it all the time but potters around playing with her toys at the same time.

CBeebies is on pretty much all day. But she isn't at home for 2-3 hours a day, and twice a week, she's out all day.

She watches BBC w/us - teatime news.

I went w/o TV once for a couple of years. Was single and not home much.

Can't imagine going w/o one now. Although I'd gladly for a DAB radion in the kitchen instead.

I'm so glad someone else has started this thread as was only thinking of it today. When the TV is on ds 20 months stands in front of it and i mean dead in front of it and doesn't move. The other three haven't done this and although it may be on they play with their toys.

Don't know what to do with him really, i try and curtail it but once he gets it into his head he wants it on thats it. He screams until its on

DS watches loads - far too much really but he does dip in and out. Nick Jr is on whenever he is around.

I am not bothered enough to do anything about it TBH!!

During the week.
We have it on in the morning while we get ready. She sits up in our bed watching Cbeebies or Milkshake while we tear round the house tryign to get out of it.

When she gets in from nursery at 3.30 everyday her nana puts it on for a while so she can just chill out for a while and have a drink and a cracker or soemthing, then it goes off and they sing, play games, read together.

At weekends - no TV but she is allowed to watch a Disney DVD if we are busy doing something.

As she doesn't walk yet (4yrs old but has special needs) and can't really gwet up to much mischeif she finds it a bit hard to entertain herslef tbh and if we are busy doing something then I'm happy for her to be occupied with a DVD for a bit.

my ds (14 months) has just figured out how to turn the damn thing on. which must mean he watches too much.