Anyone else do more or less unlimited TV for their under 5s?

[RitaMorgan]

I was just wondering if anyone else doesn't limit/ban TV?

Must admit I sometimes feel like I should but not really sure why . 17 month old DS is basically allowed to watch Cbeebies or his DVDs whenever he asks - generally first thing in the morning, and then on and off in the late afternoons between 4-7. I couldn't even give an estimate of how much he watches on average a day, sometimes it'll just be an episode of Waybuloo whereas sometimes he'll watch 15 minutes of something in the morning, then a movie (intermittently) and a couple of episodes of something else in the afternoon.

DP is even less worried about TV watching than me - we both watched lots of TV as children, and quite a lot now, and it doesn't seem to have caused any problems.

My ds was deeply traumatised by TV as a 2 y o. One of the things that taumatised him was an episode of Something Special when Justin was looking after a baby, and in the pram it was Justin's face, dressed up as a baby. My ds was terrified by that and refused to watch TV for a long time. The other thing that traumatised him was a programme on the Disney Channel that he saw at my parents' house about a rock band made up of two women and two men, all very brightly dressed and playing different instuments (anyone know the name of that programme?) Anyway, there was an episode when there was a huge, colourfully decorated birthday cake that got squashed on their tour bus. Ds wept for hours for that cake. So yes, for all of our emotional sanity, I've had to keep our TV watching on quite a short lead.

I don't have the TV on all day, but I do put it on if ds asks ('beebies is one of his 15 or so words ) - or he picks a DVD, gets it out and puts it in the player himself

I used to watch CSI/Law and Order/Criminal Minds type stuff a lot while ds played nearby, but he's getting to the point where he notices and could be frightened by adult programmes so my TV watching is limited to when he is asleep now.

The last taboo of mn. Count me in. Ds watches cbeebies or a DVD whenever Ds wants really, but I'll often turn the tv off because he's not actually watching.

I don't limit it for the sake of limiting it, but they don't get any television in the mornings until they are up and dressed and don't get any in the afternoons/evenings until DS has finished his homework. Combine that with the fact that we are out of the house several afternoons/evenings a week and my DCs' ability to dawdle over the simplest task and it works out that most days they watch none at all or half an hour tops, without it being technically rationed.

neither of mine have ever been limited (ds is 7yo and dd is 17 months) as I keep it on in background - though I do insist on it being turned off for visitors. Both of mine could take it or leave it.

I do choose channels carefully though - they are allowed cbeebies/cbbc because of no adverts and I watch GoodFood channel/pricedrop tv which have adverts but not for anything the kids want. We had a tivo box installed yesterday plus have upgraded from freeview so have more channels. so may also start recording stuff from other channels.

Ds is allowed to watch channels with adverts but only in the past year or two and he is getting the idea that they are all selling lies. We do let him watch some older things like dr who but screen each episode before he's allowed to watch them. Same as we do with 12 rated films and with computer games.

Ds has some limitations on computer games but only because he can zone out and become a bit obsessed and because they annoy me - I'd rather have the telly on.

Oooh, I got unlimited TV as a child and I'm still glued to the decker whenever possible so we don't have broadcast telly and have to use iPlayer on the Wii. I do limit even though I'm not sure why, feel the unspoken judgement of my lentil weavery friends maybe?

Alot depends on how your child is DD 3.4 is an only child and gets bored at home so nags for the TV to be on, she can happily watch hours without doing much else so obviously I try not to let her do that.

I don't feel TV is at all 'bad thing' but I do want her to learn to occupy/amuse herself when we are at home and sitting in front of the box does not do that.

I do not really like it if we go over to friends for a playdate and they have a movie/TV on for the kids the whole time we are there not very sociable IMO.

Meglet isn't 24 hour news is a really depressing thing to have on all day! I hate that rolling news with a passion.

I am the opposite to some posters here - dh had the tv on a lot when he was growing up and now he is a real telly addict, if it is on he is just drawn to it. I didn't watch much as a child and tbh i could live quite happily without a tv now. Though dh and i do watch the odd film, but we could use the computer.
As it is i refuse to get sky because dh would have it on constantly. And i really don't want ds going the same way, so it is limited for him. He's not that bothered, but occasionally i have to say 'that's enough now'.. I haaate having the tv on as background noise and i have read some research saying it's not great - though i am prepared to take that with the proverbial salt. I just don't like it!

It's on as a background noise and they will stop if it is anything that they really like to watch like Justin's house.

I don't limit TV either and it is great to see so many other parents not dying of guilt for having the TV on

We never switched the TV on as kids unless it was kids tv hour or mum wanted to watch the news. DP's family had cable so would have it on all day and then arrange something to watch with dinner/tea. That bugs me more then having the tv on all day.

The elder dc's, 15 and 12 watched it in bursts but the younger, 3 and 1 have it on most of the day, partly because dp is at home now and likes as many things on as possible. They don't watch programs religiously but the 3 year old has got a bit demanding and doesn't like watching out programmes. She has a love of Tom and Jerry atm and loved the New Year marathon. She does however play around the TV and often doesn't realise it isn't on.

My friends DD at 2 would just sit staring at it from morning till night. She even had a DVD on to go to sleep and would often wake her mum up at 2am to put another one on, and yes she did so she could get back to sleep

I miss just listening to the radio but I can't remember a time we didn't have some media on during the day.