Toddlers and TV - at what age should they be allowed to watch it?

[zebedeethezebra]

DS is just 2. He hasn't had hardly any exposure to tv up until now, other than a couple of episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine and The Gruffalo's Child at Christmas as a treat.

However, he remembers watching Thomas on the tv and taps the tv saying "Thomas on" quite often. Apparently a couple of weeks ago, with the nanny, he got on a proper strop about it.

I always thought that once they were 2, a small amount of tv watching was ok, provided its the right stuff. So I thought now he could watch an episode of Thomas with me a couple of times a week. However DP is still against tv watching - he says you should wait until they are 3, he has read somewhere, although I can't find anything on the internet that says that.

So what is your view? Should I let DS watch tv once or twice a week, as he loves Thomas so much, I don't see the harm in it? Please let me have your thoughts so I can persuade DP (or rethink my own view).

i really don't think some Thomas every now and then will do any harm

ds is 18m and can probably identify Tracy Beaker from across a crowded room - tis what happens when there is more than 1 child and you choose to watch tv

It's fine for them to watch a bit of tv

I would let him. 30 mins to an hour per day is fine, imo. Turn it off if he stops watching though- I don't like the tv on in the background thing so much. TV in moderation is a good teacher and can aid concentration. 2 is old enough. For some children (not my daughter who wants you to watch with her!) it will keep them enthralled enough to let you do something else for a short time and that can't be bad. Go for it!

I also think fine. Research shows that the reason your child shouldn't watch too much telly is because it they don't learn from it and therefore it's wasted learning time - but it's not possible or probably even advisable to stimulate a child every single minute of every single day - 30 mins of TV here and there aren't going to ruin them.

Also, the (very inconclusive) evidence on short attention spans because of TV applies to older children as toddlers have the attention spans of goldfish anyway!

Personally I think DVDs are better than straight TV as the adverts are horrible - very fast-moving and flashy which hurt my brain, let alone a little 2 year old brain, plus you can control how many episodes - DD watches Peppa Pig and is allowed to watch about 4 episodes back to back before bedtime which is about 20 mins.

PS I read that when mass paperbacks were invented (1930s? older? not sure), there was lots of hand-wringing in the newspapers about how reading fiction would ruin children's minds. Now it's the sign of a well-rounded, educated child. Horses for courses!

DS wasn't interested in the TV til he was about 12 months, now at 18 months he watches as much or as little as he wants.

DD is mad about Charlie and Lola but couldn't give a toss about the rest of it. We watch individual episodes on you tube. They're 10 minutes each which is perfect. Throughout the episode I remind her what we're going to do when it's finished.

I've discovered through trial and error that it's best to have something that's actually going to happen when the programme ends rather than expecting them to just accept that it's over and to go back to what they were doing before.

It's also bloody useful if you want to have a quick shower/sweep/wash up without any 'help'

This is the guide lines from WHO (World Health Organisation)

First child, none until 2 then only small amounts once in a blue moon until pregnant again.......

Third trimester of second child, first child can watch up to 4 hours a day while you snooze and after birth of second, first is to be placed in front of CBeebies on a permenant basis.

Pregnant with third, child one and two up to 4 hours a day then commence 12 hour stints from birth.

Third child can watch TV from birth. Can be placed in the bouncy chair in front of ANYTHING in order to feed and wash yourself and the other two.

quickchat

Let me guess....'DP' has no responsibility for entertaining the toddler during the day but you're meant to do it without the aid of a television because of something he read? My suggestion.... go away for a weekend and leave DP in sole charge. When you return, TV will suddenly be a very educational and sensible way to amuse toddlers.

We only have the one child so it's a bit easier, but we don't allow any children's TV at all. I don't have a problem with parents that do allow TV, it's just not for us. I much prefer to have the TV off when I'm at home anyway.

We watch about 20mins in the morning when DS is in bed with us having his milk. Then he'll get the bedtime hour.

He loves Thomas though and we have dvds that he'll watch on a weekend when we're in the house, but it's probably only on for about 2 hours max at the weekend.

Fortunately I didn't read that no TV before age 2 thing until well after DS turned 2 .

He's actually watched a lot of DVD stuff from about 18mo due to the arrival of DD (about 30-60 mins/day). The difficulty was finding something gentle and not at all scary (he finds some of the peppa episodes too much and any Disney film is far too terrifying). For all it's faults, the original Thomas the tank engine seems to fit the bill the best. I'm also a fan of Miniscule which is a lovely French insect animation thing (it's on YouTube too) except the spider ones .

I think watching it with them is supposed to be best, but that kinda defeats the purpose..

I don't see any harm in letting them watch a bit.

My dd wasn't interested until she was about 18 months but she is quite keen on it now. TBH it is a life saver when I am rushing around trying to get ready in the mornings.

I do have some rules though - no bloody Waybuloo and no channels that have adverts.

Oh well that's making me feel a bit better. What are the best programmes? And which channels have no adverts?

I have heard the no TV (or any screen) until 2, but not 3.

DS1 didn't watch anything until he was 2.5. Now he watches 1/2h max per day and DS2 does too by default. DS2 tends not to really watch it as such, he just plays around in the same room.

Tbh I think the real concern is where the TV is on all the time as background noise and that this might affect speech and attention span. I use DVDs as it's easy to say that they can see x number of episodes. If the TV is on it's easy to let one programme run into the next.

I wouldn't stress too much about it. It's one of those things which seems hugely important at the time, but in context isn't a big deal.

We have Percy the Park Keeper, Mr Ben, Meg and Mog (nice for the younger ones), The Gruffalo (although DS1 finds it a bit scary) and Paddington.

They start watching telly as soon as whoever is looking after them feels like they need a break

I'm very relaxed about the TV TBH and the kids seem fine.

DD2 is 2.5 and her favourites are peppa pig, ben and holly, thomas the tank engine. In the night garden (cbeebies bedtime hour) will probably go down well and has lovely music, my DD2 always makes me do "round and round" on her hand at the beginning (if you see it you'll see what I mean) and that is really sweet. Peppa pig and ben and holly have things which are aimed to make adults laugh which is a bonus - they are on nick jr so you get ads and you probably need sky or similar. For no adverts you want Cbeebies. You can also get DVDs and watch on a computer which will get round the advert problem.

Or watch on a computer that should say.

I have been watching old sesame street clips and fraggle rock with mine on youtube

DON'T DO IT.
before you know it, it will be Waybaloo, Thomas, Fifi, Fireman Sam, Barney, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Peppa Pig Gruffalo, Toy Story, Cars and your house will be filled with allsorts of crap! You will be begged to buy every Cbeebies magazine, and dragged to every theatre show of his latest obsession. Every movie that comes out you will have to go to too.

Just kiddin.

Spot is nice and calm, Kipper.
Waybaloo always has nice music, but that came a bit after DS's time.
Cbeebies is the channel for 2 year olds. Resist the Disney Channel and Nick Jnr, they are a bit older.

What about those Baby Einstein DVD's, lots of music and "educational" and supposed to stimulate them in a good way. DS did like those

Mine get the channels with all the ads and never ask me for anything

They must know better

Dd sometimes says "maybe I can have that for christmas" - she knows it's months away bless her!

well I was joking, but it is a good point about the adverts.that is where they advertise all the toys.

DD (2.2) loves Peppa, Miffy (god it's boring), Maisie Mouse (adorable, even with Neil morrissey narrating) In The Night Garden, and Waybaloo which are all very gentle. My DN loves Thomas and Chuffington (sp?) which is also trains and very slow and cheerful.

CBBeebies has no ads, in fact anything by the BBC (god bless it) is ad-free -everything else is ad-tastic. Nick jr has the best programmes - that's where you'll find Peppa etc - but is STUFFED with ads.

If you have Sky plus I recommend recording what you want DS to watch, then FFing the ads. But honestly you can get multiple episode DVDs of Peppa and Thomas for about £3 on amazon.

Have also found that my DD doesn't have the attention span for cartoons longer than about 10 mins, so don't waste your money on feature-length cartoon films yet.

PS there is a massive court case in the US against Baby Einstein because they sold their DVDs as educational, which has been proven to be utter crap. But they are also very gentle, so no harm in them. They are deeply surreal however...

My dd loves postman pat, in the night garden, pingu and show me show me.

She really likes Peppa Pig too but it is on channel 5 so I got some dvd's for her (2.99 from home bargains)