Does anyone really manage the 'no-tv until they're 2' thing?

[IcouldstillbeJoseph]

Really? anyone??

2.6 years, and 13 months, last few weeks they have started watching 30 mins sun morning to extend lay in. Mainly eldest tbh, youngest couldn't care less. Never watch otherwise, but then the tv is only on maybe twice a week max in evenings for adults anyway, so not a very tv orientated house

We have TV like we have everything else in our house, in moderation. I can't be doing with setting rules like 'only at the weekends' or whatever: DS (9) sometimes watches half an hour at the end of the day, sometimes not; sometimes he watches a film at the weekends, sometimes not. We try to give him a varied diet of programmes - he loves animals so we record Deadly 60, and we watch things like Merlin and Strictly as a family. I think family TV time can actually be good quality bonding time: we chat as we watch and afterwards about the programme.

DS does such a variety of activities that I really don't think TV is doing him any harm whatsoever now. But before he was two? He watched some CBeebies and stuff. And still reads voraciously and has a huge vocabulary now, so I'm not beating myself up about it!

If I had TV rules I'd be scuppered during the tennis season anyway - it has been on every day for the French Open, and will be for Queens and Wimbledon too.

Dd is only 9 months so a while to go yet, but she's never watched specific baby tv - I have the news on while I have my coffee in the morning and usually watch pointless! Don't have the tv on as background so that's all she's seen. Oh, except for one memorable night a month ago when she was teething and wouldn't sleep - we watched 2 Harry potter films back to back as I was too tired to do anything else! I expect no tv is much easier with the first one.

We didn't have a tv until I was 8. If we had, I think I'd be no different now.

My SIL looked at me as if I am Evil Witch Mother when she asked if Dd liked In The Night Garden and I said shed never seen it.

My answer was that the Tvs for me, dd has tons of toys to keep her occupied so if she preffered the tv shes stuck with what I want to watch.

belmo another Pointless fan. DD seems to like the music and the flashy towrr

Pointless is what gets me through that last wee bit before DP gets home! She likes the music too

Yes. 21MO doesn?t watch TV at all at home. At CMs apparently they do have it on for older children (age 3) at 5pm some days (not all) but when partner picks LO up he says she is either singing with CM and other kids (TV not on) or playing happily when it is on and not looking at the TV at all. When out and screen ios on in town/cafes etc she ignores it, seem to be too busy eating or looking at what other people are eating and pointing at them!

Well, DS is 22 months, and I tried a few times putting the TV on, but he couldn't care less. It's a shame because I would really appreciate 20min of peace to prepare dinner in the afternoon, but I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon!
And he is not talking yet, so no hidden benefits of the tv refusal!
Any ideas about programs that could interest him?

Yes we did - it didn't occur to me to introduce telly before about 2.5 -3 tbh.

as I type, DS is watching a Thomas film for about the third time today! DD is asleep and I am getting stuff done (when not on here obviously). I only have two days at home to do house things and it also keeps him quiet while DD sleeps. We do play outside and with cars and things but he loves it and has learnt colours, numbers and lots of shapes from watching it. His Thomas trains are the main things he plays with and has started making up stories etc as he pushed them round. He watches other things too - my only rule really is that there has to be proper words in it, none of this Ninky Nonk stuff, so he learns from it.

Yes, with an age difference of 19 months and a difficult second pregnancy. We didn't have a TV before they were born, never really been too bothered, got one when youngest was 3, DH and I hardly watch it.

But I cheated - I returned to work when DD was 6 months old and she stayed with DH's aunt, who we paid to look after her. Gave up work after DS was born, but PIL looked after DD two days a week, and MIL used to also cook lots for us (not that I wanted her too, she just did!), so I had lots of support, and aunt looked after them again when I started working again.

Also, we were not in the UK, but in a country with a great climate 10 months of the year, so I spent hours sitting on park benches with DS in a sling watching DD play.

I think I would have found it difficult without TV in the UK if I had been a SHAM without any family support - the days can seem long and it can be so exhausting. I doubt it would have made much difference if I had let them watch TV when they were little.

We now live in the UK, and DC have pretty much unlimited access to the TV (only limited by having to go to activities or doing homework, or family things). They rarely watch during the week, but love watching films on Sunday mornings (which suits us fine, as it gives us a lie-in).

We managed it (no television aerial).
Youngest is now 3.5 and watches about 10 mins of DVD per week. Occasionally we watch a film altogether, but they're not bothered particularly about watching things.

are you supposed to do this then? Never heard of it.

we managed. she's an only child so easier to do i guess. she's 5 now and gets 30mins after dinner but i know she watches tv when at others houses.

Dc1 didn't watch TV until she started school and people were talking about it. She is now 6 and watches TV in the mornings and sometimes for half an hour after school. Occasionally dc2 will watch with her - you can't really stop them when they have older siblings, can you? Any differences between them are due to their personalities and strengths, not due to whether they watched TV or not.

My TV is always on , so I never had to introduce them to it.

I wasn't allowed much tv as a child (but used to love staying at my GPs house where we were allowed it!). As an adult I love tv and will watch any old sh!t.

we didn't have a telly when I was little until I was 10 and as a consequence I was obsessed by it. I don't have any house rules about telly. The DC can watch it as and when. In practice this isn't much as they want to do other things, but I let them choose.

Yep mine were pretty much the same.they watched TV sometimes when ever they wanted it was never an issue, but also played out with their friends etc.

My DS rarely watches TV now as a teenager.

DS1 who is 6 would much rather draw than watch TV, and DS2 would much rather run about like a nutter

DD3 is 18months and we don't have one, DDs 1 and 2 watched it before 2 though, got rid about 3 years ago completely I think having been on and off with having one for a couple of years prior. No DVDs or computer games either.

I can only dream of my 18 mo DS quietly watching CBeebies. It never, ever happens. He's just not into TV and would much rather be causing chaos. I used to be very self righteous about not having a child who was raised in front of a TV. Now i just bloody wish i had a child who would sit the heck still for long enough. The only time i have ever sat and watched TV successfully with him is when he's had tonsillitis and he's practically asleep all day.

I did with DD1, didn't with DD2 and will not with DD3 (she is 6mths old and uninterested). Tbh my point of view has changed, I no longer think that TV is evil.

DD2 doesn't watch much, DD1 does. I think it is mainly personality though as DD1 is a late reader and a very visual person.