Will anyone tell me the truth...

[Toddlertwinsmum1]

...about how much kids TV your DC's actually watch? Since having twins (now 1) my DS seems to watch more and more. On an average day it's on in the morning for breakfast time for an hour or so while they eat and I get ready. We then are usually out and about during the day but then when we get home, it's on while I make tea, we eat and until they get ready for bath and bed - possibly another hour and a half. The DC's don't actually sit and watch it that whole time, they are busy playing but it's on in the background. I know I should be interacting with them and I feel bad about it. So, am I a terrible mother? What do other people do?

Max of 2 progs a day rule.

This is far tooth tv some people have put. Unless you don't have a garden there's no excuse? Can buy cheap toys and books?

Only time ever more is say once a month when go away for weekend and packing the car maybe max 45mins of kids TV channel.

Have a garden and loads of toys. Still watch loads of TV.

Truly? From when we get up (6.30ish) til breakfast (8.00ish). On again for Mr Tumble and Show me Show Me (9.45 to 10.30). Something after lunch (maybe Balamory for half an hour or a DVD. On from around 5.30 to bedtime. But this is just in the holidays as she is at nursery and out of the house between 7.15 and 5.45 in term time!

citygal don't be sanctimonious please. Excuse? I don't need an excuse. You have your ways, I have mine. You have your children, I have mine. My dc are happy, bright and lead a varied and stimulating life. We have a garden - they spend lots of time out there, we have a craft box - they spend lots of time every day sticking, painting and making a creative mess, we have friends for play dates, soft play and 5 parks locally. 12 hours is a lot of time to fill during the day- a 2/3 hours in total of a Tv/film a day when mixed with all of the above isn't a big deal now is it?

Oodles at the moment. We've just come back from holiday and are knackered so we're alternating day at home/day out. Today we were out, yesterday we were in watching tv as well as being in the garden. But DD1 was in a flopping on the sofa mood so that's largely what we did. Might do it tomorrow too.

We don't do any sticking, painting, creativity at all. That's what school is for

Didn't take long for one to come out of the woodwork did it?

My excuse for DS (1.10) watching as much as he currently does is that we're mid house move and I'm 7 weeks pregnant and sick as a dog.

In fairness, prior to being pregnant and a house move, he still watched a fair bit, mostly at the weekend as he's a daycare full time. He gets to watch Thomas or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse when he's having his snacks or dinner.

No doubt if we were home during the day he'd watch more - I have no problem with it.

Loads as well. DD watches tv and DS watches YouTube videos on the tablet. I take them out and we do stuff together but most of the time DD puts on the TV as soon as she gets up, breakfast, then TV again until we go out. Lunch then TV again, sometimes the whole afternoon depending on how tired I am, what we have planned etc.
I always think that they watch too much TV but I know when they have had too much. They go off and do other things, they do things while watching TV. We have a garden, I have to be out in the garden as well otherwise it is unsafe due to the layout of the house.
I think if DS was any good at imaginative play, making up stories, make believe and all that, then they would play more together and watch TV less as DD has a very vivid imagination but needs company to play.
Yes, excuses, I could just switch the TV off and make them play but I have things to do, and haven't got the energy to have an argument most of the time...

plus I love kids films, Toy Story etc so I am happy to watch with them sometimes...

I read recently that all the research about TV being bad for kids that we've been bombarded with in recent years has been shown to be rather dubious (i.e. no TV for under 2s, max of half an hour for pre schoolers etc).

That's not to say that endless TV is good of course, just that, surprise surprise, we should use our common sense, a balance is fine and as long as they watch appropriate programmes it's really not detrimental.

My DS (4) could watch all day so I do have to limit him, but as long as he's otherwise active and not showing signs of negative or worrying behaviour I'm really quite relaxed about it.

None during average week. We save the iPad watching got plane journeys ( couple a month)

We don't have a regular tv set up anyway so there's nothing for them to ask for. If we are at home and not doing something in particular they just find toys/ books/ crafts to do

DD and I had a little impromptu cwtch this morning where she snuggled in with me in bed and lay on me and we watched a couple.of Peppa Pig episodes on the tablet.

It was so so lovely!

Our two watch loads.

They also do a ton of other things, have fabulous imaginations and get several hours of fresh air and exercise every day unless it is pouring with rain. We have just got back from holiday where they watched none for ten days and didn't ask for it once.

TV is doing them no harm whatsoever.

About the same as you - normally a Disney film very day and maybe twenty mins playing cbeebies games on je iPad. So about two hours a day. The rest f the day is active so I don't mind.

I think the thing is what that 1/2/3 hrs tv is replacing.

For example in our house if we watched tv 2 hrs a day, there would be virtually no time for them to just play.

For example:
8-9.30- wake/ shower/ breakfast/ ready
9.30-12.30- out
12.30-3.30 - home/ lunch/ nap/ ready again
3.30-5.30 - out
5.30-7.30 - time to play with toys/ read/ bake/ craft blah blah
7.30-8.30- eat/ bath/ bed

All approx and different each day, but somedays they have no time indoors to just play ( ie if we go out later swim/ friends/ restaurant).

forevergreek but are they not 'playing' when you're out. I have a similar pattern to you but I need them to sit still downstairs while I quickly get ready and TV is the only thing that engages then enough on their own for me to do that. We then go out at similar times as you and they spend the whole of that time playing- whether it be play dates, a kids activity class, soft play, park or play group. When they come home they need a bit of down time and I need to get on with making tea without constant interruptions. They do not yet play happily on their own as they require constant attention and help- which they do get at other times, just not when the necessary things have to be done.

Sponge- sure they 'play' ie run/ climb/dig/ scoot/ cycle/ explore etc, but indoor play to me is different. Indoors they build the Train set/ make stories with lego/ learn to read/ stick crap onto paper...
If we need to do something without them we would just set them up say with train set and pile of toy animals and Leave them to it. If we put them in front of the tv they would just get up after 5 mins and wander off anyway

Haven't looked at this for a couple of days, so have just read all your responses. Thanks- it makes interesting reading. Makes me feel much better and realise that perhaps I don't need to stress about it as much. My 3 have a very active and varied lifestyle so I think I just need to accept that some downtime in front of the TV is not necessarily a bad thing particularly if it helps me to have a shower and put some clothes on each day. It seems as if the whole TV topic is another one that some parents don't always want to be honest about...as everyone I ask in RL is too busy doing intellectual, stimulating stuff 100% of the time!