How much television do your small children watch? And watch what? When?

[littleraysofsunshine]

Interest... I have two small girls, 3.5 & 2 in May. They both love to watch tv, to have some relax time. Or a Disney DVD. Or the gruffalo.

The only thing I've noticed is that my younger dd seems to have her own routine of when we get back from school drop off she will ask for the gruffalo. Or various Disney DVD and I'll offer to do reading! or playing but then she sometimes would prefer a DVD.

In the morning dp puts peppa pig on whilst he's getting ready for work (6am) they wake up with him whilst I'm feeding 6 week old.

Sometimes I find it beneficial as they do enjoy the down time. But then I think they just expect it all the time some days?

Ds 20m watches half hour of cbeebies sleepy hour most days. I also put the telly on if I'm having a shower or need to do something upstairs. I'm 35w pg though so don't feel guilty at all!

Ds 3yo and dd 1yo. DP puts cbeebies on when he gets up with them in the morning, so about an hour there but they aren't really glued to it.

Then its off. It makes its way on again around 5pm while I do dinner and then its off while we eat. On again for Night Garden and then the news. Bed at 8 so a little over 2 hours I guess.

Ds likes Youtubes sometimes during the day. Funny cats etc.

Its not a big deal in our house really. Some days, if the weather is crap or I've been up through the night we might watch loads.

My DD is 2.4 and I'd say she watches 30mins a day in the week and 2hrs a day at the weekend.

My 3 yr old DD will watch about 30/40 minutes in the morning while DH and I get ready for the day. Since she dropped her nap she'll also have a DVD after lunch, which is about 1.5 hrs as it's all Disney or Pixar.
I'm now 13 weeks pregnant so there have been afternoons of more tv but it's been a mixture of her programmes and things for me.
She is actually very good at entertaining herself and she's now reached the point where she'll start talon about what she's watching which I always encourage so it engages her brain a bit.
I personally don't see an issues with a bit of TV. Part of me would love to never have screen time but I like to relax to a little bit of TV so why shouldn't my DD of that's what she enjoys.
All things in moderation is my moto!!

Yep banana I like when he tries to talk about his programme. I don't like the ones that zombiefy him. Oh miaow, he loves Mr tumble but I just find him so creepy! I can't watch!

This is a lovely thread, it's so refreshing that people are being honest!!

I suffer from anxiety, particularly relating to my parenting and I find threads like this really reassuring that I'm doing ok.

I have dd whose 4.7 and in school and DS 20 months. They both watch around half an hour in the morning, DS has another 20 mins sometimes when he gets up from his nap and then we sometimes watch a bit after school depending on activities / tiredness / weather etc. the last 2 days they have just been playing in the garden after school, but DS watched peppa while dd was at gym for 30 mins.

Actually DS probably watches more than dd, despite being younger.... He's with me more and does less out the house so there's more time to fill IYSWIM?! I do try hard to make sure we do other stuff too, and encourage them to play. But they enjoy relaxing with the tv too!

Oh, I'm also 33 weeks pg. I don't know whether that gets me a get out of jail free card ;)

Half a hour max per day, aged 4.5 and 2. If they're tired they read books alone. Don't want to harm their concentration span .

My DD six year old likes kids TV shows on while she wanders in and out of the room playing! I really hate this but when I try to explain to her why it needs to be turned off, I can't think of any good reasons!

Gingercat, how about saying that by splitting your attention you are doing neither one properly.

Her play won't be deep and engrossing if she is watching TV in passing and her comprehension of the storyline and character emotions will be weak if she is flying back and forth playing.

More than I'd like. DD (4.6) likes various programmes but is also very good at playing. DS (20 months - DD hadn't even seen a tv at this age) is utterly obsessed.

I have it on to watch or off to play. They definitely need more adult time with it off, so it's on as a babysitter when I'm doing something else like showering, dinner or chores.

Working days she is only up half an hour before we got to the CMs and the news is on. Weelend days - cartoons pr a movie seven til nine.

nothing in the day as we are out.

Working days after cms (5.30), til bedtime she likes a movie, so we snuggle on the couch together. Weekend, we are usually out til bathtime so an episode or two of Peppa Pig after jer bath.

she is 2.3

My two are 4 and 2 in May. The 4 year old is allowed half an hour between 5 and half past. I record things for her to watch at that time. She loves nina and swashbuckle particularly. The little one is totally uninterested in tv. It's never on in the mornings before school.

She also might watch a film later on on a Saturday afternoon.

3 year old DD and I watch two episodes of Peppa Pig (that we've recorded) before bath time and thats it at the minute. (Apart from a Hello Kitty dvd she got for xmas which was just weird and I have 'lost'!) I find a useful 'message' in some episodes of Peppa Pre-DD the radio was our background noise and nothing has changed as yet. We love our music. Completely understand how having more than one kid can mean more tv for some - but not everyone. So many variables to every scenario. Everyone has their own way of entertaining (or not!) their kids and this is no different. I may be completely delusional, but i personally like the idea of watching tv with DD and talking during and afterwards about what we saw/liked/thought etc. We are yet to watch a film so will be following this thread to see what films other pre-schoolers enjoy.

My LO is only 9 months old and I often struggle with the TV thing. I was brought up in a house full of noise... and the TV was on constantly (either kids programmes, news or sport). It did me no harm at all, I've written several novels, did well at school, and read, read, read and am fine (kind of ;-) Same with my brother too. And all my cousins! But I know this doesn't make it right.

I let LO watch a bit of BabyTV in the morning so I can eat my breakfast then she'll watch a Baby Einstein DVD every other day or so. Sometimes, she'll watch more TV. But also, sometimes, I'll have BBC News 24 in the background or sport while she plays, I just like the buzz and the noise as I guess I was so used to this growing up. But I do read how BAD TV is for kids and feel so conflicted about it!

Honestly?

During the week - half an hour while eating breakfast and getting ready for nursery, and half an hour when we get back and we're preparing dinner.

On the weekend - way too much probably. We watch some together while we have coffee and toast after we et up (sometimes a whole Pixar movie), it's on (but she's also playing) while I'm in the shower, and we watch stuff together throughout the morning when it's coffee and cookie time etc. But I don't just plonk her there, we chat about what's happening on the screen. But yes, it can be a useful babysitter when I have to get chores done and for whatever reason she's bored with HappyLand / other toys etc.

She's 3 and a half.

none. they play.
I agree with zuleika (second time Ive said that this week)

and I can't stand all the associated branding. peppa pig crap everywhere!