How do you deal with endless demands for tv?

[HolyDrinker]

Just that really. DS is 2.11. Goes through definite phases of wanting the tv on more than other times. At the moment, he just wants it all the time.

We try to be disciplined with it - it only goes on for a bit at the beginning and end of the day (or if I need to tend to baby DD at any point). Probably more than some people allow but it's definitely not on all day.

At the moment, I just try to go out lots. Which is fine. But sometimes I'd like just to potter at home with him.

When I say no, he tantrums, obviously. Which I can deal with but it doesn't result in us playing together, reading or doing an activity instead. He just moans and moans

Carry on saying no and make suggestions for other activities. I'm afraid if you want to limit screen time you may have to put up with tantrums. Which if you are consistent, will diminish.

Tantrums I can deal with, but he's not easily distracted out of them with other activities. I guess I just have hope he gets the message eventually.

Try a daily simple schedule made with pictures. Such as breakfast , wash, dress , TV , play , lunch , play , dinner , TV , wash , bed.
He can then see when it's happening. At that age they have no concept of time. This way he can see it visually. You don't have to put the whole day up at once. Do the morning then at lunch time set the afternoon up in case things need to change.
This might work. Good luck.

Schedule is good, toddlers like predictable rules, anyway.

Something I find which works (oddly) is getting DS to turn it off himself. So I give him a warning and then say right, tv off now, can you turn it off DS? And generally he does! It was a complete revelation to me as we'd been having ferocious tantrums over it - though I have no idea why it works!

Give yourself a telly ban, tell him it's broken. Force yourself to not put it on for a week and you'll find that you and he can cope without.

How old is his baby sister? If pretty young I'd cut yourself some slack; a bit lot of telly in the short term won't harm him. With ds we have a rule of no telly after dinner, and I limit it if his mood is dodgy or the weather is good. But dd is 4wks so we're still learning how to cope

Just wouldn't turn it on at all if its annoying. After a week or two he won't even ask

"No, we have our tv time for today, so no more. If you continue moaning, there will be no tv tomorrow, either."

If you want to limit screen time or anything else you need to remain firm.
Keep saying no and soon he will equate having a tantrum to missing out.
When he starts just say "well I'm going to paint a picture, build bricks, play cars etc. You can play with me if you'd like to.
He'll soon join you.