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Parenting

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Original poster

Television....how much do your kids watch?

21 replies

DetentionGrrrl · 15/12/2006 14:00

When i was pregnant DP and I were full of ideas about what our DS would and wouldn't do as a small child...but now he's here, and 23wks old, he LOVES the telly. His favourites are Penny Smith on GMTV, and Countdown (which is at least educational!)

How much TV, if any, do your little ones watch?

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LieselVonGiftwrapp · 15/12/2006 14:31

I dont think it does them any harm - provided theyre not watching Pulp Fiction. My DD actually watches very little tv through her own choice, we dont watch very much either.

ChristmasisComing · 15/12/2006 14:32

Mine very rarely watch 'mainstream' TV - generally only first thing in hte morning at weekends when staying with Grannie.

We do have videos, and as babies they would have 15 - 30 mins at bedtime and that was it.

Now they are at school, ds gets very tired and sometimes i let him chill out for an hour or so in front of the TV - again videos we have or taped from the TV - big cat week etc. Occasionally we let them watch a full film eg Cars as a treat on Sunday afternoon.

But i think i am fairly unusual as most of their friends seem to know all there is about the TV characters that mine have never seen!

BrandyTutter · 15/12/2006 14:34

uh-oh, prepare to be parped

i wasn't going to let him watch much tv

just like he wasn't going to have a dummy

but he watches a lot of noddy and teletubbies dvds (min 2 a day) and even more cbeebies

try to turn off when he become catatonic

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ginnedupmummykissingsantaclaus · 15/12/2006 14:42

Too blooming much imo. They've really got into bad habits lately (my fault I'm always on MN!!)
New Years Resolution - cut down their tv and my MN usage and actually DO something with them

MerryMegandSnowySoph · 15/12/2006 14:49

DD's watch around 1 hour a day during the week plus a dvd. Around 2/3 hours both Saturday and Sunday or a couple of dvd's. They are usually to busy playing at the weekend really to watch television.

Agree with LGVW as long as viewing is monitored I don't see a problem.

DD1 used to sit in carseat for an hour every morning watching the Baby Einstien (sp?) video from when she was about 1 week old so I could get on with housework.

aDadOnAOneHorseOpenSleigh · 15/12/2006 14:50

too much in this house

PizPizPiz · 15/12/2006 15:00

ahem... to those who say 'too much', why do you switch it on in the first place?

Hallgerda · 15/12/2006 15:05

None - we haven't got one.

suzycreamcheese · 15/12/2006 15:10

tv - some days a little 20mins, some (ill) days a lot all day!!, some days none at all; ds 2.9 likes to play w/ toys and actually computer his big treat - has own log in and can negotiate taptop track pad really well and changed his home page to australian homosexual site but can still find cbeebies & car sites...
we dont watch much telly here really, the more channels there are the less i've wanted to see!

Original poster

DetentionGrrrl · 15/12/2006 15:21

Well, we do read to him every day, as well as playing and listening to music. He liked the Klaxons album today...he trully is a boy of taste! I don't think i'm raising a Mike TV (as in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!)...hope not anyway!

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Floatinginthemoonlitsky · 15/12/2006 15:35

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sandyballs · 15/12/2006 15:40

Very little, they aren't terribly interested to be honest (5 year old girls). They'd never put it on themselves. I would like them to watch a bit more now and then and chill out rather than wanting to "do something" all the time. Sounds awful reading that back but I hope you know what I mean

RubberDuckWithCranberrySauce · 15/12/2006 15:52

Watches a lot more now ds1 is at school. Primarily because (especially by the end of term) he's cream crackered when he gets home and isn't good for much else except vegging until tea.

I think as long as it doesn't prevent them having opportunities to do other things (I normally try and make an effort to do something special with them at the weekend when there's more energy to spare) then it doesn't do much harm.

skerriesmum · 15/12/2006 16:23

Ds is nearly 4 and watches an hour or two in the afternoon. I'm 8 months pregnant and have a house to unpack so I don't feel too guilty! He has preschool all morning so no TV at all then.

TheHollyAndTheAviatrix · 15/12/2006 20:20

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worcestercaroline · 15/12/2006 20:40

none and it will stay that way until she is a lot older, feel that whilst she is awake she will play, go on walks, go to mother and toddler, enjoy listening to books, go to kindermusic, socialize with other children her age. She does not need to watch the tv, she has other stimulation and entertainment. I do cleaning and other such jobs on an evening.

youngmama · 15/12/2006 20:42

My kids are 6,4 and 2yrs.
They are not allowed any before school but they are allowed 30mins in the morning at weekends(so i can shower in peace!) Other than that they watch it for 30mins at 5pm while I make tea.Very occasionaly,on a wet day I will put on a disney video for the kids(if they're off school)while the 2yr old naps.
So as a general rule they watch 30mins pd in the week and an hour at weekends.
My oldest didn't actually watch telly until he was 2yrs,but my 2 youngst have had itfrom earlier ages

7swansaswimmingup · 15/12/2006 20:44

i have the t.v on allday but it rarely gets watched, i havent got a cd player so it switches between the digital music channel and cbeebeies. ds aged 2 might sit down for an hour or so added up over the whole day but generally potters about or follows me around being a pita

cruisemum1 · 15/12/2006 21:41

dd is 14 weeks. I will plonk him in front of tv for 5 - 10 mins or so if I need to leave him in the room/make a phone call or exhausted the babygym/bouncy chair/nappyless kickabout etc. I turn the volume off and he will happily watch GMTV, the News - anything with real people! No harm done and it is not every day either. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it if it's not in excess. Merry Christmas

eggnog · 15/12/2006 22:01

this thread makes me feel so much better. when i was pg i swore no tv, but of course i had no idea how quiet it would keep him! i try to limit it to 30mins a day- baby einstein vid, but if i am totally knackered i might put one on in the morning as well.

charliecat · 15/12/2006 22:08

Mine are 6 and 9 now, and they used to watch AT LEAST an hour a day when they were little.
Rather they were quiet and watching tv and I was having time to chill, than TV off and me being a ranting parent because id had no peace to myself.(dd1 didnt sleep thru the night till she was 5.5 years old, I needed TV)
Now they choose not to watch anything.
The TV stays off all day till I switch it on for CSI at 9PM a few times a week.

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