No tv rule

[happychange]

My DS is 12 months and we are trying to avoid any screen time for him, so ideally no tv, phone, iPad etc.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice for or against this?

I remember watching a lot of tv when I was younger and it was fun to talk to friends about tv characters. Wonder whether DS will feel left out if he doesn't watch any tv..

I insist dd watches Hey Duggee because it is truly hilarious. She’s 13 months and doesn’t really watch as such, but will bob along if there’s music. I think there’s worse things in life than tv.

I think that's probably fine when they're little but as they grow up, Rules that completely exclude anything don't seem to work so well as ultimately they end up craving it even more which can lead to unhealthy obsessions.

My family didn't have a TV until I was about 13. It was quite socially isolating, so much so that at school I pretended I had watched the same shows as everyone else although I knew nothing much about them so probably failed miserably. I also don't have a chunk of cultural references compared with my adult friends.

The positive was that it was fun to watch 70s shows I missed with my children as they were new to all of us (mainly Postgate and Firman shows like Bagpuss and Ivor the Engine).

Watching habits have changed so much that this might not be an issue any more. Children/teenagers now watch more You Tube type shows than TV shows, so the common experience is very different (no more 'did you see x last night').

There are some lovely things you can watch with children so I don't know why you'd want a blanket ban really, and there are times when it is great to be able to all curl up together and watch something gentle and familiar (when you are all ill for example, or when your children get up ridiculously early and being awake is challenging).

I think those who don’t let their dc watch tv tend to think those who do have dc who literally sit in front of it for hours and hours watching it. Generally it’s not like that at all here, ds might be playing with Lego on the floor and might have cbbc on in the same room and he’ll watch a bit if it interests him and then he’ll do something else, and then watch another ten mins and then have a run about etc etc. If it’s not a “magic” thing they don’t have access to and then suddenly do they aren’t in awe of it. They learn to just switch off from it and ignore it if they don’t want to watch something. They’re not 2ft away from it staring blankly at the screen. Lots of us - me included- enjoy having the background noise of a tv and have it on all the time. I don’t have it loud enough to be instrusive but if something sounds interesting I’ll have a look. I generally have news etc on if I’m home alone. It’s how I was raised so it’s normal to me.

For reference, I was in the top sets at school, as is my dd. It certainly hasn’t done us any harm academically. Ds is a little different as he has autism and learning disabilities but he loves a bit of tv and I think online games have really helped his motor skills.

Mu children are older but watching tv is a really fun thing we can all do together - curling up to watch Strictly is a favourite.

I dont think any of them have grown horns...

My twins are 17 months - having twins has meant a bit more CBeebies usage than I’d planned, but there are a few programmes they absolutely love and will laugh their little heads off at, especially Hey Duggee. One of them sits happily whispering “dada” to himself when it comes on (I’m sure he think he’s saying Duggee). I’ve been quite impressed by how educational the programmes are, so I’m not overly concerned about it. It’s not like they watch it constantly.

I grew up without a TV until I moved out to go to Uni. All it meant was that all I wanted to do when I was at my friends house, or my Grandparents or on holiday was watch TV. Same with my sibling.

I have a child now and I let them watch TV. In fact I haven't restricted it at all and they are rarely bothered to watch it.

Ds has cousins who aren’t allowed to watch tv or eat sugary treats. When it’s Christmas time and we all go to his mums house all they want to do is sit 2ft away from the tv like little zombies the whole time and stuff themselves with every single sweet they can get their hands on! Ds (who has unlimited screen time but self regulates and we are laid back about treats to a point etc) just thinks it’s all very strange! He couldn’t care less about tv if we go out somewhere.

1-2 hours of TV a day is a lot. Even I don’t watch that much TV!

Assume this was directed at me because I mentioned 1-2 hours. Like I said that is the maximum and he didn’t watch any TV the first 2 years of his life!
(And actually if I worked full time it’d be a lot easier to have little to no screen time as they don’t get screen time at nursery.)

I think there’s worse things you can expose your kids to than a little tv like being super judgy about other people’s choices.

Mine is 16 months and I heavily restricted tv for the first 12 but since have been allowing her to watch small amounts each day. As others have said, tv has so much educational content and all the programmes on CBeebies are age appropriate for toddlers. I've also found having a familiar programme or 2 is brilliant for when I'm not around and she's with family members - if she's upset or difficult to calm, putting on something familiar works brilliantly.

By letting her watch a bit, I find she doesn't fixate on it, she watches intently for the first 5-7mins then just plays with it on in the background for the next 10mins.

I'm very strict about iPads, phones etc though - I don't let her operate any touch screens as the research about it being addictive for young children and not knowing when to stop worries me. I will gradually introduce as she gets older as I don't want her not to know how to use them when her peers all do but I feel that can wait for a while.

TV was a saviour when tgey were up in the night teething, or I'll it took their mind off it. Plus I am not their home entertainment system, the gaps in the day have to be filled especially in winter when it's too freezing to play out.

My 1 year old watches an episode of Peppa everyday while I get reply. She is very happy - and I appreciate the break.

The happiest families I know have parents who have the right balance - not neglectful obviously, but also noy overly worried and strict and always trying to do the 'right' thing. On my first baby I was concerned about TV and other things but now with DC3 I am more relaxed and everyone is happier.

Good for you kosha, you deserve a medal. Sarcasm aside, DC's aren't glued constantly to the screen, when we are not out on the bike, baking cakes, cooking, going out and about, reading, art and craft or playing, TV is on and they are watching a film, or something. As i said, i an not theirs home entertainment system. Kids have to also have down time.

The happiest families I know have parents who have the right balance

Could not agree more. Moderation and balance in all things.

Yes we’ve enjoyed watching the Winter Olympics together

Everything in moderation!

My children would only want to watch 10/15 mins TV up until they were 2 or 3. As they got older they began to watch more.

We have no hard & fast rules here but would not watch tv all day every day.

My two are 10 & 13 now 😉

We had tv on in the background but no kids programmes until about 18 months when giving her an episode of Peppa on my phone was the only thing that would keep her still and stop her spreading shit everywhere during nappy changes. We started letting her see Disney films at about 2.5. She enjoys them but in moderation. She will quite often stop watching something halfway through to go and do something else. Some of it can be quite educational. She was watching something on numbers and colours this morning. And she goes to a drama club where they act out various stories. A couple of weeks ago it was Frozen. It would have been a bit isolating if she didn't know the story.

I think everything in moderation is the right way for screens, food and most other things.

Also, this often only works for the first child. If you have a second or third child and the older one is watching the TV then the younger children will be watching it from a few weeks old.

I feel a bit sorry for first-borns an as parents are often more strict with them and the children who follow have a more relaxed experience.

We do no TV/screens until 2 years with our DC. It was the AAP guideline when DD1 was born.

Happy for them to watch U DVDs and CBeebies after 2 years though. CBeebies is so enriching and inclusive. I cannot imagine our lives without it, tbh! We might try some PG DVDs when DD1 turns 7.

They have also seen Six Nations, Winter Olympics, etc.

I’m sure no screens until 2 is better, it just hasn’t been feasible with ours - a bit of CBeebies would settle them while I was pumping and couldn’t get to them, or changing one while the other wasn’t happy about it!

For example, one of my boys had to have an 18 hour fast in hospital recently. I took a tablet loaded with Hey Duggee. The only way I could keep him calm was to let him watch it from about the time he was woken up (6am) to 1pm when the test finished. Any time I held him he became more obsessed so he spent most of that day sat in his cot watching a screen. As a result, he was smiling and happy, didn’t cry once despite the fact he must have been so hungry. I figured that happy and with a screen was better than hysterical and distressed.

More distressed, not obsessed!

What I find works well with two school aged children is no TV on school days, then they choose a film if we're not out and about on a Saturday and/ or a Sunday. They never ask for it in the week and we wouldn't have time for it anyway with clubs/ swimming/ creating time for reading and drawing. I find this is a nice balance and works well for us. My DD 8 is an avid reader and my DD4 just plays a lot or does up to the table stuff. Neither of them have IPad time except for times table practice for the older one now and again.
When they were little, before they started nursery and school and the days seemed loooooong they watched a little bit of telly everyday.