Screen time - Help!

[Goodnessrosee]

Hi netters! I am a FTM. I have a 2 month old and would like to avoid screen time for as long as/as much as possible!! Has anyone succeeded in doing this? Any tips very welcome! Thank you!

Just don’t put the TV on but as they get older if you do want some TV then look at ceebies. There are some good educational programmes on there eg Alphablocks, numberblock, down at the farm and lots more. Only recently have a few not so good programs have made there way in.

Thanks a lot @Fallagain
This is going to sound silly but what is ceebies? Is that on tv only or can you also get it on YouTube?

I wouldn't even be thinking about this right now. Not at 2 months of age. Just don't put the TV on. Minimal or zero TV until age 2.

@Goodnessrosee

Thanks a lot *@Fallagain* This is going to sound silly but what is ceebies? Is that on tv only or can you also get it on YouTube?

BBC’s children’s channel for children under the age of 6. It’s available on iplayer. Alphablocks is part of the reason my daughter started to read just after her 4th birthday. We also watch a lot of nature documentaries.

It’s quite easy, you just don’t turn the TV on!

My 15 month old hasn't watched TV yet. I don't put it on if she's awake and nearby. Only on when she's napping or in bed, or doing something with DH elsewhere.

I had the tv on all the time, but it was programmes I want to watch. Hes 18mo now and ive just started putting stuff on for him - little baby bum and numberblocks mainly. I guess its maybe 30mins per day if I need a minute to do something or to get him through to nap time or something.

My advice would be to not make it a 'thing' otherwise they tend to become obsessed or fixated on it.

At 2mo id have the tv on for me.

I never thought to put the TV on when DD (now 2) was a small baby. Her baby gym was more than stimulating enough.

I think we probably started using it when she was around 15 months and it became a useful way to contain her when I needed to get something done. For example, she now routinely has 15-20 minutes TV while I get lunch ready. It’s a bit of down time for her after a morning out as well.

My 2& half year old watches loads of tv if we’re at home, he has watched tv since a few months old- maybe not as much then as I was worried which was silly as his speech is amazing no. He’s speaking in 7 word sentences. I wouldn’t worry.

Now*

Honestly, a bit of tv isn't that bad for kids. Your baby is only 2 months old. Just don't put it on for now as there is no point. Buuuuttt, you will find it is a useful parenting tool when they're older. Don't:

• beat yourself up for letting your kid watch tv
• be that smug parent who says 'little Johnny doesn't watch tv', or 'we let him watch 10 mins a day and it's only educational'

At 2mos? Both kids enjoyed the Crown though DD thought some of the sex scenes in Bridgerton were unnecessary. 😆

They can't really see that well for months let alone work out what's going on so just watch what you want and save all the kids TV for when she's old enough and you have to suffer your way through bloody Bing. DS didn't watch any TV until 18 months old when he'd finally sit and concentrate on a short program. DD watches loads because she's the second child.

Yes you just dont give them tv until you want to its super easy. Just dont have one. 2 months is far too young anyway, when they are much much older you will love cebebbies its actually brilliant and will teach them so so much.

No way would i give a 2month old tv, its just not needed.

I think our son was about 2.5 years before we let him watch anything, we just kept him busy doing other stuff.

@Fallagain @OttilieStonelady @ThePoisonousMushroom @milissa @Letsallscreamatthesistene @Grasshopper90 @Dcrolo12345 @Anycolourwilldo @Wagglerock @scully29 @readwhatiactuallysay

Thanks so much all! Much appreciated. I know little one is only 2 months but just want to avoid being asked early for her own phone as the internet scares me in terms of what kids can get access to!! Which is why I'm thinking about keeping her from screen time from early on!
Any way to delay them wanting a phone/iPad etc for as long as possible?

These posts always make me laugh. At 2 months old, there's no need to worry about screen time. Fast forward a few years and you may find screen time can be your best pal...😂😂😂😂

Kids use the internet, tablets etc in nursery.
The internet is a great learning too.
Don’t fear it, control it.

Tool

Any way to delay them wanting a phone/iPad etc for as long as possible?

By saying no when they ask if you don't want to give them one yet.

They'll ask for a princess costume, the big £180 blue tractor in the shop window, and 23 kilograms of chocolate buttons before asking for an iPad. As a parent, you're allowed to say no to anything.

Kids nowadays will see adults using tech and will start learning to play games on it at school or nursery, but there's no reason to give them their own phone until YOU think it's necessary. Be that when they start being away from you regularly, go to secondary school, or want to communicate with friends over the holidays. You're the parent, you decide, regardless of how many 'but eeeeveryone else has one' you hear.

My DD had no interest in TV when she was little. She was 15-18 months old during the first lockdown and we tried to convince her to watch some TV so we could work, but she totally ignored our efforts and just wanted to hang out with us. Now at nearly 3, she likes TV and does ask for it, but will also happily not watch it too. We don’t use screens when we go out for food/in the car etc and I’ve never shown her videos/TV on my phone so she never asks for my phone. So far anyway!

So my advice would be don’t use your phone/iPad to entertain her. And keep TV watching for when you are at home.

We have been keen to avoid screen time and didn’t have a tv when kids were born. However it soon becomes apparent that it is very hard to get peace without some use of screens! We used the laptop for programmes we decided. Now with kids 6 and 3 we recently got a tv as when friends round and 6 kids round a laptop watching something seemed silly. But I am pleased that we can get away with just using Netflix so they have not been exposed to advertising. I don’t know the impact of it but I hope that reduces a little of the pressure to be this or have that. But like pp said, I think if we banned screens altogether, it would become like this forbidden fruit that they become obsessed with. I think better to teach them healthy relationships with screens and just have them on sporadically to watch specific things. Re phones etc, I agree it’s just a case of saying no. But I haven’t crossed that bridge yet and admit I worry too!

Are you on Instagram? @JerricaSannes has lots of info about kids and screen time. She has a 7 day detox you can sign up for.

My DD loves tv. Wants it on all the time in the house. We are out a lot, which obviously helps. I used to let her use my phone and tablet, but noticed a difference in her behaviour, so, I say no now. She has stopped asking!

[quote Goodnessrosee]**@Fallagain* @OttilieStonelady* @ThePoisonousMushroom @milissa @Letsallscreamatthesistene @Grasshopper90 @Dcrolo12345 @Anycolourwilldo @Wagglerock @scully29 @readwhatiactuallysay

Thanks so much all! Much appreciated. I know little one is only 2 months but just want to avoid being asked early for her own phone as the internet scares me in terms of what kids can get access to!! Which is why I'm thinking about keeping her from screen time from early on!
Any way to delay them wanting a phone/iPad etc for as long as possible? [/quote]
Yes! We didn’t do it as I only realised it until too late but only use your phone for phone calls in front of them and they won’t know they use them for anything else.

I would say don’t be too precious. I went on holiday with DD1 when she was about 1 1/2 years old and I was all I would never give my child a tablet at the dinner table, fast forward 6 months when we were in holiday again and it was the only way I could get her to sit on in the unfamiliar environment and she happily went back to normal meal times at home.

We avoided any kids TV till age 2 then kept to a 1 hour limit (or the length of a kids' movie) of things we selected till she was 6. The 1 hour included time on her tablet or Switch. We had our TV on in the background before 2, once she understood we made sure it wasn't the news or any violence. She sometimes got more TV at her childminder's house or at after-school club but it was also carefully selected for the age of the kids. We don't have screens in the car or out and about and have never let her use our phones. She colours, chats or sits nicely at restaurants and in waiting rooms and uses her imagination or listens to music in the car.

Omg. These screen time threads drive me nuts. TV ISNT THE DEVIL. Do you watch TV when you need some down time? Are having a tired day? Need a break? Want entertainment? Of course you bloody do.

My kids watch shed loads of TV. They also go to school, play with their toys, read a lot, go for walks, days out, toddler activity classes, gymnastics, swimming, ballet .. life is varied, active & happy.

They are polite, well behaved kids who are excelling at school & nursery and very sociable. TV has done them no harm at all in any way.

I don’t let them go on YouTube or anything where they connect over the internet. It’s not hard, just don’t let them. My kids have no idea YouTube exists. My eldest plays games on child friendly apps & they watch regular kids TV or films on CBeebies, Disney+, Netflix & Prime. Currently they are both obsessed with Bluey. My youngest is a massive Bing fan & my eldest loves Trolls & Frozen.

TV is fine.