How much tv do you let your toddler watch?

[Mamabear04]

How much tv do you let your toddler watch?

My toddler is 2 yrs 3 mths and doesn't want any TV on a nursery day (3 days a week). On other days she might watch a programme before lunch and one before tea, totalling about 30-60 mins.

However, this week she's been poorly and has been mainly lying under a blanket watching CBeebies for hours!

I watched hours and hours of TV as a child, so I'm not overly bothered about it, but we tend to watch together and talk about the programmes. I also only let her watch stuff I can sit through (so no Bing!).

Its varied tbh. DS is 3, today he's watched about an hour this morning before nursery, and will probably watch the same amount she ge gets home before bed tonight, so daily total of 2hr.

But yesterday the total time was 3.5hr because he got up at 6am instead of 7.45 this morning.

It sounds so much worse when I write it down, he watches films on the tablet if we're driving a long journey in the late afternoon too ie, back from a day out at 4pm. If we don't then he'll fall asleep. He'll then only watch 30 minutes before bedtime!

We don't really regulate it and we're pretty relaxed about it. Some days she will watch none. Other days she'll watch it for 15 mins and wander off. Some days we'll watch a Disney film in the afternoon. Some days she'll sit and play with her tablet for 20 mins instead. Some days she will ask to watch something specific.

Generally, she will choose other activities over TV anyway unless she's tired and just wants to sit on the sofa with a snack, so most TV watching tends to be late afternoon before dinner.

Probably an hour once a fortnight or so (only if I'm desperate for occupation basically!)

I watched way more myself as a young child and I think the quality of TV shows has improved to be more educational. Obvs pick your shows too

Bing and Peppa - hell no!
Octonauts - I learn loads from it too!

Our 3.5 year old watches none Mon-Thurs when we have work and nursery. Fri/Sat/Sun usually average out at 1-2 hours across each day. Pregnancy and then having a newborn has increased the amount we watch.

When I had a toddler, none.

Loads. I'm really not that bothered, it's mostly Cbeebies and therefore reasonably educational and not too annoying. He'd happily watch Numberblocks for hours. We got used to always having the TV during lockdowns when we were trying to wfh with him here.

On nursery days (4) we'll have In the Night Garden on when he gets home and then he might watch a bit of iPlayer or YouTube (Gecko's Garage is a current favourite) at bedtime. Fridays the tv tends to be on all afternoon so I can get stuff done but he's usually playing with toys as well. Weekends it depends, it can be on all day, or none at all if we're out. I do try not to switch it on until 10am, just because I prefer it to be quieter first thing. If he's ill there is no limit!

He love to be read books too and learns loads from what he watches, and he's so active it's sometimes good to have something that keeps him still for a while.

Oh bloody loads. Some in the morning before breakfast while I drink tea and try to wake up and then some while I'm doing dinner. Often they'll be some at lunchtime too while I'm making that. It's only Cbeebies so not like I'm letting him watch Loose Women or something.

DD 1yr10m - none.

Never timed it. I have it on as background noise, children will watch or do other stuff. Not a big deal how much TV they watch imo.

Few hours a day , speech is advanced too . Don’t worry about it. Can’t believe people say none.

TV is always on in my house, mostly as background noise. DD (17.5 months) doesn’t take much notice of it but I’ll put programmes on for her when I need to cook her meals etc. I’m not overly bothered by screen time, just try to limit it before nap and bedtime.

Those who say none - how do you do anything? I assume you need to cook and clean occasionally? 😂😭

None or barely any on nursery days. Weekends and other days, sometimes loads sometimes not much - depends on what we’re doing. I don’t really time or monitor it but do try to keep mostly to CBeebies.

None on crèche days as they’re only home for an hour before bath and bed. The rest of the time they can watch when they want so probably an hour or hour and a half a day over weekends. We don’t have a TV in the room where they play.

They’re not that bothered by TV unless they’re sick but I’m pregnant and am strongly encouraging it so I can sit on the couch and be nauseous in relative peace!

@whatswithtodaytoday

Those who say none - how do you do anything? I assume you need to cook and clean occasionally? 😂😭

DD just potters about or "helps" with the cooking. Cleaning, she likes to push the hoover and sweep. She'll often toddle off and play on her own for a while as well.

Might be different if we had 2, or DD wasn't as good at occupying herself etc. But all advice says no screens before 2. She does use screens for video calling extended family.
I know she watches a bit at nursery, I think they do stuff on the cbeebies site with Mr Tumble.

But she is never left to watch TV or given a tablet/phone to watch stuff on. It will change as she gets older. I'm not anti screens at all. But listen to advice. It will gradually become part of her life.

Varies day to day depending on what we're doing but probably averages 2 hours a day of the TV being 'on' (sometimes he watches like a zombie, sometimes he ignores it and plays with his toys). For me it's great for when he gets home from nursery for half an hour when all he wants to do is chill before dinner.

We're very relaxed with 3yo DD, she watches a good few hours every day and always has done she learns loads from it and spends 5 mornings a werk at pre school. I don't see any reason to limit time as such, we just make sure programmes are appropriate.

DS 2.5 watches 20-30 minutes about 3 times a week.

It's on a lot. It's not watched much but having it on helps. Needs must right now. Not done any damage to social skills or speaking.

This makes me feel better. For every ‘none’ poster there is one saying loads. Mine watched none until the first lockdown when it was a necessity to allow us to work. Unfortunately it’s stuck and she watches more than I’d like, but only ever CBeebies and most of that has some educational value. She knows shapes which I haven’t taught her and the other day informed me she was disappointed about something (thanks Bing!!)

Shit loads. Firstly I am disabled so on some days I struggled to get off the sofa for a morning, secondly I had horrific morning sickness with Ds2 and then due to complications was put on bed rest for 3 months.

Ds1 learned to play near the sofa on days I was ill so I could interact with him. I am a SAHM. Despite all that tv (cbeebies/Peppa/Little Einsteins/Pocoyo he achieved 4 A*s at A level and is now at university.

I think as long as there are other interactions, modelling language, playing with your child, TV is absolutely fine. Let's face it, it is full of interesting programs designed to stimulate children (cbeebies) and educate them.

Neither of my teens are locked away in bedrooms addicted to screens.

Tv is really not that bad. Mine watches alpha locks and she's made more progress learning letters than I ever did teaching her.

Endless barbie movies aren't great, nor watching alone on a tablet, or in public when they should be engaging with their surroundings.

But a bit of CBeebies or other such educational things are fine. Nobody should feel bad for doing what they have to. We all need a break sometimes, and how many of said our kids would never touch screens before we actually became parents?