How much tv do you let your toddler watch?

[Mamabear04]

How much tv do you let your toddler watch?

An hour a day at most, strictly enforced because if it was up to her she’d watch more. I’m pregnant and she’s dropped her nap so I really need the opportunity to sit down.

We also have a no TV before lunch rule. Normally I try and get out and about in the morning, energy levels and pelvic pain permitting, the afternoon will be books/TV/playing with toys inside.

I should also say, I’m anticipating that the strict one hour limit might go out of the window once the new baby arrives. I expect we’ll be in survival mode for a while.

2.5 year old watches about an hour a day

Probably too much. We do go out for 2-4 hours a day when hes not in nursery but its in most of the time when we are in the house. He doesnt just sit and watch it though hes usually playing with toys at the same time

I think the answer will be so dependent on the amount of support mum has, whether or not child goes to nursery, sleep patterns of toddler, toddler's personality, amount of kids at home and their ages etc.
Sometimes, you've gotta just do what works for you.
DD watches TV in the morning if it's so early that I feel sick (she's a terrible sleeper). Also watches TV if I need to get things done (work, dinner etc) and DH is working.
I refuse to feel guilty!

I watched a lot as a kid and ended up getting excellent exam results and loving reading. Not convinced it’s necessary to ban screens or make them exciting through lack of a availability.

*availability

Max 1 hour a day rule here for 2.5 year old. Much less or none on days where he goes to nursery in the morning (3 mornings a week). Didn’t do TV before 2 as it’s not recommended and have never done tablets or phones.

Depends on the day! Probably about 1.5 to 2 hours a day. When we wake up normally for a while and a bit of a movie in the evenings. We spend all day outside doing something or other so I'm not bothered about the TV. My son is 20 months and already speaks in full sentences and can recognise numbers to 20 and most letters. I am only mentioning this as you might get the too much TV = speech delays and that isn't always the case.

2.5 and none, she has never watched TV with us
She spends 3 days a week at nursery (I do full time hours in 3 days) and they occasionally watch a short program. But nothing with us

DD is 2, about an hour most days. She usually watches a Something Special whilst getting ready for nursery (she’s obsessed!) and another plus Night Garden in the eve.
She watches Yorkshire Farm and Gardeners World too sometimes - she’s not interested in anything animated.

@whatswithtodaytoday

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

They help with whatever you are doing as you chat away to them, mostly narrating what you are doing.

Our didn't have a lot at all, probably an hour a week. He's 4 now so we let him have a movie one night a week and that does him, unless he's ill, as he's at school now.

None during the week (nursery every day). I wouldn't mind a Night Garden after dinner but it just hypes her up so it's a no.

At the weekend, plenty. Cbeebies over breakfast so we can relax with a coffee and wake up a bit. Something from iPlayer to relax after our walk while we get lunch on. More iPlayer in the half hour or so before dinner. She was off sick for the guts of a week recently and it was never off as she needed the rest.

No limits. If my children want to watch something on telly they can whether it's educational, Peppa Pig/Ben & Holly etc or a film it varies. However I ensure we've done something productive throughout the day too and they play with their toys in between times etc! But a bit of screen time doesn't hurt anyone!

30 mins or so before nursery, 45 mins or so after nursery. Probably about the same at weekends.

I don’t like screens because they’re basically a waste of time and they prevent kids from ever being bored. I’d prefer my kids were playing/reading/squabbling/staring out the window. BUT I’m fortunate that I can cope without it - if life is hard and you can’t manage without it don’t worry.

Never limited it, some days it's a few hours, some days barely any, some days none at all. If they want to watch it then I have no problem with that. The majority of things for that age combine fun with education.