Is this too much TV for a toddler?

[tailspin2]

We usually get out twice a day if it's not raining (this morning we went to a playgroup and this afternoon was the park) but my toddler probably watches around 1.5 to 2 hours of CBeebies a day when at home. He turns 2 next month. It's too much isn't it?

I think as long as they're getting out, socialising, and doing creative / learning activities it's fine. I think it's only a problem when they're watching tv to the exclusion of other things.

I have two preschoolers and today I was up at 5 with them. We had a very busy day, saw friends, went out on scooters, read books, did crafts etc etc etc. You bet they watched some tv late afternoon as I tidied up and made tea.

Mine gets TV first thing while I drink tea and try to prepare myself for the day ahead - this varies depending on what time he got up. Could be an hour, could be 10 minutes. TV before dinner for 20-30 minutes, days at home it normally goes on while I make lunch for 15 mins or so. It's not on in the background and I wouldn't watch my TV programs round DS1, will put something on sometimes when it's just me & DS2 as he doesn't have any interest in the TV at the moment but that's rare.

I was pregnant with a then 2yo in those lockdowns, TV was the saviour of many a day. Doesn't seem to have done any harm.

The TV was off during the day. It still only goes on when someone wants to watch something.

It wasn’t a rule as such but there’s fuck all worth watching during the day anyway.

I really worry about toddlers and older children not experiencing creative and self-directed play and also getting the chance to develop their motor skills. It’s not just TV, it’s other devices and in the case of older children; timetabling wall to wall activities outside of TV of gaming time. Even play dates often seem to involve a lot of parental involvement and direction, instead of just letting them in, feeding them and occasionally stepping in to rescue family pets and prevent defenestration.

@GlitteryGreen

Everyone who doesn't let their child watch TV much, do you mean you just have the TV off all the time? Or do you mean you just have non-kid stuff on so they're not interested?

TV is off.

We had the TV on a lot at that age. Background noise, sometimes watched, not all the time.

Genuinely don't think it harmed either DC. They like watching the TV, use tablets, draw, play with toys, read, write, run about.

@GlitteryGreen

Everyone who doesn't let their child watch TV much, do you mean you just have the TV off all the time? Or do you mean you just have non-kid stuff on so they're not interested?

TV off yes. Only on in evening when he goes to bed. Sometimes let him watch 2 episodes of Wiggle House but would turn off shortly afterwards.

@GlitteryGreen

Everyone who doesn't let their child watch TV much, do you mean you just have the TV off all the time? Or do you mean you just have non-kid stuff on so they're not interested?

Only ceebies or CBBC or maybe a nature documentary when the kids are around. Every now and then I might watch a Saturday morning cookery program.

Those of you saying "TV off" is it becausse you work full time and they're you have an hour with them before bed each evening? My DD starts nursery 3 days soon, and can see that on those days she wouldn't watch tv.

I have three kids, aged 6, 4 and 2 and the tv is on a LOT. The littlest will be being exposed to way way more than 1.5 hours a day in this house. Because of the older two she tends to watch things like blippi and Andys dinosaurs, rather than cartoons though and I don't think she's ever even seen Peppa Pig because the others would tolerate it! She does love Steve and Maggie though and Topsy and Tim and seems to like things with actual humans in rather than animated stuff, which personally I prefer.

I refuse to feel guilty. Most of the time the tv is on the three of them are talking, playing or running about anyway and it's just background noise. When they are at school/nursery or we are out and about (a lot) obviously they don't watch tv, and we don't use tablets at all - which I think are the real 'problem' in terms of screen time, if you read any research about it.

Don't worry about it, honestly there are kids watching way more tv than that out there. CBeebies is pretty educational compared to a lot of kids tv too.

@Luhou yes work full time as teacher. But weekends and school hols would also have it off unless we were specifically watching it.

@Luhou

Those of you saying "TV off" is it becausse you work full time and they're you have an hour with them before bed each evening? My DD starts nursery 3 days soon, and can see that on those days she wouldn't watch tv.

I’m a sahm.

TV is off here. Even on weekends (kids are 5 and 10). We watch sport, the news sometimes, the odd film but neither DH nor I like background noise and the TV is off. And no iPads for the kids etc. This was also true when they were young.
My kids are VERY good at entertaining themselves. They can go off to their room and play for hours. I am not sure if that’s linked to screen time but I am a big fan of kids getting bored. I think it’s really important we are not trying to fill every hour with something meaningful or frankly something. I am however also willing to put up with some level of whining/boredom when they are younger to keep the TV off or to read endlessly to them.
The thing with the screen debate is that people get very worked up on either side. Ours is not some ideological stand. I just don’t like background noise. And we keep it low screen as much as possible.

No it isn't too much.
Or, maybe it is but oh well. Most kids probably watch that or more.

Doesn't seem crazy excessive in the scheme of the day, but if you feel like it is are there other things little one could do to entertain themselves whilst you do bits round the house or have a minute to yourself?

I mean it's what you think that really matters.

I don't think it's too much at all if it gives you a minutes peace! Also sounds like you do a lot of lovely things with them which probably tires them out so a bit of tv won't do them any harm to have a chill time! Don't be too hard on yourself we're all just trying to survive with these rascals 😂 xxx

I think it's fine op. My 3.5 year old probably watches a good 2 hours a day broken into chunks, sometimes more and that will probably increase by god knows how much when the baby gets here. Couldn't care less what anyone thinks of that - I used to teach early years so his days are full of activities and we live near both the countryside and beach so he spends large amounts of time at both on a regular basis. If you need the tv to survive at home then so be it!

My 2.5 year old watches at least that a day I think when they’re not at nursery.

We go out every morning until 11 ish then after lunch they watch probably an hour.

Then after we come back from school run and hour after tea while I sort out packed lunches/my dinner/my older children.

Is it too much, well otherwise they’d be following me round and whinging whilst I get essential jobs done.

@Luhou

Those of you saying "TV off" is it becausse you work full time and they're you have an hour with them before bed each evening? My DD starts nursery 3 days soon, and can see that on those days she wouldn't watch tv.

No. It’s just off. I did work full time from my eldest being 5 but I just didn’t have the TV on during the day and still don’t. It’s programmes, not oxygen. I’m not sure what you’re getting at, I wasn’t bored and craving Watercolour Challenge (well I was sometimes bored) because there’s shitloads of washing and feeding and changing to do with babies and toddlers and then later they demand a lot of attention, even when playing “by themselves” they are chatting constantly about what they are doing.

We have CBeebies on in the background. 3yo rarely actually sits and watches anything, just plays and witters on at me. It’s more for me than her - I’d rather have BBC News 24 on but I don’t want to scar her with the state of our world these last couple of years!

@Timeturnerplease what do you like about having it on? I find it intolerably annoying!

I am not getting at anything, and didn't mean to offend. I was just saying that I think it's easier for people to say no there kids don't watch any tv if they're at nursery a lot of the time. As I said I see my DD watching less tv once she goes to nursery. Basically just saying it's different circumstances isnt it.

I am also a parent so aware of the nappies, washing and feeding.

My twins are two. They watch an hour of Peppa Pig once a week on the IPad.
They've never seen the TV turned on, so don't know what it does.

@user1471604848

They’ve got each other for entertainment!

Iove watching tv, so on a weekend day dd (4yo) gets the tv for a film, then she can play so i can watch something, then normally out to play in garden or something and then repeat in afternoon, usually get through 2 films on a saturday
Done this since she was 2.

@cafedesreves I find it hard to switch off from work, so having something on stops me thinking about my to do list. Used to a busy environment too (teacher), so I find quiet unsettling.