How much TV does your 18mo watch?

[Mothergoosesbiggestfan]

Thanks to illness every other week due to starting nursery DD is watching far too much TV for my liking...She does get lots of parental attention when not in nursery and I make sure we "do" something every day even if it's a trip to the park for an hour. We're lucky we have a large garden so when weather allows I make sure we use it for at least an hour of outdoor play at a time or more if wanted.

Our day has fallen into milk to music (radio), play with toys for 20 mins then the TV ends up on...obviously she doesn't sit straight, she'll get up play etc.. If it's not a nursery day, after breakfast we'll go out to "do" something. TV will go on once back occasionally, try not to encourage it but doesn't always work.

It's on again late afternoon and after Tea...

According to the WHO this is waaay too much but what do other NORMAL not mothers entering for the perfect mother award UK think?

I hold my hands up in guilt as I know our DD watches way too much telly. Probably an hour in the morning, sometimes more. Another hour in the evening. If it's wet and we don't go anywhere she watches during the day too. I know it's too much but now that she is 4 I don't really feel it has affected her but of course I don't know what she would be like if she hadn't watched any telly at all.

It sounds like you're doing a great job, variety is key I think.

Also I think that channels like CBB with no adverts I such better than Tiny Pop where it seems there's 5mins of adverts in between every program. Stimulation overload rammed down their throats.

I also find CBeebies super useful on school mornings.

We time our morning by CBeebies programmes. Come down during Duggee. Breakfast during Bluey, going out wees after Peter rabbit.

@qpmz I can't help if the advice induces guilt or not. I've quite clearly stated that the rules go out the window when it suits us due to illness.

First daughter none till 2 years. Second daughter 17 months occasional Youtube videos of ducks swimming when nothing else calms her!

I’m quite pro television, love the electronic babysitter when I need to get something done, and think children need to have down time too so we’re certainly not always doing something ‘good for us’. But still quite a lot less than you - probably 15m on weekdays while I cook, and an hour or sometimes two on weekends. I think the only difference in your and our home day routines might be that for us the tv is on to watch something particular on iPlayer, and off when anything else happens. So if the children get distracted or start playing it’s off, and always off during meal times. None before breakfast/school and none after dinner. I just find the children get whingey and badly behaved if they have more.

My nearly-two year old has never watched TV really. We often have it on in the room but with just the news or whatever on and she ignores it. She has recently started paying attention to nature documentaries when those are on (calls all the birds "ducks" 😁 ) which I'm fine with.

Honestly though I think as long as they are getting plenty of interaction as well a little TV won't hurt them. I certainly watched a lot when I was tiny.

I stick ‘mummy’s’ programs on and she goes about her business. Probably way too much tv time but it’s miserable outside so I don’t want to sit all day not watching anything lol. Call me a bad mum but I think it’s necessary for my sanity. Mind you I’m constantly talking, playing, tidying etc so it’s not like I ignore the poor child. Nice days are different, we get out and there’s very little tv time. We don’t have an iPad, I don’t think that’s good for them. Gotta do what you gotta do though I suppose!