Toddler Morning Routine/ TV

[amidsummernightsdream]

What do you all do with your toddler first thing in the morning?

I have a 21 month old, who wakes up 5.30/ 6. I’m not great first thing. We have a little chat, cup of milk and nappy change but then I’ll sit in the sofa and if im honest watch tv with her or mumsnet for an hour until we make breakfast at 7ish.

She will either sit with me and watch tv (bing, gruffalo, disney film) but mostly will play with her toys with tv on in background. I will talk with her about what she’s doing- but from the sofa with a brew.

I feel insanely guilty about this.

At 7, we’ll make breakfast together. We have one of those helper towers snd she likes to join in.

We then return to sofa until 8ish, we don’t usually have to leave the house until 9 (i work part time from home and childminder lives on our street). We’re then upstairs to get ready and up and out for the day.

Basically i feel guilty about the tv in these first 2 hours but I’m knackered!

Is this normal? What is everyone else doing?

I have three dc and tv has only ever been a late afternoon thing before or after dinner. They watch more now they’re bit older, movies during school holidays etc, and loads if they’re ill of course. I like tv but even before kids I hated the idea of it as a background thing and it never occurred to me to turn it on in the mornings. When they get up they just play, we have breakfast and they play some more until we go out, to school etc (youngest is still at home), one of us will read some books if we can. And we’ve had some stretches of very early waking between the three of them. I feel like tv would just make it more difficult as they get frustrated when it’s turned off and it would be hard to get them to focus on eating, getting dressed etc.

@MotherOfCrocodiles exactly

@SalviaOfficinalis there’s lots of nappy wrestling here too 🙈

@TheBirdintheCave this is the difference. DD is up at 5.30/6 and we dont need to ready until 9, so we have lots of time earlier on when I’m not feeling the most sprightly.
I’d love it if she slept until 7- one day! 🙏🏻

My DD had always been an early riser, but I don't like TV for small children so we don't put it on much. She was up at 05.30 for a long time but no it's more like 06.00 and she knows not to ask to get up until her nightlight turns orange at 06.30. She is 2.5 now.

We go down at 06.30 and brush teeth then do breakfast. I'll do a few jobs like empty the dishwasher whilst she eats and make a cup of tea. It's easily 07.15-07.30. We then either go upstairs to get dressed or go in the front room and play with toys and books. I like mornings so if we are going out we tend to go it first thing and then have a more chilled out afternoon playing with toys or doing some jobs like waking the dogs or doing some things in the garden.

I think I am more unusual with my views on tv time, but I gather it's not good for them to be passively watching it and that they can't filter it out in the background like adults can. When she was unwell over Xmas we watched a bit of TV most days but it was just to cope really, it's definitely not daily routine here.

It's rare we have telly on in the morning with our DD on the days I'm working BUT 1) she's always watched what I consider to be a lot of tv anyway, just different times. And 2) She typically has tended to wake up between 7 and 8am so it's easier. And 3) we always in a rush on days I'm working to get her dropped off at nursery by 8.30am so there wouldn't even be time.

Don't feel guilty, your kid will be fine and it must be hard being woken so early all the time!

I have to put the TV on or I can't get anything done. DD watches/ plays while I get breakfast ready/ tidy the kitchen... I'm looking forward to getting a little helper she'll love it. My DD is 1 atm when did yours first start using it?

I also feel insanely guilty but she needs constant entertainment and I can't provide that plus do everything else

Like other posters above I am not a fan of screen time.

Have you tried putting on an audiobook or music/ radio in the background. You could setup a ‘yes’ zone for her. An area that is completely child proof and where you don’t need to hover to keep her safe and where she can explore. You could even lay out some toys, objects to explore the night before. You could still chill on the sofa and your child could potter about.

Oh I really wouldn’t worry or feel guilty about this, I used to but now I wish I could have it back instead of having to try and get him out the door at 8.30 for school! You’re doing a great job!

Thanks @Mumlifeofboys

20 month old wakes any time between 5.30 and 7.30am. Needs breakfast straight away so I bring him beside me for 5 mins to come to then we go down and have breakfast. Then upstairs to get ready and out the door to nursery if it’s a work day, or either get dressed and go out or go through to living room and play if we don’t have plans.

@Molleeemma there’s a specific topic for posting links to research. Also, this thread is from January.

How is that relevant? Morning routines don't change much from Winter to Winter same year do they?

As an update (as this thread has been redirected) dd now gets up at 7/ 7.30 - yey!! So our morning routine flows much easier.
Wish I hadnt felt so guilty about a bit of tv on in the background to survive the 5.30 get ups!

We’re in a similar 5-5:30am wake up and tv watching habit. Did you change anything so your dd started waking at 7/7:30?