What age did your kids start watching TV?

[BabaganooToo]

I have a 15 months old DS. He's fantastic, but (as expected) high energy and full on. Hates being contained. Refuses to go in the high chair currently. So when DH is at work and I'm on dinner duty it's impossible to cook, or do anything other than watch DS run around.

So I thought TV would be the answer to buy me half an hour to get stuff done. But he has ZERO interest in TV... Now don't get me wrong, i know this isn't a bad thing really but I feel myself actually yearning for a time I can stick him in front of it and it'll keep his attention 😅 I know it's bonkers.

What age did your toddler start liking watching TV?

And I've tried involving him with the cooking, and wearing him, giving him "tasks" to do - just doesn't work. When wearing him I can't cut use a knife realistically. Giving him things to do he naturally loses interest in about 5 seconds.

Mine was about three and she would only watch singing and dancing programmes like The Wiggles.

@savoycabbage ahh 3 is ages away 😅 I've become slightly obsessed with The Wiggles despite DS not caring at all. Simon is fascinating

I don't know anything that actually happens on the wiggles because I was doing a billion things in those eight minutes or however long it is.

Have you tried wearing him on your back? You can get many more things done that way.

We have this problem too with our toddler. I have taken to using a food processor to chop veg as he likes to watch it and it means I don’t have to stand there chopping for ages, as well as a slow cooker. I put the stair gate on the kitchen door so he’s blocked in with me so I know he’s safe and beyond that just let him play with his toys (/empty the cupboards!) and run round. It’s hard work still but manageable.

@Hermittrismegistus no I haven't tried that! I'd need to get a carrier that allows it and sometimes he screams to get out 🙄 but it's worth a shot!

@Oscar5 food processor is a great shout - my DS is obsessed with machines so he would love it. Stair gate on kitchen door is also a good idea although our kitchen is only 99% baby proofed ... he's managed to find the one wire that isn't fully attached to the wall and likes to grab it and stare at me with malicious intent 😂 must get that sorted this weekend

Same here- three and will only watch things with songs (although has recently gotten into the awful peppa pig too)

I think as they get older they can follow a story like Peppa Pig.

You can use a sheet as a carrier @BabaganooToo. You don't need a proper one.

My 14 month old just plays with toys in the lounge while i potter about, i'll usually put cbeebiea or something or which he does watch bits of. We have the TV on quite a lot for us anyway, and we encourage a lot of independant play so he's used to crawling arund the lounge finding his toys to play with

@Youcancallmeirrelevant I try to encourage independent play but he's really just not interested in his toys. He's quite happy to play alone when it suits him but it's normally opening and shutting cupboards or playing with the vacuum so not stuff I can leave him unattended with!

@Newnamesameoldlurker hoping that he never ever discovers Peppa Pig 😬

Ours is 2 and a bit and I still can't really get anything done when she's awake. Just be productive during nap times and early evening when they're in bed, it's less stressful. I always stay one meal ahead ie prep lunch before she gets up, prep tea while she naps. Tidying up washing etc we do when she's in bed or get her to 'help' us when she's awake.

@SErunner thank you, we do try and be prepared but we're both working full time so seem to run out of hours in the day very quickly! It's ok when I work from home but office days are tough

My son is 20 months old now and shows like Bluey, octonauts, hey duggee and Sesame Street, hold his attention for a little while.

At that age they don’t get to refuse things to do with safety. Sit in the high chair with restraint on, if they yell they yell.
have a ‘safe cupboard’ ie one full of Tupperware they can empty and re-stick/ climb in etc. let him run about in the kitchen, while you prepare food. They need to learn the world doesn’t revolve around them and stuff need to get done. You don’t think people just downed tools and played with toddlers all day long on the old days? When there was everything to be done by hand with no help?

I think it depends on the child. My 5yo DD loved watching telly from the moment she was born. I've always been able to stick her in front of the TV with some healthy snacks and she'll be right where you left her.

My 12 month old DS is a whole different story. Like you, I struggle to get anything done around the house as he's diving off the sofa, playing with doors and climbing on everything in sight. I think he's watched about 30 seconds of Teletubbies in his whole life.
I don't have a solution I'm afraid but you have my sympathy.

My 5yo DD loved watching telly from the moment she was born.

My kids were the same😅 my 18 month old really likes Cloudbabies and Miss Rachel on YT

Honestly, younger than that, probably about 12 months but we only really did it on flights, which for us was about every 1-2 months, so maybe there was a novelty element! Stuff with singing eg the dreaded Cocomelon got her attention the best but really she’d watch any kids stuff; she did 4 hours straight of Paw Patrol without moving on a transatlantic flight at 15 months. DS2 got more TV time when younger his older sister was watching it, but again about 12 months was when he started to give it attention.

Do parents not use play pens any more? Or door bouncers?? They get to be with you, and have a chat, but have all their toys there, or a fun bounce, and are safe.

My first born had no real interest until maybe four. Second born was interested from maybe two, but might be because she was watching with her brother rather than alone. The age old saucepans and wooden spoon in a corner to play drums does work quite well, although not the most peaceful way to cook.

Our Jumperoo would often buy 10 minutes peace also, or a roll along walker they sit in. Our roll along walker had a table so I would put the kid in there with a few snacks sometimes to buy time.

Not quite answering the question because I can't remember the age. I think she was watching some TV by 18 months though - but only to the end of the programme or until adverts appeared. She would then ignore it until the programme started back up so only very short bursts.

It wouldn't work every day but on the days I was off work at different points before starting nursery we went to a parent and toddler group, tots music, gymnastics ( 0-2 or under 3 and parents accompany them) or a child's play cafe.
By the time I got home she was napping and I could get a few things done or have a rest myself.

Have you tried Little Baby Bum on Netflix? My girls love it and keeps entertained while I get things done.

We used a playpen for the DT’s. They played in there and could watch the tv. A combination of their toys and the tv kept them safe and occupied for short periods of time. If they screamed because they wanted attention , they screamed.

Weet both ours watched it at 2. Their attention span was only 20-30 minutes at a time though (and we only allowed 1 hour of screens a day).

Mine was about 3 as well. Forced by lockdown and parents trying to work. She was heavily into the Wiggles and would watch some songs for a few minutes when she was around 2 years old but she wasn't interested in it for any length of time.

All kids love Cocomelon. All parents hate it.

I had a cupboard full of stuff DS was allowed to play with. I just put things like plastic skittles and other non-breakables in it.