Got into bad habit with screen time for 3 year old

[GreenSippyCup77]

Feel like I’m going to get roasted for this but I think I need to hear it. I’m feeling like a terrible mum as my 3year old DS has got into the habit of watching YouTube Kids on my phone. It started off just half hour in the morning while I got myself ready. Then a little in the evening when he was getting tired and a bit hyper. It seemed like a good way for him to wind down. But recently he’s asking for it more and more and really having strong meltdowns when I say no. Sone of the stuff he watches is ok. He likes a lot of the old CBeebies programmes grandpa in my pocket, lazy town, me too etc. and things like Blippi. However he also watches a lot of the loud screechy American stuff. (Blippi also arguably falls into this category!) I try to block a lot but there’s so much on there it’s hard to keep up!

I guess through writing this I know what I need to do - ban it altogether! I’d much rather he watched a few carefully selected programmes on CBeebies or prime/Netflix. Just not sure how best to approach it. I feel the fallout is going to be awful! Has anyone else managed to successfully ban YouTube kids? Or am I in the minority of mums letting their little one watch it? We do lots of other wholesome stuff during the day. He loves playing outside, playing role play games, goes to nursery some mornings etc etc. so it’s not like he’s watching all day.

Feel like such a crap mum right now! 😩

Just not sure how best to approach it

Just so no.

Let them have a tantrum.

Do not be weak and give in.

The end.

You are over thinking this, because you don't want to do hard things and be mean. Just get on with it. They will get over when they realise no means no.

Nip it in the bud and go cold turkey. Yes there will be a few challenging times to go along with that (so choose a week when life isn’t otherwise too stressful! Don’t set yourself up to fail), but in the long run it will so be worth it.

Don’t worry - you’re only human! I would delete the app (‘that’s funny - I don’t know where it’s gone!) and only have the iPlayer app if you think the content is better for him? (I only have the iPlayer app and the kids don’t know what they are missing). Having said that though, it’s still possible for them to watch too much. It’s not easy, just try and hold the line or - if needed - have a week cold turkey, busy doing other things.

Appreciate it feels mammoth but if something isn't working for your family you can change it. It won't be fun at first when they're used to something but it'll get better then more you stick to your guns. We went cold turkey on all screens when my son was 3 because his behaviour after screen time was so erratic, it was like he just couldn't control his impulses or his temper. So we cut it out completely, and then about a year later I started adding in things which scored well on the stimulation index. Working well so far.

You can do it!

Delete the app and say it’s broken but you’ve found a new app and let him watch stuff on iplayer.

DS always found it.much easier to handle when he got TV as part of a routine. So he knew at X time of day (so for you the morning) he got to watch one programme or two programmes and then it went off and he knew what the next thing was (get shoes on to leave). Might take a week or so to bed in but after a while DS would turn it off himself when time was up.

Without clear expectations he was a nightmare when TV was turned off.

Tell him it's broken.

Go cold turkey.

Even if he screams for an hour when you tell him it's broken that's going to be better than repeated meltdowns everyday. Don't do it on a morning when you need to get out of the house in a rush!

It probably wouldn't hurt to have a few bits to distract him with i.e. some stickers/bubbles/colouring book/few small toys etc.

Go cold turkey from all screens, don't just transfer the problem to netflix. Also, think about how often he sees you look at your phone and consider of that's a problem.

Not only do you know what you need to do, you know what you want going forward. Hold on to that. You can definitely fix this!

I have no problems with "curated" screen time for my toddler (2.5). He has a number of favourite programmes and he can watch an hour/hour and a half a day or some days none at all. TV is especially good on no nap days when we just have a cuddle on the couch and watch something. It's nice to watch some telly together sometimes.

I agree that Blippi and the like is absolute trash and will be affecting his behaviour. These types of YouTube shows are addictive. To be honest, my rule is if I don't enjoy listening to it, he doesn't get to watch it. I'm all for kids tv and have such nostalgia for the programmes I watched growing up. But if it's giving me a headache and got me reaching for earplugs, it's not allowed. I cannot bear shouty programmes for young children.

The other problem is watching on a phone screen. TV watching should be communal on a shared screen. We especially like programmes that tie into books so that the enjoys both the tv show and the books with us. I also do not ever let my son touch my phone. If he wants a tv show he ask to ask specifically for it and I put it on, he does not get access to touch screens where he can tap away by himself.

I'd go cold turkey for a week then introduce telly under new rules. No phones and only for a certain amount of time at a certain point of the day. At 3 years old he should know how to play independently for periods of time. When I need to get ready in the morning my son potters about playing with his toys.

No need to get rid of tv altogether, you just need to overhaul how he's currently watching things.

Delete and say it’s broken, that’s nice and easy for a 3 year old to understand rather than just a flat no. He won’t like it but he will eventually forget.

It’s easy to get into bad habits, harder to break them but you’ll feel better once it’s done. I found that watching TV and stuff like CBeebies was much less troublesome, not as addictive lots of natural breaks between programmes and dc weren’t so fixated on it.

Just hide the phone from him. You will have to distract him with other things but it will be worth it for him.

I've been where you are - you need to do cold turkey. Explain that we are no longer going to watch videos on mummy's phone, and stick with it. Mine took a few weeks before he stopped asking and now I think he's forgotten that my phone even exists.