how much telly (inc. dvds, videos, etc)?

[lizinthesticks]

How much telly are yours watching, and when? Also, what age are they?

Mine are still a bit little at 0.7 and 2.11, although DD1 is getting a telly tubbies habit and a night garden thing. More recently, with her liking for NEE-NARS (i.e. fire engines), I decided to try her on some Fireman Sam - which she does seem to be into. Although mainly only the bits that go NEE-NAR. She did however get really upset at the episode where a cat gets caught up in some barbed wire.

Anyway, the point is also that she tends to wander off during these DVDs.

As we haven't yet got a telly in the living room, and rely on the portable in our bedroom for the TV fix, the kids maybe don't get to watch it as much as they might if we had a biggie downstairs. shrugs

Anyway, with that in mind, I'd probably say DD1 watches less than 3 hours a week at the moment. I'm ambivalent about telly generally, on the one hand I don't really like all the shitty adverts for crappy toys. On the other hand I do have good memories of enjoying telly when I was little (a long, LONG time ago!).

This topic must've been done to death, I know - but indulge me anyway, if you're bored.

My DCs watch DVDs only, as can't handle lots of the kids programmes or adverts (plus we only have the bog standard 4 terrestrial channels). DS is 3.2yrs, DD 1yr. They watch approx. 40mins per day, broken into a short slot before breakfast and a slot before dinner. They watch things ranging from Bob the Builder, Jungle Book to Planet Earth. I am usually with them (cooking!) so we chat about it all as it's on, dance together to songs etc.

On top of that DD watched 2x 15mins each day during her physio, and it's always the same 3 episodes of Spot (I am slowly going mad...)- it's the only thing that keeps her still enough to do chest physio (she has CF). Strangely enough DS is bored of Spot and goes off to play elsewhere in the house!!

I find TV is good to get them to chill out a bit before meals...But DS often wanders about doing other things unless tired when he'll sit still.

PS. TV is banned in our house (unless some important footy or rugby game is on the DH must watch) between 9am and 5pm. But that's just 'cos I really don't like it being on in the daytime.

Now it's light in the eves the DCs often skip the pre-dinner TV watching stint as play in garden instead.

Incidentally I was brought up with no TV. Which I think was a bit harsh (no videos either)!

Yeah - we're pretty much the same RE the ban between 9 and 5. Although at Gran's this rule gets bent because they've got digital (we haven't even got free view yet), and telly tubbies and the night garden are on in the early afternoon (iirc).

Mine are 1.5 and 3.5.

They watch 30 mins at breakfast time usually Thomas the Tank or Big Cook Sky plussed.

They watch another 30mins at bedtime usually CBeebies.

Mine 3,4 and 4 some days watch none, sometimes 1 hour or often 2 hours.

Used to beat myself up about it but when I sat down and looked at their day which is 12 hours in total realised it's cram packed with a variety of lovely activities so 2 hours of quality tv is neither here nor there.

They need the chill out time(so do I) means I shout less and it includes any computer time or DVDs (they are all the same IMHO).

We only watch CBeebies or quality DVDs.

Ds 3.5 spends some days with no TV at all and some with 20 mins and some with 1.5 or 2 hrs. I keep the TV in any one day under 2 hrs but in a week he probably gets about 4-5 hrs a week.

By TV I include videos/DVDs etc. I mean total screen time.

We don't have a tv.

DS is 5 and watched one dvd at the weekend, occasionally more if it's a rainy wet day or I have a lot of work to do.

Mine watch half an hour or so while playing when I tidy up after breakfast, then none until after 4o'c: a bit of rest after our busy day before dinner! Then maybe 20 mins/half an hour or so before bath.

So prob around 1hr30/2hrs per day. But only CBeebies or DVDs, have so far kept the dreaded power rangers & commercial tv channels at bay! They are 3.5 DS and 14month DD.

My main rule is that any tantrum or whinging for TV means it gets switched off, and they have to share it - if DH or I want to watch something, we do. I can't bear the stories I hear of children dictating what is on the TV!