TV in the morning - seriously????

[HaventSleptForAYear]

Another thing I learn from mumsnet.

Don't get me wrong, the DS are big Cbeebies/DVD fans, much more than I would like (especially DS2).

But it would never actually occur to me to turn the TV on at breakfast-time/before school.

Is this an old-fashioned parenting taboo/hang-up I have?

Do lots of people do this?

Am now at my own because I suppose TV in the morning is no different to TV at night.

OH.

I have always rushed back to work asap because I don't think I'm cut out for all-day everyday toddler groups, crafty "creative" stuff and baking (shouty mummy comes out after about 5 minutes of 4 yr old plus 2 yr old plus bag of flour).

I think I could do ignoring

i let my dc watch a bit of tv AFTER breakfast, when they are all ready for school/nursery IF they have time

sometimes they get to watch 10mins - we leave house at 8.30 to go to school - others days nothing

then can watch a bit before get mb from statio or after bath before bed

Mine don't watch television at all before school.

I tell people it is because they would grind to a halt and not get ready.

But I will admit it here - it is really because I think it is bad for them to go to school having been watching television.

There, I said it

Youngest (almost 7) watches 15 mins of tv whilst she is eating breakfast. It doesn't slow her down - we are up showered (me), breakfasted (her), teeth brushed, dressed, hair brushed, packed lunch made, cats fed and breakfast things cleared all in 40 mins.

Oldere 2 (17 & 15.5) don't watch tv because they prefer to spend every last second in bed and only get up at the last minute. Time spent watching telly is time that could be spent in their pits....

why bad for them ?

we all sit around the table and eat our evening meal every night without tv so I don't feel that we are losing the art of sociable eating / quality time around the table.

Rots their brains

I watch the BBC breakfast news in the morning. My kids get to see one Peppa pig episode on Milkshake just before school.

See Wallace that's what I secretly thought til now but I am now wondering what I based this "conclusion" on!

LOL @ 'rots their brains'

excellent answer

I force mine to watch TV for an hour in the morning so I can read the paper undisturbed

Mountain of crap cereal in bowl + crap telly = mummy reads entire paper

perfect start to the day imo

at morningpaper

Mine aren't supposed to put the television on in the mornings but I do sometimes turn a blind eye to the odd Tracy Beaker episode - providing they are completely ready for school. I would rather they did something else in the mornings (television seems to zap their energy) but I don't get too wound up about it.

Mine watch 20-30 mins in the morning. Allows me to clear the kitchen of breakfast stuff, put on a load of washing, make packed lunches, get ready to go out etc.

Never allow tv watching during meals though.

My dd's have the tv on in the morning whilst im sorting 4 breakfasts, 4 outfits, 2 nappy changes and various packed lunches.

I don't see what is wrong with letting children watch tv if it is balanced with letting them play in the garden and playing with their toys.

I won't even start telling you some of the things my sister lets her kids do

you would all be tut tutting though [sgrin]

I couldn't manage without tv in the mornings. dh leaves the house at 7am. I have ds1 5, dd 4 in August, ds2 almost 10 months. I would not be able to get up and get sorted without it - dd cannot be left for long or she gets into trouble - unless the tv is on. They don't watch tv during breakfast though as no tv in the kitchen and I never will either

No we never have TV on in the morning. I wouldn't be able to get them out the door to school. Holidays and weekends they can have brekkie in front of the TV if it means I get a lie in/chance to read the paper in peace.

allowing to watch tv before school, but after breakie and all ready for school is an incentive to eat breakie/get dresses quickly

if they spend too long eating breakfast then they dont watch tv - that simple

but NEVER eat in front of tv

That's just it. Mine can only watch Peppa pig once they have had their breakfast and got changed/brushed teeth. Its only for 15 mins at the most.

We couldn't get out on time in the mornings if we turned on the TV. The children can't seem to concentrate on a screen and something else.

But TV/DVD on non school/work days is a lovely gentle start to the day. Especially if you have pre - 6am risers.

I can see it would work as an incentive in some households but as DD has usually finished eating her breakfast before DS has stopped daydreaming and decided what he wants on his toast, it would just cause endless time consuming bickering in our house.

mine usually watch in my bed while I try not to wake up!

Couldn't have coped with ds's 5.30 starts without the tv. Would never have it on when eating breakfast (or any meal for that matter), but quite happy for them to get dressed in front of tv. No arguments about turning off when it's time to go to school either as both know they wouldn't be allowed to watch it at all if that happened. Can't understand why people are so precious about tv watching. When we lived abroad it was a great way for the dcs to hear English and they have learned some amazing things from Cbeebies. I have Radio 4 while I'm buzzing around in the morning, they have Cbeebies - don't really see the problem.