If you don't agree with under 3's watching TV do you not watch TV at all when they are awake?

[hidetheelephant]

Aric Sigman recommends that,

Children under 3 have no screen exposure
Ages 3-5: 30 minutes a day
Ages 6-7: 30 minutes to one hour a day
Ages 8-12: One hour per day
Ages 13-15: One and-a-half hours a day
Ages 16 and over: Two hours

I count DS' "allowance" for TV as the time he spends properly watching something he has chosen to watch, as opposed to if I am watching something and he happens to be in the same room, not watching it but playing with his toys.

As much as I love playing with DS, I don't think I could actively play with him all day. When he's happily playing on his own, there's nothing I love more than sitting down with a good book or watching something I've been waiting to watch.

Is there anyone who doesn't have the TV on at all in the daytime if you are staying in the house and not going out anywhere?

I very rarely watch "grown-up" television when DS (6) or DD (4) are around. Have occasionally watched something like the winter olympics but during the day time if it is on it is for children's programmes.

Have to say that I don't adhere to guidelines on how much they watch, but don't watch it myself during the day. I would count time they are exposed to it as time with the television - in some ways more so as it normalises the television being on as background.

Although I have no problems with the radio being on - that seems to be my background.

It's not like a three or six or probably even a nine year old would pay much attention to the 6 o'clock (or 1 o'clock) news, so how is that going to impact on them in the way that 2 hours of Dora et al (add appropriate programme for your DC?

Not sure I agree with the findings of the study, but that's my view on the OP as asked.

i dont have a telly at all now, but i did when the kids wee little. becuase of screen exposure they are now all teenage mutant murderers who mug old ladies.

obviously the tv was on, and becusae of this, it complteely overtook any parenting i did, becusae as soon as i tried to parent - when the tv was switched on it completely negated parenting.

seriously though, its common sense. tv is ok - as long as you dont let it parent for you. play with your kids and talk to them a bit, kstick a cartoon on and give em a bag of crisp organic raisins- it wont kill them.

DS is an utter bloody tantruming nightmare if I let him watch too much TV in the day (more than 90 mins a day - he's almost 3).

#When he was tiny I watched loads of crap TV (Frasier/Will & Grace/Friends/Gilmore Girls/Without a Trace)

Since he's been 18mo+ I don't watch any TV that it's age-appropriate for him (and Lord do I hate it, but he has his favourites)

He now has 2 Charlie & Lola's, a half hour thing while I shower (Show me show me usually) and then 10 mins for bedtime (The bedtime story)

We have a PVR, so regulate the shows, and he only watches the ones that don't make me want to set fire to Sarah Jane Honeywell educational ones.

For us its a timing thing if DS watches early i the day he nags for it for the rest of the day but if we dont have it on until late pm he will happily watch a short amount

I watched TV all the time when DD (now 14m) was tiny and I was bf all the time (how anyone could bf all day and not watch crap telly I do not know). But since she's become more aware of the TV and can sit there mesmerised by it I keep it turned off during the day, other than a bit of Milkshake while I have a shower and do my hair, or ITNG on iplayer if DD needs distracting later on.

TBH I love TV and would happily have it on all day but I don't think it's good for DD. I have the radio instead (Radio 4 or Classic FM usually), can get a bit boring for me, but I've got used to it now.

We hardly ever have it on before 5pm, when they're allowed to watch a bit while I cook dinner (probably more than their recommended dosage though, I admit). We very occasionally put it on if there's a big match at Wimbledon or something, but really very rarely.

Our aerial got broken in April and I'm waiting for the man to come and fix it as I MN, so that shows how little I've missed it . We've got a leeeeeetle bit bored of the Cars DVD now though...

DD is not quite 18 mths. It doesn't matter if the television is on, she will only watch if there is music playing or it's animated. Strange child. I only count TV that she actively watches and judge by her behaviour. She is bored after 15 mins and stroppy after 20, so usually she is restricted to one 10min cartoon a day. But this is based on her individual behaviour, not anyone else's generalised research.

I grew up with the tv (and my mum playing with a BBC micro) on in the background. I'm not going to say it had no effect, but of the difference it's made I'd largely say it was good. In fact of all the potential negative influences in my life I think TV did the most for me.

TV-time obsessives never seem to study potential positives at all.