How do I help my wife to wean our toddler off TV?

[FloydP]

Am trying to help my wife wean our toddler off TV. I'm a husband at work and am worried about our toddler. He is two and a half. Seems to spend a lot of time watching TV. We have a new baby and my wife is exhausted so I can see why she flick on the box.

I havent been direct with her about what I'm thinking because she goes through a full week with these kids so what do I know about it. But I am in work here and all I can think about is this. I am worried for her and for our kids.

Our little guy doesn't speak much, is behind in development and spends too much time with TV or DVDs. He has started repeating lines from TV show or an ad.

I am probably dramatizing this but it is only how it seems to me when I see him (mornings & evenings & weekends).

If anyone has some advice on how I can start talking to my wife on this I will gladly listen. I don't want to upset her and she does a lot of great work with these kids but our son is at a crucial time now. So if I have to break a few eggs I will. Thanks. This is my first post.

Is there budget for a couple of mornings a week at nursery? You could sell this as a) meaning she gets some real 1:1 time with the new baby and b) helping improve his language and social skills being with other children the same age.

If not, other ideas- I would agree getting him out on the weekends, if you are finding it hard to think what, perhaps selling that a 'daddy son time' so swimming, or he's old enough for rugby tots, or toddler football classes, which are normally run on Saturday or Sunday mornings and are normally the preserve of dads/grandads. That wouldn't feel like a criticism.

If you can say you'll deal with nights on the weekend as much as possible with the newborn so she has energy. If there are grandparents near by that might be encouraged to take DS out for 1/2 a day each week, or every other week, that would help.

Are there any baby and toddlers local to you in the week? Most churches run one, also check out if your local library has a toddler singing or story time. If she could have a 'thing' to do each day for half a day/or your DS in nursery for a morning, your DS then watching TV in the afternoons isn't going to harm him at all.

But most of all, accept she needs support - anything you say needs to be presented as a support, not a criticism.