Is my DD watching too much TV?!

[user1495189476]

When I had my first daughter, I never used to let her watch any TV - only like 30 minutes a week max. She's 7 now and I’m expecting my second baby, and I’m really conscious that I'm letting her watch it more and more. It’s just so much easier to get stuff done when she's quiet, and have even resorted to giving her my phone or an ipad to watch programmes on when we’re travelling or in café etc because it calms her down. I do feel guilty for letting her watch TV or play on my phone, and I’m worried that I look like a lazy parent when we’re out especially as I used to judge parents for doing exactly what I do now!
Should I be worried this? How much TV do you let your kids watch, and when are they allowed to watch it? There’s so much to worry about using the phones or ipads too and I stress about her stumbling across something harming or unsuitable, but don’t really know the best methods to stop it?? Help a single mumma out!

Have you tried alternatives to TV, Ipad, Phone? such as activity books, colouring, kids magazines? My dds only watch tv at the weekends, and they watch a film every other evening, but because they are 2 yrs apart they play most of the time. Don't feel like a bad parent, you're not! sometimes we need to do these things.

I think it's fine. My DD(9) is constantly on her IPAD. She works hard at school and that is how she relaxes. She is also bilingual so I think it helps her language skills.

She watches utubers ALL the time.
We play games occasionally and do homework etc.

The only rule I have is book an hour before bed.

Single mum too btw

I've tried them all, but nothing seems to hold her attention for too long... the ipad works every time though! When you let your DDs watch a film, are you encouraging them to watch it on a TV over the ipad?! And do you only keep the content they want restricted to films? I'm trying to get her into a routine so she starts to understand she can't have it whenever she wants so it restricts her time on the ipads and phone.

I think I need a after all my rambling...x

I don't even time how long my DD(6) watches TV or plays on the tablet, I just don't worry about it. She plays outside plenty when the weather's good, sometimes for hours and hours at a time, in fact she'd rather be outside on her bike than watching a screen but when it's a bad day and she can't get out, I don't see the big deal with screen time.

You say you're worried about her coming across something harmful on the ipad...If it's any use to you, i use an app called Kids Place. It allows me to put all DDs games, kids you tube etc onto the app and she can't get out of the app or get into adults you tube.

I don't count how long my dc are on a screen but I do insist on no screens for the last half hour before they go up to bed, and no screens in the bedroom or at the dinner table. They also spend quite a bit of time outside and have some regular activities so I figure they can so what they like with the time in between. Make sure there's a variety of options and they'll be fine.

MyOtherProfile, Yeah same here. No screens at bed time on a school night and no screens at the dinner table. I don't let them have screens either if there's friends in playing.