DD didnt watch tv till she was about 20 months and i started doing a few shifts at work to help a friend and DH was looking after her, he put the tv on so he could clean the house, best intentions and all. and now she watches ABC1 for kids in the mornings, but only like certain shows so will turn it on and off, probably watches an hours worth all up, or less if she forgets to put it back on after thomas the tank engine...which she does quite often. then she watched playschool and octonaugts in the arvo,her two favorite shows. we normally only watch them if we arnt doing anything else thats fun/interesting, like if im breastfeeding and shes bored etc. we have a few dvds, bob the builder and playschool, mainly got them for the last few weeks of my pregnancy when i was so tired and needed a rest, but she still watched playschool and now knows SO much about dinosaurs we limit it but im sure we watch more than alot.
its a personal choice, and im sure her son will be ok, i wouldnt say anything, but i do belive its not good for them to watch it all the time, i certainly wouldnt let dd watch more than a few hours a day. but saying that, when DH is home the tv is normally on all the time, even if noone is watching, i think he just likes to have noise on, where i quite like quiet in the day. aslong as they do other things in the day, i think its a good tool to use to have five minutes peace or cook dinner etc.
TV tends to be one most of the day here. Mostly is it just in the background. The girls will watch what they feel like watching, or go off and play. We did go through a stage where DD1 would carry on if it was turned off even if she was playing in the other room.
As a parent I like that they are able to walk away from it. Yes, sometimes we often turn it off so they will do something we ask of them, like cleaning up their toys, so it can be useful like that. I honestly do prefer it to have a child that becomes a zombie the moment a TV is on. I know some families where TV is very restricted and those children will just stop and stare if they see one on. Very frustrating when they come for a visit and the parent asks me to turn the TV off, otherwise their child will not move. I don't care what goes on in their home, I would never go there and ask them to turn their TV on, so I don't like to be told to turn mine off.
DS 'watches' tele, about as much as a 10month old can pay attention. It's pretty much theme songs, and the occasional look at the tv (unless it's giggle and hoot for which he will drop everything!) but he is too busy playing with his toys or climbing over me to be sitting still for long periods of time.
Like others have said, in moderation things are fine. Just make sure that your little one isn't spending all their waking hours in front of the tv and not engaging in any other play and they will be fine.
I personally have a rule though of tv off at meal times
we limit it but im sure we watch more than alot.
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