DD1 is 4, DD2 is 2. It varies. Probably on average they'd watch 4-ish hours / day, mostly ABC2, sometimes recorded shows (like for when Nat says, "Mummy, it's STUPID Grandpa in my Pocket! NO ONE likes that show. Please can I have something different?)
I have it on while I do morning chores (putting out washing, cleaning up breakfast) and in the afternoon/evening when I'm bringing in washing/cooking dinner etc. Also just before bed they will watch Giggle & Hoot. We are usually out and about during the middle of the day.
Having said all that, TV doesn't do a lot for DD2 who generally plays with other toys or reads books while DD1 is watching. Unless it's playschool, Dora, Peppa Pig or a Justine Clarke DVD - those she enjoys. (Though I have seriously limited the Dora viewing recently. That chick annoys me.)
DD is almost 2.5 and will only "watch" about 20 mins, twice a day (when Bugs and Daffy are on) - the rest fo the time it's on, but she ignores it completely.
The tv is on in our house almost all day at the moment and has been for most of this pregnancy, but mostly when DD1 is at kindy and its just me and DD2. Normally though its not tv but dvds. Like BG, my DD will put a dvd on and then completely ignore it while she colours, do jigsaws or whatever. The days that have been good the kids are outside pretty much all day and so no tv is on then at all.
I feel guilty about it on the days that DD2 stays put and really watches the tv, but tbh at the moment I'm not capable of entertaining her so I figure at least she's happy and not constantly being told that mummy is too sick to play with her.
I've found that putting on the nature/discovery channel on an animal documentary makes me feel much less guilty about having the tv on DS and DD are both liking the "Frozen Planet" documentaries that I'm recording for them. DS is constantly saying "another penguin!", "another polar bear" etc. Then I took them to the aquarium to see the penguins last week
Sorry bit OTT but Mylitta - are you fast forwarding through the bits where cute little babies get chomped on Frozen Planet? My kids love it too, but they were getting quite distressed by it. We talked about the fact that they're not nasty animals, just animals that need to eat other animals to survive and they seem to understand that but it still upsets them (if I'm honest, it upsets me too!) so I'm flipping through those bits.
We used to have an hour a day rule but by the time I woke up in the morning they had already watched an hour and then when they got home from school they watched at least another hour and if I turned it off they snuck back in and turned it on again so I got all the kids channels on Foxtel cut off and then I unplugged the TV from the box and told them we had no more TV.
Since then they watch a DVD or two on Saturday and/or Friday night and that's it. They also watch golf with DH but it doesn't hold their interest for long.
MIL has been staying and she put on Dora for DS1 when he got home from school today. I nearly ripped her head off. luckily he's not into Dora but as a pre-emptive measure I will disconnect the Foxtel from the TV tonight so they don't decide to put it on tomorrow.
TBH my life was easier when they had TV but I feel much happier when I see them messing up the house and fighting instead of sitting in front of the box like zombies.
Television time in our house is not timed. Our standing on television watching is that we dont mind them watching it so long as they are learning from it and its not 'fluff stuff'. So they watch educational stuff, they watch playschool, etc. Then on top of that they are constantly playing with or without the television on, when its cool enough and safe enough (sun wise) to play outside they are out running like the cheeky monkeys they are. If they are inside they are in the playroom making a mess and what not.
DD is 2.5 and she has half hour in the afternoon as part of her quiet time (doesn't nap anymore) watching playschool. Other than that the TV is off.
If she sleeps over at my parents she has a DvD before bed as a special cuddle time with Grandma.
My DD knows how to turn on the TV but she never has outside of when I've said 'hey it is time for playschool and a rest' so she musn't be that interested lol.
A lot here. Well they don't watch a lot but it's on a lot. I turn it off if they aren't watching, but I'm not particularly fussed if it goes back on. They come and go as they please. Here outdoors is available all year round so it's usually much more fun to play with each other. However some days are far too hot.
My kids are great at independent play, are very social skills and speak well so it's no biggie really.
A GF of mine only lets her kids watch for a hour twice a week (it's scheduled like a big prize) but they're embarrassing when they're at other people's houses and the TV's on. They are glued to it and cannot hear anything else - even if it's something they wouldn't be interested in like an adult's show. Neither of them play well by themselves and their social skills suck.
As an aside, no-one schedules my TV viewing and I rarely watch it.
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DS and DD are both liking the "Frozen Planet" documentaries that I'm recording for them. DS is constantly saying "another penguin!", "another polar bear" etc. Then I took them to the aquarium to see the penguins last week 
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