How much TV does your LO watch a day?

[helle]

My name is Helle and I wish DS would watch more tv!
He has almost zero interest. The most he usually watches is maybe ten minutes in the morning while I'm having a shower and he's eating breakfast, then the novelty has worn off for the rest of the day. Even then he wanders too and fro between the lounge and the bathroom.
I too have it going all day as I like the background noise, so I do wonder if maybe that's the reason for the lack of interest like others have mentioned?
Mind you, we did sit down the other night and watch Happy Feet together which he was very impressed with, he spent the entire time clapping along with the singing and oohing and aahing at the animals

[LuluHB]

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.

Sorry Miss E - didn't mean to hijack

[Phteven]

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.

[beansbeans!]

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.

[Jellyfish]

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.

[~Kim~]

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.

[Tegam]

We try to limit it. DS used to watch more, but I found it had a negative impact on his behaviour, so now it's a very infrequent thing - maybe 1 or 2 sessions per fortnight. Unless we're sick, then we have tv days. DD I want to keep away from the TV till she's 2.

This is us. The tv is not in our main area so you have to go to that room especially. There is just NEVER tv on a school day. So that really leaves weekends and we just end up doing other 'stuff'.

I really hate the negative behaviour that tv brings with it. Eg the sook that's it's been turned off etc.

My kids play so beautifully together most of the time and we have a pool and big backyard where they can ride and jump on a tramp. When we lived in a smaller backyard the tv was on more or when I have been very pregnant.

I might watch tv once a week. But in saying that I don't think it's been turned on for three weeks now. I watch some shows I like on the net, this suits my bed time.

[fionas]

I'd say on average about an hour a day - a little more in winter when it rains A LOT here. Also depends a lot on when DD1 gets up and what sort of night I've had with DD2 (although she's 16 months old, she can wake multiple times during the night). So I do tend to let DD1 put the TV on if she's up really early and I've had a rough night.

DP and I don't watch much TV at all and we're trying to discourage it. We tell her that children who watch a lot of TV can't run very fast or climb very high (these are both big priorities in her life ). I reckon we'll get a few more years of mileage out of that one.

[Butterfly Dawn]

Far too much- says my mum. But the reality is, DS1 watches Ben10 or Dragon ball if he can and not really interested in other stuff- a bit of bubble guppies, DS2 browses, we have it on in the back ground while the kids play, draw, (gets turned off at dinner time) some times they watch it other times they are in their room playing. Im not a nazi about it, but I laugh when they say "Not these 1s again" When DD waqs born they were on school holidays and they wore bare patches onto the couch, but english tv was stil a novality for them then. During the week they watch Ben 10 when they get home (30mins) and a bit of tv while they have supper, (30mins?) before shoer and bed

[MummyNaomi]

Hmmm, on a daily basis maybe an hour for DS aged 2.5

Usually ABC2 in this house too Fav's are Fireman Sam, Yo Gabba Gabba, Bob the Builder and Mr Maker of late. I like that most of the shows go for about 10 or so minutes.

However on Tuesdays I work from home so DS gets treated to more, I reckon he'd maybe watch a 2-3hrs that day, which is fine, it gives me time to power through my work so I can spend more one on one time with him later in the day. However this is once a week, so it works for us.

We do however have Sunrise or something on in the morning to catch the News/Weather (which he pays no attention too)

Most days we end our evening with Giggle & Hoot -particularly 'In the Night Garden' as once Hoot's Lullaby is over that's our prompt for bedtime.

HTH

And Snacks - totally agree with Natty - NO ONE likes Grandpa in my Pocket, Bailey wont watch it either. Personally I hate that damn Five Minutes More, it irks me for no good reason

[Snacks]

Amen. We never watch that either. Or Blinky Bill - that's another "stupid" one according to Nat.

[onthefly]

I really hate the negative behaviour that tv brings with it. Eg the sook that's it's been turned off etc.

Yes! The more he watches the more he sooks and carries on about watching it! And the less inclined he is to play and amuse himself. Noticed a big improvement when we virtually stopped and even now I'm not always sure the respite I get when it's on is really worth it.
We used to watch a lot ourselves, but not any more as it's only in the evening (if we have the energy)

[Gigi]

one hour in the morning, if it's a stay home day. ABC2 only. So that usually means Mondays and Fridays only.
that's at my house. (where on earth has Rasta Mouse gone btw, dd is really missing it. First Octonauts disappears, and now Rasta Mouse, what are they doing at ABC2??).
when i'm sick, more.
I have total control of the remote (insert wicked laugh) which i don't even have to hide/have up high. She knows the remote is not for her to touch and respects that (Mum's rules).

at her father's house, the answer would be - alot. I bet she uses the remote there too.

[Lenny]

Helle - our DS2s are the same age and mine has no interest either.

If any of you are looking for a little extra incentive to turn the TV off, then try working out how much it costs to run a plasma all day. Approx $15 a week. That's $780 per year.

[Tegam]

I'm not always sure the respite I get when it's on is really worth it.

This is exactly what dh and I say.

[bec293]

None, my son has never watched a tv show or a movie. But he's only 13 months old, so I don't really know what he would get out of television anyway. I don't turn the tv on until after dinner, so I can hear the news while I am in the kitchen.

I was just thinking today though how I could understand why people would use the tv to occupy their kids. I have a home business and don't use child care, so sometimes it probably would be great if he could be entertained for a while. Maybe one day I'll introduce it, when he is old enough to get something out of it, but only for a limited time every day.. maybe half an hour.