thread: How much tv does your lo watch?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    263

    How much tv does your lo watch?

    I am just wondering how much tv people's littlies watch? I feel like my dd is starting to rely to much on the tv for entertainment At the moment and just curious what is a common amount of time spent in front of the tv. She is 2.5. I guess her recent reliance is partly mine as when I was preg with dd2 I started relying on tv so I could have a break (she is a very active little girl!) and I thought this would end after bub came along but then my pregnancy resulted in a stillbirth and I continued to use the tv to get through the tough days when parenting was just to hard. Now I feel like she just relies on it to much and therefore curious what would you all consider appropriate viewing time in your house? She mainly watches abc for kids or an age appropriate DVD....

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,900

    Re: How much tv does your lo watch?

    In our house we only watch play school. So that's 30mins, twice a day. I try not to let them watch more than that. But there are always exceptions if course, i.e. if someone's sick, if DH is working late and I need to get dinner and they're under my feet, etc.

    When DD2 was first born I felt I was letting DD1 watch too much too but these things happen and it wasn't hard to cut back.

    I'm so sorry to hear about your angel xx

  3. #3
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Jan 2006
    11,633

    Sometimes tv is really helpful when you need time out I've had to drastically cut back on tv time since earlier last year, as the kids were getting quite feral. I try to limit it o 2-3 times a week at most.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    Home with my Son :)
    2,611

    My DS never watches TV!! I put ABC2 on every morning just in the hope something catches his eye, but to no avail.. As a single parent, sometimes I'd like it as a babysitter!

    I don't think it hurts to use TV sometimes. Sometimes you need it more than others. After the death of a child I can definitely understand using TV to give you a break. I think the fact that you are mindful of it says something. I personally try not to have TV on as background noise, I only have it on if I am watching something.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Oct 2009
    Bonbeach, Melbourne
    7,177

    How much tv does your lo watch?

    None until about 15 months. Then I started to get heavily pregnant, no energy, fussy toddler etc. It was just easy. Now that we're finding our feet a bit more I'd like to cut it right back to a couple of times a week. It's a few shows a day at the moment.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Mar 2009
    2,269

    DD1 (4 in March) is allowed to watch a show or two (depending on their length) during DD2s naptime (don't want DD2 exposed to TV just yet as she is only just one today plus keeps her quiet while I'm settling DD2). I'd say she watches something half the time, half the time she prefers to just have a more quiet play in her room. She always turns it off when told though so hasn't been a problem.

    Very occasionally if DD1 has had a late nap (she doesn't usually nap anymore) because we have been somewhere like the coast for the day, I will do her bed routine at the usual time but then leave her with a movie/show on the laptop since I know she will most likely be awake a little later and if I'm on my own (DP works late sometimes) I need her to at least be settled while I put DD2 to sleep. This would be once every 2 months or so though. We have also done this once when she was feeling sick and just wanted a rest, I put it in her room again because of not wanting DD2 exposed.

    That being said I was similar late in pregnancy with DD2 because it was soooo hot and this continued a little after DD2 was born whilst we got settled. It was easy to change though once we got through it. I'm really sorry to hear about your stillbirth, that must be really difficult. If you need to rely on TV a little more just now, there are worse things

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Aug 2010
    Perth
    609

    It varies here. I am guilty of using it way too much at times to help me get things done. I'll often let DD watch a movie while DS has his nap so I can clean up or get some work done. I do feel a bit guilty, as I could be using that time as one one one with DD, but sometimes we just have to do what we have to to get on top of things. Then some days we'll spend the whole day out side or doing other things and DD won't even ask about TV, so I think it all balances out.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Oct 2009
    surrounded by textbooks, cat toys and love
    1,124

    Nothing until he was 16 months, then I had morning sickness and we discovered In the Night Garden. So he was watching about an hour a day? He wasn't a happy boy though If he watches it more than once or twice a week then he gets narky. We stick to Play School and Thomas, but we tend to watch it with him and clap along and talk about the characters and stuff. I don't feel guilty about using it, I know the consequences and the reasons why I did/do it.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    summer street
    2,708

    My kids watch an hour every morning and then often a little bit towards dinner time if I need to get things done solo. We use the abc iview app on the ipad here and they pick and choose their own shows. Dd was a playschool only girl until 3 when I introduced other shows. Now at 4 I have introduced her to movies like Cinderella. Ds is of cause exposed to all this at under 2. He has watched more tv than I would have liked, but hey, I'm a working mum studying my masters with my main support interstate. You do what you have to!

    I was a tv addict as a child and still love tv each day. I think it depends on your child. Dd can watch quite a bit before getting narky. Ds has no ill effects at all.

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Aug 2008
    Ouiinslano
    5,303

    Play School and Peppa Pig, so 30 minutes a day max, and I only use it when I'm desperate. Like KitFaerie, my DD1 gets really cranky after watching it, she seems to lose the ability to initiate play, so just ends up whingey and clingy afterwards, and it's not worth it.

    She watches on the iPad, we don't have a tv, so it's easy to play the out of sight card.