how much TV do you think children should watch?

Buttonmoons

I think some people worry too much in all honesty! I used to watch a lot of TV as a kid, I'm not impaired in the cognitive development area.

My DD watches TV, she also plays on her own and with me, she goes to nursery and is a healthy active normal 4 year old. Some days she watches no TV and others she probably watches too much.

If she wants to watch Humf whilst I'm cooking dinner, I'm not going to say no - "no sorry sweetheart, no TV for you today as you have filled you 3 hours a week quota of tv before it effects your mental wellbeing, go do a puzzle!"

bestpud

thatgirlsam wrote: »

my kids don't watch that much tbh.. they could be watching it now if they wanted, but ds is riding his bike in the garden and dd is playing upstairs.. goodness know what her game is , she just shouted at the top of her voice ' I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW.. I'M A VERY ELEGANT FOWL'

i have never really limited it, years ago when i was a childminder i had 2 boys that were never allowed to watch and they were totally obsessed with it

i did use it as a babysitter when they were tiny, when i was cooking for eg.. probably would hold their attention for 30mins or so

everything in moderation is fine in my opinion

I've seen that happen with food - children who are not allowed sweets/cakes are the ones who stand by the party table and gorge themselves stupid!

DD could also have watched TV this afternoon but she went out to make a den in the garden with her friend and then over the field climbing trees. She came back about 5pm and watched about 5 mins of TV while she had a drink before going to Brownies.

I'd be concerned if she preferred to sit and watch TV every day but she will rarely do so if she can be outside playing instead.

I suppose there are some children cooped up with the TV all day though and that can't be good.

thatgirlsam

bestpud wrote: »

I've seen that happen with food - children who are not allowed sweets/cakes are the ones who stand by the party table and gorge themselves stupid!

DD could also have watched TV this afternoon but she went out to make a den in the garden with her friend and then over the field climbing trees. She came back about 5pm and watched about 5 mins of TV while she had a drink before going to Brownies.

I'd be concerned if she preferred to sit and watch TV every day but she will rarely do so if she can be outside playing instead.

I suppose there are some children cooped up with the TV all day though and that can't be good.

yes.. they were not allowed sweets either and were obsessed with them .. what you can't have must seem so alluring

i have to say i find it really rude if i go to visit someone and they leave their telly on.. i always turn mine off for visitors

peachyprice

ninky wrote: »

hey look, you can stick your kids in front of the telly for as long as you like as far as i'm concerned.

But isn't that the point. Most people don't 'stick their kids in front of the telly' but as always the majority of decent parents are being made out to be harming their childrens development because of the actions of the minority of those that do use the TV as a babysitter.

skintchick

Yes, the words quoted were that parents used the TV to get 'time for themselves' but I don't call cooking tea and doing washing up 'time for myself' ! I would never use it so I could, say, have a glass of wine or read a magazine, but I do use it to help amuse her while I do some essential housework.

Actually, she is less interested I've noticed over the last couple of days. I think being more mobile means she can amuse herself more, but I still had to switch it on for 30 mins before OH came home so I could get the tea on.

Glamazon

hi skinty

Jack is a month or so younger, he watches no TV but that's because I never had it on during the day when I was on Mat Leave and now it goes on after he's gone to bed. We spend our time after work/creche playing with each other, if it is on over the weekend it's generally sport on.
Jack is mobile so I don't think it would hold his attention for very long - I think using it to keep baby entertained for 20minutes or so is fine, like you say it's giving you chance to get tea on. We don't eat until after J's gone to bed as I don't have chance when he's awake to make any!

craftdaft

After my niece always asks for the TV on as soon as she walks in the sitting room (and has done since she was 3) I vowed when I had kids they wouldn't be so dependant on it (am not set against TV though). I think she's taken the hint as I refuse but get out games, books, playdough, etc.

DD is now 8 1/2 months old. The TV is only put on after tea as DH loves watching The Simpsons (with her!). If DH is about during the day it's on much more but she doesn't really pay much attention to it.

MIL looks after DD for 3 days while I'm working. I accept that the TV is on far more in their household and am fine with that. However, found out today that to get DD to sleep she's put in pram and parked in front of TV!!! Explains why it sometimes takes longer to get DD to sleep after been with inlaws for 3 days....

ninky_2

how did parents manage to look after their children before television? most people do less housework than they did before television (convenience foods, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, washing machines etc). i just wonder how they managed without telly. children were probably a lot more active as a result.

i also think parents used to hold their children more. if you go to countries where they don't use buggies and pushchairs as a rule you see this more. seeing a parent with a toddler on their hip is an increasing rarity in our society.

peachyprice

ninky wrote: »

how did parents manage to look after their children before television? most people do less housework than they did before television (convenience foods, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, washing machines etc). i just wonder how they managed without telly. children were probably a lot more active as a result.

Years ago they would have plonked them in a playpen. They would also have had less 'stuff' to clean and a support network of extended family to look after the children on laundry day, housework day etc.

ninky_2

peachyprice wrote: »

Years ago they would have plonked them in a playpen. They would also have had less 'stuff' to clean and a support network of extended family to look after the children on laundry day, housework day etc.

so what's wrong with a playpen? a lot more interactive for children. their eyes focus at different focal lengths (rather than the blink free single focal length viewing of a screen) and they learn how to interact with their environment. there is also the skill of learning how to keep yourself amused to be learned.