Too much I am sure. DD1 is 4 and last night she was playing in her room. I walked into her saying "Xfinity on Demand" to her dolls. Mother of the year right here.
DD is in daycare all day. No TV there. I let her watch TV at night (some days it bores her so she doesn't watch) for about a hour. She loves Spiderman and princess movies via netflix. She is 2.5.
Too much I am sure. DD1 is 4 and last night she was playing in her room. I walked into her saying "Xfinity on Demand" to her dolls. Mother of the year right here.
About an hour, hour and a half. I let them watch 30 minutes in the morning while I clean up the kitchen from breakfast and have my coffee and then another 30 minutes in the late afternoon while they decompress from the day and I get dinner started.
Sometimes they watch another half hour at night with their father while I take a bath, although now that it's nice out he usually takes them outside to play for a bit.
ETA: They're almost four and two. I SAH with them. DH is gone about 10-12 hours a day, which is a lot of time to fill DS1 goes to preschool/summer camp every morning and DS2 goes two mornings a week.
DS is 2.5 and a lot of days he probably watches 2 hours or so. I let him watch when I am nursing DS during the day. I know that is probably too much, but it is what works for us right now. If we are out and about or if I nurse DS in one of the patio chairs while DS plays outside he watches less. It has been so hot here lately though that we have been stuck inside a lot. Before I was pregnant again DS hardly watched any TV, but I needed it so I could rest a little more when I was feeling awful.
I think it can matter, but DS is extremely smart and very verbal so I have no worries there. I do worry about getting enough outdoor time and exercise so we make sure to get plenty of active time too. I think a lot of it has to do with what you do the rest of the time. Like if your kids are watching hours of TV and doing no other activities, yeah that will probably be a bad situation. But if Tv is part of the day with a lot of other stuff thrown in I don't really have an issue with it.
Zero. He is almost 13mos old. I do think it matters, especially with the type of screen technology we have today.
Also, my kid turns into a zombie the moment we pass by a tv at a restaurant. DH and I have enough trouble focusing on stuff as adults, I prefer if my kid just runs around everywhere than sit in front of the tv right now. He has plenty of time for screen time later.
ETA: Just wanted to point out that we're only waiting until 2 for the no tv rule. After that, anything goes but I prefer to limit it to a 30min show once a day. We'll see what happens, especially once we have #2.
My son is 14 months. With me, he got about 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon at most. Now that he's in daycare, he gets 1 Baby Einstein while DH showers. The dayhome does use TV a bit, which isn't my favorite, but it's mostly in the afternoon when he's napping.
DH has it on a lot more. He'll just turn it on and leave it on. I see DS go between playing and watching it off and on. It does sort of bug me and I should bring it up.
I do think it matters... this is my "organic milk" hill to die on, I guess. Screen time is SO tied to obesity rates it's kind of terrifying to me, as is the utter hypnotic effect it has on him.
Post by rootbeerfloat on Jul 12, 2012 15:45:24 GMT -5
Maybe 2 hours/day, but they are at daycare/summer camp. They probably watch more on weekends. They are 5.5 and 2.5.
ETA: I don't think it's ideal, but they watch while we're making dinner or as a treat before bed. They get plenty of activity and stimulation at child care.
Post by sewpinkgal on Jul 12, 2012 15:50:13 GMT -5
I'm a SAHM. J is almost 9.5m and it's rare. We don't specifically turn on any shows for him, though when H is watching him on the weekends, they will sometimes watch sports. I will catch up on dvr'd stuff when J naps, but otherwise I keep the tv off when he's awake. It's weird because I grew up watching tons of tv and still watch my fair share of programming (the tv is on all evening when H and I eat dinner and hang out before bed), but I just don't have any desire to get J started on his own tv addiction.
We sometimes have the TV on in the evenings but they don't watch it and we don't turn it on kid-specific shows.
Sometimes they'll play with our iphones. I know that's generally frowned-upon but if they grab it and don't put it in their mouth I let them carry it around.
I do think it matters... this is my "organic milk" hill to die on, I guess. Screen time is SO tied to obesity rates it's kind of terrifying to me, as is the utter hypnotic effect it has on him.
Watching TV is the only time DS sits down. Lol. Well meals too, but we still strap him in a booster seat for those. I can definitely see this as a problem with older kids though. I think by the time we hit school age there really wont be time for TV especially when you add in sports and activities. (Most start at 3 years around here) We are definitely aware of this. I think once DS stops nursing so much we will limit to one half hour show per day because really I am a SAHM and try to keep him entertained but still have to make meals and throw in some laundry and I am ok with one show long term. Of course I may be pregnant again by then so we will see. Haha.
DS is 2.5 and a lot of days he probably watches 2 hours or so. I let him watch when I am nursing DS during the day. I know that is probably too much, but it is what works for us right now. If we are out and about or if I nurse DS in one of the patio chairs while DS plays outside he watches less. It has been so hot here lately though that we have been stuck inside a lot. Before I was pregnant again DS hardly watched any TV, but I needed it so I could rest a little more when I was feeling awful.
I think it can matter, but DS is extremely smart and very verbal so I have no worries there. I do worry about getting enough outdoor time and exercise so we make sure to get plenty of active time too. I think a lot of it has to do with what you do the rest of the time. Like if your kids are watching hours of TV and doing no other activities, yeah that will probably be a bad situation. But if Tv is part of the day with a lot of other stuff thrown in I don't really have an issue with it.
I am sure when I get pregnant DD's viewing will go way up.
Yeah the two kids part is actually way easier than being pregnant with a toddler part IMO.
Another Mother of the Year. She only watches PBS shows, but will yell for Caillou over and over until I put in On Demand. Daily intake varies.
I think it matters somewhat, but I don't think zero TV vs a show here and there is going to make much difference. DD is plenty active and will often get up mid-show and want to do something way more fun than stare at a box.
I give newborn nursing moms a free pass. I know my ideals will go down the toilet once I'm stuck on the couch with a newborn. I hope to recover them eventually, though.
[quote author=tokenhoser board=mmmoms thread=31170 post=480 :P315 time=1342126868]I give newborn nursing moms a free pass. I know my ideals will go down the toilet once I'm stuck on the couch with a newborn. I hope to recover them eventually, though.[/quote]
Yeah having a really difficult pregnancy and a newborn had me doing a lot of things I said I wouldn't. (Well said I would rather not, I know better than to say never when it comes to parenting) I even let DS have chicken nuggets. Oh the horror!
Post by mollybrown on Jul 12, 2012 16:34:42 GMT -5
Ha. Too much. I guess on average, the 3 year old watches 1-2 hours a day. In order to keep him out of the room when I'm trying to get DD to take a nap, I will put on a show for him. If I don't, he invariably wanders into her room with his noisiest toy as soon as she settles down.
The only shows he watches are Sesame Street, Super Why, Thomas and Friends, and Curious George. I'd be happier having him watch 1 hour or less a day, but I don't feel bad about it unless he exceeds 2 hours.
ETA: They are home most days. I don't think it's a big deal, unless kids spend most of the day watching TV. I think TV has been a great tool for working with DS' language development when I'm able to watch shows with him. I reinforce what's being said, and am able to engage him using what's happening on the show, and add to it. I think TV is bad when it's being used to babysit a child. I truly credit Super Why and Sesame Street with the fact that my son knew all of his letters and numbers really early. Bonus!
Post by thatgirl2478 on Jul 12, 2012 16:55:59 GMT -5
I don't honestly know. I have it on occasionally through the day (when work is sllloooowww) but most of the time it's off. She doesn't pay attention to it other than the music that's used. There are a few commercials that make her stop and take notice (she loves the Huggies Little Movers commercial) but for the most part ignores it in favor of messing with her dogs, cats, dog bowls, fridge magnets, toys, dad, etc.
She does however LOVE peekaboo barn and the itsy bitsy spider (the ipad apps) - she will play with those for about 30 min a day before she gets bored.
DS1 (5) and DS2 (27 months) watch a kids' show together while they eat breakfast in the morning before school and sometimes another while I am getting dinner on the table in the evening. So 30 minutes to an hour each day. Additionally, my 5 year old gets 20 minutes a day of wii or ipad game time, and on the weekends we sometimes have a family movie night or go to movies (if we go one of us takes DS1 and the other stays home with DS2).
DS2 is definitely exposed to a lot more TV than DS1 was at the same age. DS1 didn't watch much until after DS1 was born and he was nearly 3. I try to limit DS2's exposure, but it is tough with a significantly older sibling.
Both kids are in school with no TV all day and are very active.
Post by liveintheville on Jul 12, 2012 17:19:14 GMT -5
They wake up at 5am. They get to watch PBS, which doesn't even start showing the kids shows until 6am, until whichever one of us got up with them, drags himself out the exhaustion fueled couch nap and gets on with the day.
Post by squishyface on Jul 12, 2012 17:21:44 GMT -5
I am a stay at home mom. Right now my daughter who is 2.5 watches around 2 hours a day. Which is a lot more then I care for but I am 30 weeks pregnant and it has been a difficult pregnancy. She will not sit down the whole time. Sometimes she watches and dances, sometimes she brings toys into the room with the tv to play with. It does not help that it is so hot in the south as well but we try to go to the pool a few days a week and play outside in the shade. Shows vary she likes Barney, strawberry shortcake, Curious George, Pinky Dinky Doo, Dragon Tales and Phineas and Ferb.
They wake up at 5am. They get to watch PBS, which doesn't even start showing the kids shows until 6am, until whichever one of us got up with them, drags himself out the exhaustion fueled couch nap and gets on with the day.
This is what I did when I was pregnant.
I would lie on my side and DS would sit on my hip with a sippy cup of milk.
Post by galaxy8227 on Jul 12, 2012 18:21:54 GMT -5
DS usually gets about 10 minutes in the morning while I finish getting ready for work, and maybe 1 show at night while I'm making dinner. Half of the time it's just backgroudn noise to him cause he is usually playing with his toys and not paining too much attention to it.