# tell me if this is too much TV



## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

I put this in parenting because I am not TV free and it is more a parenting issue than about a particular show.

I let DD(20mos.) watch sesame street every morning. I watch one soap opera a few times a week if I am putting her down for her nap(I hold her and she has her bottle). A lot of times when she wakes up from her nap she is very lazy and likes to watch a movie.

I know this is a lot more TV than a lot of people here let there kids watch, but where I am I on the spectrum?


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## kasey08 (Apr 30, 2008)

It's definitely not a lot compared to many parents who let Noggin run nonstop all day long, but I personally think it's too much. That's 3 hours a day. I'd do 30 mins or an hour, but not every day.


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## BarefootScientist (Jul 24, 2007)

That would be too much for us. I would probably be ok with Sesame Street every morning and the soap opera as background noise while going down for the nap, but the movie would cross the line with me. YMMV.

We don't do TV, but a few times a week DH and I will watch Stargate or some other show on the computer while I nurse DS down for bed.


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

I let my DD when she was that age watch about the same amount. Sesame Street and sometimes I'd watch something in the afternoon, usually a cooking show or something. I'm not one who is completely convinced on the tv is gonna ruin your life though. I mean I *know* there are studies that say children who watch X amount of ANY tv have less vocab by certain ages, and for me I have to say I guess that is ok because my DD has a HUGE vocab and never stops talking







. She knows large words and what they mean, and some she did learn from watching PBS shows-so it can't be that bad, IMO.


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## east carolina (Apr 5, 2006)

DS would watch all day if I let him. We are TV free in that we don't have access to TV channels, but we all love movies and have our favorite TV shows.

There have been days when my DS has watched alot, but I definitely limit it and if there is a day when he watches alot, then he has to have a TV free day. It's definitely our little issue (can I watch today? one more simpson's episode mom, please, please, please? why can't I watch anymore :meltdown).

I think for that age that's alot of watching, I think my DS was over 2 when I started to let him watch whole movies, but maybe I'm not remembering right.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

To me, that's fine. We went a year without TV and that sort of put it into perspective for me. Before that, the kids watched quite a bit.

Now, though, since the change to digital TV or whatever, we don't watch much at all... b/c we don't have cable or the adaptor thing. Some channels come in at times, though. Kinda funny because hubby wanted this nice LCD TV, and it gets used for the Wii. We don't even have a DVD player hooked up to it. What we do is watch a lot of stuff on the computer, and can do so with the TV when DH is home to walk me through it.

any way, rambling, I know







but I think what you mentioned is fine. If we got PBS to come in, I'd probably let my youngest two watch that for a while in the AM, to be honest. I watch one soap, too, but have resorted to watching it online, usually late at night.


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

I'd like to be down to once a week but currently we are at limited but everyday. It is mostly only movies because we are not hooked up. They do watch cartoons next door at their grandmothers though. Dh and I usually watch stuff on Hula or a dvd later at night when the kids are in bed.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

We just stared tv yesterday (ds is 25months).

He gets to watch 'Your Baby can Read' for a total of 30min a day, broken up into 2-4 sessions. We chose the program because he is obsessed with reading and already knows some words! I watch it with him and he is doing actions and stuff the whole time

Before this, he has only watched a few min. at a time of golf/basketball/soccer when my dad watches - mostly he walks by and goes "OHHHH a BALL!", and then carries on with whatever else he was doing...kinda funny!

I actually tried to get him to watch a baby sign language thing when he was around 15months, but he wouldnt even look at the TV, so I didnt bother to try again until now. I'd rather him not watch tv until he turned 2 anyways, and only something that has a point to it.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

how long at a stretch does she watch tv (just curious). what is her attention span?

dd watched tv from 3 months old. that's the only way her dad could calm her down.

however we are a family that does not limit at all. however we are a family that does not watch tv either. its there for movies.

at 20 months we barely had time for tv. it was a by the wya thing. not a regular thing at all. yet there could be times she watched for a long time. and then not at all for months.

but in dd's 7 years she has never watched tv or done computer on a regular basis. or everyday.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

The movie would cross the line for me too - partly because they're so darned LONG. Essentially, she watches 2 hours of TV (I don't count the soap, really). That's a lot for a 20 month old. Technically, kids under 2 are supposed to have NO TV. We held out with ds until close to 2, but dd (being #2) was exposed earlier.

Our kids are 5 and 8 and 2 hours of screen time is their absolute maximum.


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## zinemama (Feb 2, 2002)

You didn't have my option, which is that we have no TV but I watch DVDs on the computer now and then and the kids have a weekly movie night.

They can also earn up to 40 minutes of screen time per week which they can spend on the weekends. (They watch old TV shows and cartoons on Hulu.)

But this only started when they were 5 and 8. Before that they had no screen time at our house, ever.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

I didn't actually know there set and firm rules, that is news to me, but I guess it's good to know.

When the sesame street is on she is only really tuned in during Elmo's world. We are doing breakfast cooking and are in and out of the room but when EW comes on she is into it.
The movie thing is rarely a whole movie because she is not going to be interested for the whole 1:20 or whatever. Sometimes I will stop it and then the next day start it where she left off. Sometimes she knows what she wants to watch and sometimes she doesn't want to watch at all anymore.

I used to feel really bad about the TV thing, it was during the winter here in CO. and I am not an outdoors in the cold type of gal. So I was entertaining a 1yo with movies and shows and she was getting hooked, but the summer has killed that and she really never demands to watch anything.

I still feel grateful for the time after her nap because I am usually wrapped up in something online(I work from the computer and am "working" right now, actually) and need that little time to finish whatever I am doing. But I could lose it, the computer ain't going nowhere!


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## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

At my DD age were kinda around these two choices we are aware, but don't

Quote:

really limit, we just like to do other things more
we don't limit usage, but we do police the content
My DD actually has her own TV it was the guest room now its hers and while orginally it was there just to show the occasional video we now have it hooked up to our satalite its set to only get a few stations Noggin which shes pretty much outgrown, PBS, boomarang (shes likes popeye and tom and jerry







) and Discovery kids which is her prefered station and there are parental locks on any thing below a G rating and PPV blocks (JIC) We are a TV family as in we enjoy some shows and find occasional TV watching relaxing and not overly stimulating.. However its not our center life DD for example is in school or playign with her friends a heck of a lot more than watching TV sure there are the occsional days when its 114 outside every friend seems busy.... but overall it works well for us.

Deanna


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## Peppermint Poppies (Jan 7, 2007)

My DS watches far, far, far more TV than I would like. I would prefer minimal-to-no TV, but at the moment he's probably sitting in front of the screen for 4-5 hours a day








Until recently, he wasn't interested in it at all. And he's not interested in toys - at all. He seems unable to engage in any activities/playing unless I'm _very_ actively playing with him. And now that I have a newborn, I just can't play as much as I used to. So he's started watching TV instead







And even if he's not watching it, if I turn it off, he starts tantruming. I'm at a loss. I guess I could just turn it off and endure the non-stop tantrums, but since we have 8 tantrums before breakfast anyway, I'm not really all that keen on deliberating inducing more.
I'm sad about it, and worried .... worried about the excessive TV watching, but also worried about his lack of play skills (which, BTW, definitely preceeded the TV watching, so one did NOT cause the other). But I've gone completely OT ... sorry!

ETA to clarify: not that this makes it better in terms of total screen time, but it's DVD's my son is watching, not actual TV.


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

At home the kids only watch pre-recorded stuff (nothing broadcast). In the winter, it wasn't everyday, but during the week it was about an hour a day most days, and usually none on weekends (so four or five hours a week). In the last two months though, they've watched no television at all at our house. They haven't even asked.

At grandma's house, it's a different story. Both grandparents turn on the kiddie channel (PBS Kids, Treehouse, etc) and leave it on. This makes me insane.

I'm okay with TV consumed in moderation, but I want the kids to watch with a plan, not languish in front of the screen for hours. At our house, you decide that you want to watch two episodes of Word World. you a have plan for what you will do when Word World is over, and you follow through.


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## Katsmamajama (Jun 24, 2009)

When DD was that age, TV was kind of a white noise/background thing. She might have focused on certain shows for a bit (Dora the Explorer-- I know she paid some attention, because she could say the Spanish words without prompting) but for the most part, she was off doing other things. I just made sure whatever was on (sometimes, just the music choice channels on Time-Warner-- more like radio than anything) was "kid friendly."


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

That sounds like a little too much, but my kids watch more than that these days. We don't television shows at all, but we do watch DVDs. I used to keep it to one a day, max (many days, we didn't watch any), and would frequently steer them to shorter movies, such as Dumbo.

When I got pregnant with Aaron, I found myself resorting to more movies, because I was so tired. After he died, we watched a _lot_ of movies - some days, we watched as many as four. Then, we backed off again. While I was pregnant with dd2, I was totally exhausted, and we started watching more again. She's two months old today, and I'm still having trouble getting around, but I'm getting to where I'm trying to cut back again. DD1 is sick today, so we've already watched two. We may watch one more this evening. But, we're gradually becoming less dependent on the stupid thing again. I know they're watching too much.

We don't limit for content much. There are lines we won't cross, but they're farther out than where a lot of people draw them. Occasionally, we rent something that turns out to be more violent or something than we expected it to be. If the kids aren't bothered, we leave it on. If they are, we don't. But, they've all seen all the Star Wars, Indiana Jones and LOTR movies...so not exactly what most would call age appropriate, yk?


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

Ds watches about 30 mins of a cartoon in the early am (he has to wake up early for school and says it helps him - he sleeps through most of it!)

And then I don't really limit. I don't have to. When he comes home from school he likes to play legos, or with toys in his room. He does not usually turn on the tv for a few hours - by then his friends are home and he's goes out to play with them.

He will play a video game sometimes with dh before the bedtime routine. On weekends he watches/plays more because it allows us to sleep in.







But I don't really worry - so much of the time he turns the tv on, but leaves the room and plays with his toys, etc.

If I had a kid that was glued to the tv, I'm sure I'd feel different. But he's pretty good a self regulation, so I we don't monitor much at all.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mistymama* 
If I had a kid that was glued to the tv, I'm sure I'd feel different. But he's pretty good a self regulation, so I we don't monitor much at all.

This is true. I never really thought much about tv with ds1, because he really wasn't that interested. He occasionally got really into something, but he didn't just sit and watch it. (That was his dad - we fought a lot about the tv being on all. the. freaking. time.)

DD1 was similar, but wasn't exposed to as much tv, in the first place. DS2 is my tv junkie...and unfortunately, he's also the one who has watched the most. I've resorted to it too much, because it _works_. The "electronic babysitter" never worked on ds1, because he'd wander off and start doing something else.


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## henny penny (Mar 26, 2008)

That's a lot of tv for a 20mo. Ds is almost 2 and has only ever seen one movie (Milo and Otis) in about 15 minute segments. And that is maybe once or twice a week. We have no commercial televison reception so that's it. He likes to lollygag when waking, too, and I'll put a couple favorite soft toys or books next to him and he'll play quietly until he's ready to join the rest of the house.


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## Belia (Dec 22, 2007)

Are you asking in terms of putting on a show specifically for your kid? Or just having it on for you when DC happens to be in a room?

We have the tv on a lot, but not for DS and he really doesn't pay much attention to it. And honestly, if it were up to me, I probably would hardly ever turn it on at all. When I was home with DS I hardly ever had the tv on during the day.... maybe once every 2 weeks I would put on a talk show for an hour and say to myself, "Look at me! I'm a stereotypical SAHM watching a talk show! Cool!"

At night DH always has the tv on (and I am much more likely to watch, too.)

Every morning I do turn on the weather channel for a few minutes. DS likes the music they play in the background of the doppler radar.









We NEVER put on a show specifically for DS. Maybe twice he and I watched PBS cartoons for a few minutes, but that's all. SIL and BIL keep trying to get us into Baby Einstein, but I could care less about that stuff. DS is learning plenty by trying to eat my measuring cups all the time.


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## New (May 20, 2008)

Whoa, ANY television is too much for a 20month old. And yours gets up to 5 hours a day?!

Here's the AAP explaining why they say NO tv for kids under 2yo. http://www.aap.org/sections/media/toddlerstv.htm


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## Peppermint Poppies (Jan 7, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
Whoa, ANY television is too much for a 20month old. And yours gets up to 5 hours a day?!

Here's the AAP explaining why they say NO tv for kids under 2yo. http://www.aap.org/sections/media/toddlerstv.htm

I presume this was directed at me, not the OP, but if you read my post correctly, you'll notice that I'm perfectly aware that he's watching far too much TV, and I'm concerned about it. But thank you for your constructive advice on how to improve the situation.

Incidentally, since I don't live in America, I couldn't care less what the AAP thinks, and my son is 2.5, not under 2.


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## New (May 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Peppermint Poppies* 
I presume this was directed at me, not the OP, but if you read my post correctly, you'll notice that I'm perfectly aware that he's watching far too much TV, and I'm concerned about it. But thank you for your constructive advice on how to improve the situation.

Incidentally, since I don't live in America, I couldn't care less what the AAP thinks, and my son is 2.5, not under 2.

I was talking to the OP (who has a 20month old child watching Sesame Street every day, a soap opera most days, and a movie every day - 4 to 5 hours total), but glad my post helped you, too. After all, just because an Academy of Pediatrics is based in the U.S. doesn't mean their advice isn't relevant to Canadian kids. Their info can help you understand WHY tv is concerning. I see you edited your post to say he's mostly watching DVDs instead of tv, but if you Google a bit you'll see why that's just as alarming/dangerous for young brains - the content and ads aren't the only problem with screen time.

As for advice: turn it off.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
I was talking to the OP (20month old child who watch Sesame Street every day, a soap opera most days, and a movie every day - 4 to 5 hours total), but glad my post helped you, too. After all, just because an Academy of Pediatricians is based in the U.S. doesn't mean their advice isn't relevant to Canadian kids. Their info can help you understand WHY tv is concerning.

The OP didn't say a soap opera "most" days. She also didn't say a movie every day. And, if you add up Sesame Street, a soap opera, and a movie, you get somewhere between 3-4 hours, not 4-5 hours. She also didn't specify what kind of movie, and there are movies that come in at not much over an hour, as opposed to 2 or 2+.

It is a lot of tv, but it's not 5 hours.


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## New (May 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
The OP didn't say a soap opera "most" days. She also didn't say a movie every day. And, if you add up Sesame Street, a soap opera, and a movie, you get somewhere between 3-4 hours, not 4-5 hours. She also didn't specify what kind of movie, and there are movies that come in at not much over an hour, as opposed to 2 or 2+.

It is a lot of tv, but it's not 5 hours.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *OP*
I let DD(20mos.) watch sesame street every morning. I watch one soap opera a few times a week if I am putting her down for her nap(I hold her and she has her bottle). A lot of times when she wakes up from her nap she is very lazy and likes to watch a movie.

That is WAY too much tv. The right amount for OP's child is "none."


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## mommy2abigail (Aug 20, 2005)

Abby was tv free until 2, then when I got pregnant, she watched 30-60 minutes per day. This went on until about 3 months ago (she is 4.5 now) and we started a Church Day Movie thing. So, right now, she only watches a movie once a week. I just had to DO it. Turn the thing off, and entertain her during dd2's nap time instead of putting a movie on. It was hard at first, but lo and behold, she started playing on her own MUCH more often!! Most Sundays she forgets about the movie anyway, so it's about 2-3 times per month. I'm amazed at how much even that 30 minutes per day was affecting her, and the difference I see now. She will happily play alone for an hour (during dd2's nap) in her room setting up her little doll house or her stuffies.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
I was talking to the OP (who has a 20month old child watching Sesame Street every day, a soap opera most days, and a movie every day - 4 to 5 hours total), but glad my post helped you, too. After all, just because an Academy of Pediatrics is based in the U.S. doesn't mean their advice isn't relevant to Canadian kids. Their info can help you understand WHY tv is concerning. I see you edited your post to say he's mostly watching DVDs instead of tv, but if you Google a bit you'll see why that's just as alarming/dangerous for young brains - the content and ads aren't the only problem with screen time.

As for advice: turn it off.









then I must have read the OP wrong. I thought it added up to more like one-two hrs, with the occasional movie. Also, I assumed the LO wasn't really watching the soap... at least mine would be in and out of the room, maybe glancing at it here and there.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
That is WAY too much tv. The right amount for OP's child is "none."

I never said it wasn't too much, or even way too much. I said it's not 5 hours.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
then I must have read the OP wrong. I thought it added up to more like one-two hrs, with the occasional movie. Also, I assumed the LO wasn't really watching the soap... at least mine would be in and out of the room, maybe glancing at it here and there.

The OP later clarified that her dd often doesn't watch the whole "1:20 or whatever" of the movie. So, we're not talking 2 hour movies, and her dd often isn't watching the whole thing, either. The dd is also in and out of the room for much of Sesame Street.

I think this is too much tv (although, as I said, it's still less than what we frequently watch, but we're easing back), but it's nowhere near 5 hours a day. I know kids who watch 5 hours a day, or more, and their day is nothing like what's described in the OP.


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## Chloe'sMama (Oct 14, 2008)

I voted no tv ever, because my dd is 14 months old and never watches tv. I don't know when we will be introducing it, but I think at 20 months we will still be TV free. My dh wants to watch TV with her sometimes, but I said she is still too little.


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
That is WAY too much tv. The right amount for OP's child is "none."

Well that may work for you, but that really wasn't what she was asking.

The only way I ever got a shower when DD was that age was the few minutes of Sesame Street. My DD is a very well developed child, and if that amount of tv has ruined her, well my bad.


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## Shera971 (Nov 26, 2008)

My DS was watching too much tv (I'm guessing 2-3 hrs a day). But a couple of months ago I decided to cut back... and he hasn't really noticed! I realized that I was putting it on more to give ME a break! LOL The only thing he might ask to watch are his "animal movies" which are basically mini nature shows found on National Geographic Kids. The main consequence of that is that for the next couple of days I hear "mommy, did you know that fires ants can/brown bears eat/cheetahs can run up to"... etc etc LOL

I do regret introducing tv/dvds early to DS (why was everyone trying to convince me that Baby Einstein was the be all and end all??) but I don't think I've scarred him for life.


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## lonegirl (Oct 31, 2008)

I think you will get many opinions on this. I am one of the ones that has Treehouse or Noggin or TVO kids playing in the background. That being said I grew up in a house with tv on all the time....Tyr doesn't sit staring at it all day...it is mostly background noise while he plays...he has lots of favorite shows and movies. We monitor what he watches (family movies and shows/educational kids programming, etc). We also have a dvd player in the car for long car rides....basically we are a very technology based family who allows tv/video games...but that isn't all







lots of outdoor play, blocks, books, trains...etc!!

Oh yeah....we also love going to the Drive-In as a family too!!


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## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

My kids are 14 and 10 years old. They watch NO tv during the school week. They watch some on weekends. However, school just started up three days ago, and they watched A LOT of TV during summer holiday.

To the OP, I think what you describe is too much, but that's probably about how much tv my kids got when they were that age, as well.







: So, I knew it was wrong but I did it anyway.







:


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## LuxPerpetua (Dec 17, 2003)

We are TV free unless we're all sick, and then we'll occasionally watch a DVD. Sometimes dd watches nature programs at grandma's and I'm not comfortable with that. It's usually just 30 minutes or so and it probably happens maybe once a month. I am not a fan of TV at all.


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## Landover (Oct 12, 2007)

My DS is 3.5 and watches about 45 minutes a day. He is slow to wake up and often cranky so the rule was always one show in the morning while he slowly wakes up and one when he gets up from his nap. Now that he is not napping he does "quiet time" for the first hour of DDs nap, then we do something together for 30 min or so and then he gets to watch another show. By show, I mean a prerecorded episode of a PBS show which turns out to be about 20-25 min long. Many days he does not ask for the second show though.

As far as too much TV, I think if depends on your kid. For some, 20 min is too much and hinders them while others might be okay with more. Just tune into your kid and if you think it is too much, pick a day, pick a boundry and implement!


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

If they're watching a movie every day, I'd say too much and cut the movie down to a few times/once a week. If it's a few times a week I'd say it might be a bit much, but it's realistic, especially if they're really active/interacting with you the rest of the time.. I think for 90% of people it's just not realistic for them to cut tv out totally. I take the AAp recommendation as don't plop your kids in front of teh TV and ignore them all day. But take what I say with a grain of salt b/c my 10 month old will sit still and watch 5-10 minutes of football game if it's on.


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## StrawberryFields (Apr 6, 2005)

I limit, but we watch TV every day. OP--I don't think the amount you posted is out of control. My dd is 19 months and she watches Sesame Street in the morning. A lot of mornings ds (3.5) might watch Super Why (which comes on after Sesame Street) or Dora, and a couple times a week he will watch a movie in the afternoon. And I watch Dr. Phil or Oprah a couple times a week, and when dh comes home he watches the evening news. I'm not going to sequester my younger child or not allow my older one to watch Wall-E during his afternoon snack just because my dd watched Elmo that morning. I'm pretty sure they are going to come out of it alive









I think what is more important is whether you are spending non-screen time involved in enriching activities: outside play, art projects, baking, errands, free play, building blocks, reading... I always have Legos or blocks on the floor and paper/crayons on the little table so the kids can engage themselves in playing while they watch their shows.


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## ChinaDoll (Jul 27, 2003)

My kids can choose to turn on Noggin between waking time and 8 am - so usually for an hour - before chores/breakfast/homeschool starts. No more the rest of the day unless (every once in a while) we allow one of their movies, or unless I'm using something specifically to teach (Discovery channel, Sid the Science Kid, Magic School Bus come to mind).

This is a BIG jump backwards for us, from being a tv-on-demand family, which we started cold-turkey at the beginning of the month when we started homeschooling. As background, we were overseas for years, where there was no English tv, and we owned a selection of kids' dvds we were comfortable with. Upon returning to the US, preschool took up a large part of the kids' waking days, leaving little tv time. But in the summers ... addiction built and grew, and attitudes were TERRIBLE! After fixing up their school/activity room, and filling it with all kinds of wonderful stuff, I'm amazed to report that they play together SO MUCH BETTER, and that there have LITERALLY only been 2-3 requests for tv ALL MONTH! Limiting has been a wonderful thing for us - I'm embarrassed we didn't do it sooner.

Only you can really determine if it's too much for you - ours had definitely gotten to be too much for us.


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## aspenleaves (Oct 23, 2008)

I don't think it is too much... I think a great many people put too much emphasis on whether you should or shouldn't watch TV. Do what feels right for you. I think every child responds differently to tv and every family has different needs. My dd sometimes watches a lot of tv and sometimes doesn't. I have never really restricted her... we have no tv issues, no emotion surrounding the tv, this strategy works for us. I am lucky in that I do not have a kid who zones out totally. She engages in the stories but sometimes colors or dances or plays in front of the tv too....


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## mummyofan (Jun 25, 2008)

we don't subscribe to cable, just netflix and so our children watch 30 min fireman sam or petting farm shows (type of thing)


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## Anastasiya (Jun 13, 2006)

We have no cable either, for the very reason that if we did we'd watch too much TV.









When the kids are with only me (*2 days a week when Daddy's at work), they watch an hour a day - usually one half hour show in the AM like Curious George or Clifford, and then Arthur in the afternoons.

On days when someone is sick, or I'm just waaaaay overtired for whatever reasons, then they watch more.

When the kids are with daddy only (*2 days a week when I'm at work), they watch no tv because he's usually busy playing all day with them.

When the kids are with both of us the other 3 days, they only watch a morning show.

Movies are rare. VERY rare. Sometimes I'll give the 5 year old a special treat while her brothers nap and let her watch an instant movie on Netflix or something.

ETA: *I know this sounds odd but yes, we both work full time jobs in those 2 days a week.


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## Peppermint Poppies (Jan 7, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StrawberryFields* 
I think what is more important is whether you are spending non-screen time involved in enriching activities: outside play, art projects, baking, errands, free play, building blocks, reading... I always have Legos or blocks on the floor and paper/crayons on the little table so the kids can engage themselves in playing while they watch their shows.

ITA. And, despite our large amount of screen time (which I would like to reduce), we do all those activities very frequently. We live practically car-free so walk to morning activities every day of the week, we go to the playground and the park a couple of days a week, we bake almost every day, we read/play playdough/build blocks/draw every single day. It's mostly in the transition times that DS is watching (e.g while I'm breastfeeding or preparing breakfast for him or packing bags getting ready to leave) that he's watching DVDs ... and those transition times really add up during the day, particularly as he doesn't nap and is up for the day at 5.30am. That's a LOT of awake time to try to fill with activities non-stop every single minute.


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## spmamma (Sep 2, 2007)

I voted:

"TV limited, but we do the occassional movie or show"

But in reality, we don't watch any TV. DH and I watch the occasional movie but DD doesn't watch any TV. It seemed to be the closest answer.


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## durafemina (Feb 11, 2004)

we never put the tv on _for_ dd (a few times other people have, but at 22mos she's not that interested, really).
Now that I'm sah I will watch the news or another show a few times a week - mostly when tandem feeding.
In the evenings Dp and I will watch a movie or an hour long show maybe 3 times a week? Often dd is asleep, or nursing, or else playing nearby.
We also show her youtube videos - maybe half an hour max a week? - mainly animals, or birth videos or music
I'm fine with our level of tv consumption.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

We don't limit TV time but I do limit content. Our TV is a dinky little old thing that sits on a bookshelf so it's not something that gets a lot of attention, but there are a few shows DS likes to watch with DH and that's working well for us. Once in a while he will ask for a show and I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't allow it, except if we are about to leave to go somewhere.


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## IntrovertExtrovert (Mar 2, 2008)

My 3 year old watches some TV most days. He averages about 40 minutes/day (some days 1 20 minute episode of Blue's Clues with no Puzzle Time, other days 2 episodes plus both Puzzle Times). Occasionally he watches a 3rd episode, but that's my limit.

I give myself leeway for days when I need more downtime--even at 3 he doesn't play alone and he doesn't nap. Sometimes it's the only way to get a moment where I'm not playing soccer, or fixit, or puzzles, or trying to explain again why there are no houses on the freeway.

Sometimes we do pizza and a movie on Fridays, but he's not a sit-still kind of guy. If he loves the movie, he can watch about 40 minutes before getting bored.

It's a lot easier to limit TV now that I work part-time, TBH. When I was a SAHM the only way I found to encourage myself to limit TV was to spend a lot of the day out of the house.


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## buttercups.nest (Jul 2, 2009)

When my daughter was young I'd put Pooh Bear on to keep her occupied while I clipped her nails or if she was having a really bad day teething. As she grew older I limited her TV, sometimes going for weeks at a time without her watching anything.

As we don't have cable or anything I don't mind her watching a movie every once in awhile, but stay away from it if I can. If I'm having a really bad day pregnancy wise I'll let her watch, or if I'm trying to do something that absolutely needs to get done.

If she does watch TV I always make up for it by making sure she gets lots of extra nstimulation elsewhere and then leaving the TV alone for awhile.


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## seaheroine (Dec 24, 2004)

Whatever works for your family, yk?

I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with DD watching Sesame Street in the morning...we don't watch tv during the day, though. I keep it off or I'm likely to get sucked in and not get anything done. DD 20mo isn't really interested in it.

DH and I (and daughter as she's being rocked to sleep) watch tv after dinner, probably one or two shows (DVR'd). We have the shows we like - CSI, Survivor, Whale Wars, Mystery Diagnosis, etc. and DH likes to wind down watching it at night. Occasionally we'll get a movie from netflix and watch it on a weekend afternoon.

I don't think tv is evil. Limiting during the day was how I grew up and how I intend our family to be. I can't stand the tv on as background noise. We had a lot of fun watching 'Star Trek' and what not as a family after dinner when I was a child...it definitely was a bonding experience of sorts.


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## crunchymamatobe (Jul 8, 2004)

We started letting DS watch DVDs when he was that age, but we have always limited to 30-40 minutes on any given day. Occasionally, we have watched an entire movie as a family. But most days, he asks to watch something, and we let him. Half an hour to 40 minutes is our limit for him, though.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I don't allow any screen time at home before they're 2. DH and I put the TV away in the cellar during those years, and only dragged it out occasionally to watch a DVD or something, when all three kiddos were asleep. Although I did sometimes watch YouTube late at night when the twins were tiny, to save me from going insane through hours of nursing. But they were asleep, so I don't count that.

So I think that much TV during one day for a child under 2 is way too much.

Once they were all over two, we created a system where each child gets a ticket on Sundays to redeem for one video sometime during the week. All three can watch each video, and each child gets to choose for their own ticket. So what happens is DD1 uses her ticket while the others are napping, and the twins each choose a movie a week that all three watch. So it works out to about three hours a week for DD1, and two hours a week for the twins, depending on the length of the videos, which vary from 20 minutes to an hour and a half.

Once school starts, DD1 will be restricted to watching only on Sundays. The twins will be allowed one video a week each, while DD1 is at school.

We only watch videos/DVDs. We don't have any actual television in our house-- no cable, no satellite, no DTV converter, etc.


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## Teenytoona (Jun 13, 2005)

I think it's a bit much for a 20mo, but I know there were times when the DSC watched tv that much. I know folks who plop a baby in front of a tv for most of the day. At least a 20 mo can walk away if s/he gets bored.

I selected we watch TV everyday but it's limited. The caveat is limited *for our family*. If I had it my way, the TV would stay mostly off. BUT the DSC seem to not be able to conceptualize of life without a TV. The other day I told my DSD it was time for bed, and she said "already? but I haven't gotten to watch ANY TV today!" They do not know what to do with themselves when we go camping. Sigh. We are working on it. They've got a strong tie to their "digital IV" and DH also has such an issue (he seems to need to watch some tv to come down at night). We've come a LOONG way from having to watch a movie every.time.we.ate. So that's progress. But IMO it's still on too much. We're working on it.


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## waiflywaif (Oct 17, 2005)

Just FYI, there is research showing that even TV as "background noise" is detrimental to language development:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Parenting/14484

I say that because I hear a lot of people talk about "oh he's not really watching it"---it's still not ideal for a growing brain.


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *waiflywaif* 
Just FYI, there is research showing that even TV as "background noise" is detrimental to language development:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Parenting/14484

I say that because I hear a lot of people talk about "oh he's not really watching it"---it's still not ideal for a growing brain.

I always wonder is playing the radio or listening to music also detrimental to language development? I'm just curious.


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## waiflywaif (Oct 17, 2005)

Music is very different from speech/moving images in the way it affects concentration.

Also, the article I linked said that background TV limits or interrupts adult-child interaction, which I find to be true. I don't think music interrupts communication in the same way. Which annoys people more in waiting rooms, elevators, etc: music or TV? Which would you rather have playing while you were taking a test, concentrating on a task, or trying to visit with a friend: music or TV? I'd rather have neither, but TV is waaay more disruptive.


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## beebalmmama (Jul 21, 2005)

sisteeesmama said:


> I didn't actually know there set and firm rules, that is news to me, but I guess it's good to know.
> 
> I used to feel really bad about the TV thing, it was during the winter here in CO. and I am not an outdoors in the cold type of gal. So I was entertaining a 1yo with movies and shows and she was getting hooked, but the summer has killed that and she really never demands to watch anything. =/QUOTE]
> 
> This is us too. We watch quite a bit more in the winter because of shorter days and colder weather. In the summer all of us watch it much less. We check out videos (Thomas Train, Scholastic videos, etc) from the library and ds watches those a couple of times a week. He occasionally will watch a couple of things on PBS kids, but not everyday. Winter is a different story...although still somewhat limited to less than 2 hrs day.


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## tarajean56 (May 2, 2007)

I voted "no limits, but police content."

I have a 34 mo and a 16 mo. I turn the TV on if my older child asks. That said, some days he might watch quite a bit (2 hours or so) and at other times we go a whole week with no TV. If someone's not actively watching it, I turn it off because it annoys me. TV is not on in the evening, because we are usually busy playing together.

We really only watch PBS shows (Sesame Street, World Word, Dragon Tales, etc.) and some select movies (Nemo, Madagascar, Fern Gully).

I know the recommendation is no TV before 2 - and I think that is probably a good idea. However, I don't worry about it in our home because I personally don't feel its excessive. That - and my almost 3 year old will talk to me CONSTANTLY throughout the day, and sometimes, I just need a break.


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## pixiekisses (Oct 14, 2008)

We don't have a TV, so I guess that answers it.
We do have a big Mac screen that we use for movies though, and a Wii. And that is highly limited, not every day that's for sure. They aren't very interested either, so when they ask we usually play for an hour or so. We all join in and play golf, bowling, tennis or summat. Maybe once or twice a week.
And then we watch a movie together some weekends. And sometimes our oldest gets to watch one after the smaller kids are in bed too, he's not always that interested in the movies we watch with them.


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

That would have been way too much at that age for us because we waited until dd was almost 3 to even let her watch videos. I was voting for my 7.5 year old dd, which IMO, makes a huge difference from a 20 month old. I voted limited but daily, but for that age it would have been TV free. Dd gets 15 minutes TV time in the morning and we watch Andy Griffith together for a couple of episodes when it's on in the evening. She'll watch I Love Lucy or Leave it to Beaver after school if it's on. No Noggin, Disney, Nickelodeon or any of the other children's channels. At this age (above 4 or 5), I think computer time is also important to consider as well as video games when determining screen time. We have no video games and dd spends maybe an hour every MONTH on the computer to print coloring pages. Most of her time is spent reading and free play. She's very active and that's what I think is most important.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
I was talking to the OP (who has a 20month old child watching Sesame Street every day, a soap opera most days, and a movie every day - 4 to 5 hours total), but glad my post helped you, too. After all, just because an Academy of Pediatrics is based in the U.S. doesn't mean their advice isn't relevant to Canadian kids. Their info can help you understand WHY tv is concerning. I see you edited your post to say he's mostly watching DVDs instead of tv, but if you Google a bit you'll see why that's just as alarming/dangerous for young brains - the content and ads aren't the only problem with screen time.

As for advice: turn it off.









I couldn't really care less what some pediatricians say about something either, seeing as I don't take dd to one for anything unless it were an emergency, haven't had one yet, though.

Any info from a more credible source?


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## Evergreen (Nov 6, 2002)

I don't have cable either but I don't restrict what they watch either movie wise or at my parents' home. They end up watching less than 6 hours per week, though, because they are in school all day and we are usually too busy in the evenings to watch a family movie. If they are sick or have a babysitter that number increases.

I doubt the kid is actually 'watching' the soap so I would not count that.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
The OP didn't say a soap opera "most" days. She also didn't say a movie every day. And, if you add up Sesame Street, a soap opera, and a movie, you get somewhere between 3-4 hours, not 4-5 hours. She also didn't specify what kind of movie, and there are movies that come in at not much over an hour, as opposed to 2 or 2+.

It is a lot of tv, but it's not 5 hours.


Thanks StormBride. I should have said video as I really just meant something on a tape like an elmo video or a tape about ducks or kitties both of which are only 30minutes, but sometimes it will be the Jungle Book or Stuart little 2 and then she usually is up and ready to do something before they ae half over anyway.


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## pjs (Mar 30, 2005)

My three get a show everyday after they clean up the house and set the dinner table while I cook dinner. When DH is home, the tv seems to be on constantly (even if as he says there's nothing on). I'd like to get rid of the stupid thing (at least cable anyway) by that's a no go with DH. We may do an occasional movie- but that is pretty rare.


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
Any info from a more credible source?

A great book about the effects of screen time is "The Plug in Drug", by Marie Winn. Over 25 years of research and a convincing argument that will really make you think. Here's a link to her page concerning the newest edition:

http://www.mariewinn.com/plugin.htm


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Teenytoona* 
They do not know what to do with themselves when we go camping.

This makes me sad. I can't imagine a kid not knowing how to have fun on a camping trip!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *waiflywaif* 
Just FYI, there is research showing that even TV as "background noise" is detrimental to language development:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Parenting/14484

I say that because I hear a lot of people talk about "oh he's not really watching it"---it's still not ideal for a growing brain.

I'm going to have to read that. I'm always interested in what this kind of research says, because my personal experiences with ds1 and dd1 have been very different, yk?


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## notneb (Aug 31, 2006)

We don't own a TV, but occasionally watch DVDs on the computer. DS probably watches 2 or 3 30 minute DVDs in a typical week. We have weeks where he doesn't watch anything and weeks where he watches much more than usual - depends on the weather (whether we can play outdoors or not), how busy the week is, and whether I need the time to write a paper/study for a test/clean the house before guests arrive, etc. On the whole, though, I'm comfortable with the amount he is exposed to, and by just doing movies, I can completely control the content.


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## nannymom (Jan 23, 2004)

I voted that we don't really limit it. We don't really need too. DD is 4.

There are times when the amount she watched picks up and times when she wouldn't watch it if I said she had to.

We restrict content and encourage her to self regulate and make choices with TV and computer and video games that feel right to her and her body and her emotional state.

She watches tv but she also reads, plays outside, rides bikes, does arts and crafts, uses her imagination, etc.

When she was younger I was really strict about TV because I felt so guilty about it. I would allow her 30 minutes a day even though my dh works 16 hour days and she never took naps. It was really hard on me and when I loosened up it worked a lot better for our family.

I don't dispute that there is probably a lot of very valid evidince that too much screen time is bad for kids. I am just a firm believer that in modern western society we are in a screen world now and it is important for everyone especially kids to learn to navigate that society in a way that works for them.


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## New (May 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *velochic* 
A great book about the effects of screen time is "The Plug in Drug", by Marie Winn. Over 25 years of research and a convincing argument that will really make you think. Here's a link to her page concerning the newest edition:

http://www.mariewinn.com/plugin.htm


Quote:


Originally Posted by *waiflywaif*
Just FYI, there is research showing that even TV as "background noise" is detrimental to language development:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Parenting/14484

I say that because I hear a lot of people talk about "oh he's not really watching it"---it's still not ideal for a growing brain.

Thanks for these!


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Teenytoona* 
They do not know what to do with themselves when we go camping. Sigh. We are working on it. They've got a strong tie to their "digital IV" and DH also has such an issue (he seems to need to watch some tv to come down at night). We've come a LOONG way from having to watch a movie every.time.we.ate. So that's progress. But IMO it's still on too much. We're working on it.

The book (The Plug-in Drug) I provided the link for discusses these kinds of issues and also offers suggestions. I read it when dd was a baby and it really made me realize that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to these kinds of things.

We have an inside joke with dd... if she comes to me to say, "I'm bored, can I watch TV", my reply is, "Go find a stick." A couple of years ago, when we were camping, dd occupied herself and had fun one evening at the campsite with nothing more than a stick. She spent almost 2 hours just playing with a stick (no hitting or poking, just drawing in the soil and play acting with it). I pointed out to her that with a good imagination, even a simple stick can provide hours of entertainment. It really clicked with her. We don't usually have a problem with her occupying herself without electronic media, but when she bugs us about it, we talk about "the stick". I wouldn't have thought to point that out to her if I hadn't read the above-mentioned book. It's really a good read.


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## Teenytoona (Jun 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
This makes me sad. I can't imagine a kid not knowing how to have fun on a camping trip!

I'm going to have to read that. I'm always interested in what this kind of research says, because my personal experiences with ds1 and dd1 have been very different, yk?


Quote:


Originally Posted by *velochic* 
The book (The Plug-in Drug) I provided the link for discusses these kinds of issues and also offers suggestions. I read it when dd was a baby and it really made me realize that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to these kinds of things.

We have an inside joke with dd... if she comes to me to say, "I'm bored, can I watch TV", my reply is, "Go find a stick." A couple of years ago, when we were camping, dd occupied herself and had fun one evening at the campsite with nothing more than a stick. She spent almost 2 hours just playing with a stick (no hitting or poking, just drawing in the soil and play acting with it). I pointed out to her that with a good imagination, even a simple stick can provide hours of entertainment. It really clicked with her. We don't usually have a problem with her occupying herself without electronic media, but when she bugs us about it, we talk about "the stick". I wouldn't have thought to point that out to her if I hadn't read the above-mentioned book. It's really a good read.

Thanks for the book reference.

Yeah we're making progress with them, but it's a slow road. As I said, at least they're not watching tv for every meal. Though DH does come down on tv, he doesn't watch as much as he used to, nor is it as central a part of our lives as it is at their moms, so we're workign on it.

My biggest concern is that come wintertime, when they're too cold to go out... Hmmm s/o thread brewin' in my head.


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## momasana (Aug 24, 2007)

I think that is a lot of television for anyone, let alone a 20 mo.

Our DS (24 mos) watches one 30 minute program per week - Thomas and Friends on Saturday morning.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

I guess what I have realized from reading this thread is that it is not really too much for us because it works for us.
MY dd is VERY developed, people always think she is 3 not 20mos. She has great vocab and loves to talk and interact. I can't see that it has hindered her and if anything she is self regulating because she easily goes off to do other things.
If these are the the things to watch for then I will just make sure and look out for changes that seem like they could be negative and adjust from there.

Thanks for all the answers and info!


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## Nicole730 (Feb 27, 2009)

DS is 16 months old and I've put on the tv a total of 5 times for him to actually watch, but he's never watched it yet. I am hoping to hold off on tv/movie watching until he's 2, but I'm having a baby when he's 22 months - so there might be some more tv watching then.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I'm no big fan of the AAP. Their stance on cosleeping is infuriating, their continued refusal to take a stand on routine circumcision is appalling, and their position on infant feeding is wishy-washy. They have steadfastly insisted on the safety of submitting tiny babies to an arsenal of dangerous ingredients via vaccines.

I do however find their recommendation about TV pretty compelling. Mostly that's exactly just because the AAP is such a conservative, mainstream organization. For them to make such a strong and definite statement about TV watching means that they have some very serious concerns. They don't fly in the face of mainstream opinion very often, after all, and they must have known that most of America would just laugh, say "get real," and go back to letting their kids watch hours of TV. And yet they made the statement anyway. I think that's something to think about.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *momasana* 
I think that is a lot of television for anyone, let alone a 20 mo.

You know, part of me agrees. But...I do know kids who are just plunked in front of a tv pretty much all day, and the amount in the OP is _so_ trivial, by comparison...


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## New (May 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Llyra* 
I'm no big fan of the AAP. Their stance on cosleeping is infuriating, their continued refusal to take a stand on routine circumcision is appalling, and their position on infant feeding is wishy-washy. They have steadfastly insisted on the safety of submitting tiny babies to an arsenal of dangerous ingredients via vaccines.

I do however find their recommendation about TV pretty compelling. Mostly that's exactly just because the AAP is such a conservative, mainstream organization. For them to make such a strong and definite statement about TV watching means that they have some very serious concerns. They don't fly in the face of mainstream opinion very often, after all, and they must have known that most of America would just laugh, say "get real," and go back to letting their kids watch hours of TV. And yet they made the statement anyway. I think that's something to think about.

You say so well what was in the back of my mind, WHY I believe AAP on this even though I don't agree on other stuff.


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## lonegirl (Oct 31, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *waiflywaif* 
Just FYI, there is research showing that even TV as "background noise" is detrimental to language development:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Parenting/14484

I say that because I hear a lot of people talk about "oh he's not really watching it"---it's still not ideal for a growing brain.

Interesting. Tyr, funnily enough is waaay ahead of many of his peers in the language department. It also hasn't affected his love of books, music and play.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

We don't really limit tv for the most part.

My kids (7 and 3) watch cartoons on Saturday mornings, a little tv in the evenings with me if I'm watching and some movies. We don't have cable, just Netflix and a few tv channels. They're very good about self-limiting anyways and we spend alot of time outside. Plus they're in school/daycare most of the day so a few movies a week doesn't bother me at all.

I think it you think it's too much, it probably is. If it works for you, then leave it alone.


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## carmel23 (Jul 21, 2006)

we watch an occasional movie on the computer here and there-- some weeks we have 'movie night.'

But we watch no commercial TV or cable, so it is always netflixs on the computer, or a DVD/video.


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## Madders (Jul 15, 2009)

I think thats fine.


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## junipermuse (Nov 1, 2006)

I voted limited but daily. Though in truth, under normal circumstances we don't let dd (2.5) watch every day, but she probably watches 4 or 5 days a week. However I just had a second child a week ago and at the end of my pregnancy I had to rest a lot and stay inside to avoid the heat because of my blood pressure, so we were definitely doing more tv than I would have liked. And I'm still resting a lot, so we haven't tapered it down yet, but soon I hope. Also my mother was here and was playing dd a lot of clips on youtube.

While I truly believe that tv free is best for children, I don't feel that in small amounts it is all that harmful. I definitely monitor content, I don't want dd watching anything with commercials, because I hate the idea of marketing to children. We have a Tivo so I record shows that I think are appropriate for her and we play them for her. Basically she watches (not all on the same day) Between the Lions, Sesame Street, Signing Times, Leap Frog's Letter factory, Math Circus or Talking words Factory, or she watches a movie. Her movie selection is pretty much Pixar's Cars, Ratatouille, and Finding Nemo. Also my mother bought her charlotte's web, but she hasn't seen it all the way through yet.

Ideally we would cut back to about an hour a day 3-5 days a week. I almost never put tv on in the background and we only have one tv in the house. So unless dd is asleep or at childcare I don't watch tv. There are times when I need to relax though (especially since dd no longer naps) and it is nice to turn on the tv so I can rest for a bit.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

re: "background" tv. I would never have tv on for background, but not because I've ever really thought about how it affects kids. It drives _me_ crazy...absolutely nuts. If I must have background noise, I'm okay with music (depending on what music)...but not tv. It's beyond annoying.


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## inkslinger (May 29, 2009)

It seems like kind of a lot for a 20 month old. I have an almost 3-year-old and a 5-year-old and we limit a lot. We don't have cable or a converter box, so no channels to watch. They watch a dvd now and then. Husband and I usually watch a Netflix movie at night after the kids are in bed.


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## ginadc (Jun 13, 2006)

Limited but daily here too. We usually turn on Sesame Street and/or Curious George in the morning to give me a few peaceful minutes to shower, so maybe about half an hour then (I have a 3.5-year-old and an 18-month-old). Then I sometimes let them watch a DVD in the car.

That's usually about it, although occasionally DD will want to watch a bit of a movie with us in the evening during the half hour between DS' bedtime and hers. Most of the time we play, but sometimes she'd rather cuddle on our laps and watch "Eloise."


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## suziek (Jun 4, 2004)

I voted no tv ever, and that's true. We don't have a tv so that makes it easy. My children will watch a dvd from time to time on my laptop, but it is so infrequent I don't think it would bump me to the next category. For example, my children had about 3 hours of screen time this summer.

I don't like tv for adults or children. It interfers with real life. I know my opinion would be considered an extreme one, but since you asked I thought I'd chime in.

To each her own, of course. However, I think if you are asking here, OP, you probably are already feeling that she's watching too much for your own comfort level.

If you ever feel like unplugging, give it a try. It's not really hard, and you end up with so much more time for everything else. You might like it!

I'm editing to add that i do believe a child is much better off with in a happy, relaxed, caring family than a stressed out one--that is a happy home with television is preferable to a an unhappy one with out tv. I'm sure that's obvious but I thought I'd say it anyway.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
re: "background" tv. I would never have tv on for background, but not because I've ever really thought about how it affects kids. It drives _me_ crazy...absolutely nuts. If I must have background noise, I'm okay with music (depending on what music)...but not tv. It's beyond annoying.

It would drive me nutso, too. Music, I am okay with most of the time... but even that I have to turn off occasionally so I can think clearly. My kids are plenty of background noise themselves.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
It would drive me nutso, too. Music, I am okay with most of the time... but even that I have to turn off occasionally so I can think clearly. My kids are plenty of background noise themselves.

My ex would _not_ turn the freaking tv off. It wasn't even close to being the reason we split up, but it was definitely a bonus of the breakup. I couldn't believe my feeling of relief when I came home each day to a house that didn't have a tv blaring at me. Bliss.


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## kay4 (Nov 30, 2004)

we don't limit tv but do limit the content


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## BarnMomma (Dec 12, 2008)

DS is 25 months old and we watch movies, usually one a day during the latre afternoon when I need to finish chores and make dinner.

I feel very strongly about live TV in front of DS (with the exception of our local weather channel that just airs the weather report) becasue I HATE commercials. I think they brainwash and use every trick in the book to get your attention, drone things in your head, and the like.

Also, I tend to stick to non-popular movies or older ones that are not licensed heavily. The reason for this is DS's first movie was Nemo and still to this day he spots something with Nemo on it and he begs.

So we cut out popular things and opted for old movies. Jungle Book is the pick this week.

DS and I are outside almost all day 365 days a year becasue Ds is a "barn rat" and spends most of his day at my stable with me and his babysitter. Then we go to a local farm, and then usually after a few responsibilities are taken care of, back out to swim or in the winter play in the snow. We're outdoorsy. So I don't really mind if DS unwinds with a movie after a long day outside.


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## ShadowMoon (Oct 18, 2006)

If I were the only parent, the TV would only be on for the occasional movie or show. However, dp loves his TV and I can almost never get him to turn it off. Ds is with him during the day while I work so unfortunately he watches way too much television. Once I get home it goes off and we either read, listen to music, or go outside for entertainment. On my days off, he gets to watch Curious George, Super Why, and Sid TSK. Or a movie such as WALL-E, The Muppet Movie, or a Phish concert DVD (he loves them lol) and that's it. He's also a huge fan of Jon Stewart, so sometimes we watch the Daily Show


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## Madders (Jul 15, 2009)

Quote:

I don't like tv for adults or children. *It interfers with real life*. I know my opinion would be considered an extreme one, but since you asked I thought I'd chime in.
Not as much as the internet


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

We watch limited but daily. And when I say we, I mean I do. DS could care less about the TV right now. He may watch for a few minutes if I put it on a kid's show but then he is off doing other things. If I'm watching a show he won't even look at it. I wouldn't mind him watching a 30 minute show once a day or an occasional movie if he was interested but I'm glad there are other things he likes to do more. He's also in daycare so he doesn't really have an oppurtunity to watch during the week. I try to keep the TV off weekdays until he is in bed. I can do it when it's just me, but DH always seems to need it on and it bugs me to no end. I wouldn't care if there was a show he wanted to watch, but I hate having it on as background.


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## JudiAU (Jun 29, 2008)

I think that is too much for a 20m. Our 26m doesn't watch tv yet but when he does, it won't be more than 30m a day until 5-6.

I watched a ton of tv as a kid but thank god I also read a lot. We never had cable. I was then tv free for ten years in college. DH watched a ton of tv prior to becoming a SAHD. But once he was home with DS, the tv was off all day until after bedtime. I watch a couple of hours a week and he still watches 10+


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## swd12422 (Nov 9, 2007)

We're somewhere between none and limited. DS "watches" the morning news with Daddy, maybe some in the evening (again with Daddy) before bed. A total of maybe a half hour, not every day, and not kids' programming. So pretty much none, but we don't exactly turn it off just b/c he's in the room, either.

I'm home with him all day, and only turn the TV on while he's napping. My sister was (and still is) a TV addict, and it's sad. I want him to appreciate it as one of many forms of entertainment, not as the activity of choice.


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## MommyKelly (Jun 6, 2009)

My younger kids 5 to 9 maybe watch a DVD on the laptop on friday nights. ( And it is normally a old non cartoon Disney movie) My 3 and 4 yo do not watch any TV.

My oldest still living at home 15 1/2 and 18 both have tv's in their room and will watch movies sometimes. They both purchased their own tvs, but either really use them.

We do not have cable, nor a TV in the living room. It has not always been like this here. We were all TV junkys. I grew up in front of it, and always had one in my room. I guess I didnt know any better.

Life has been soooooo much better since it has been gone


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## suziek (Jun 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Madders* 
Not as much as the internet









I knew someone would call me on this!























A good point, but though I indulge a little--15 minutes or so a day--it isn't quite the same as tv. I'm a bit of a luddite and don't face book or youtube or play games. I do do some shopping here and MDC and e-mail, though.

My kids don't use the computer, but that will change. I do think that as the children get older the issue of computer use will be a much more significant and thorny one than ever tv was. I'm not sure how all that will play out.

I'm hoping that the habits of creativity and lots and lots of physical activity will be well established by then.


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## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

I try to limit TV watching to when someone doesn't feel well. Unfortunately I get migranes relating to allergies and my allergies are really bad right now so DD1 has been watching way to much TV for my comfort. By way to much I mean about an hour every day or every other day. I don't like her watching TV at all but sometimes we have to do what we have to do. DD2 is always occupied with another activity and if she starts to look to see what the flashing lights are I either take out out of the room or turn off the TV.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

My kids, on days they are home all day, usually watch one show in the morning, and one in the afternoon, a total of 1 hour. If DD (5) has trouble occupying herself and staying quiet during DS's nap, she sometimes watches an extra show. Two days a week they are in child care (TV free) and don't watch TV at all. We are cautious about what, and how much they watch. Movies are a treat, as I don't like the 1 hr + of straight screen time. And, frankly, their attention span won't hold much past a half an hour. They don't do computers yet, but honestly, much of their TV time is MY computer time. It's "down time"".


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## AllisonR (May 5, 2006)

Since this poll is about TV, then it's less than 2 hours per week.







My 2.5 and 4.5 yo's self-regulate, and are not really into into tv. DH and I never watch.

However, *you don't mention computer time.* My DD runs in direct from daycare to get on the computer, tries to rush through dinner.... so we have to regulate this for sure! If I were to be brutally honest, my DCs play on the computer up to 3 hours per day.







:


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Zero screen time here.

I'm a little psycho about TV, though...I find cable programing to be evil...everything from Bob the BUIlder to adult programs and everything in between. It is time wasting and bad for your eyes (maybe not even true...but I'm convinced of it!







)

I answered the poll "Limited to occasional use" because while we are tv-free for the most part...we do have a stash of some of the classic movies which we feel are very cool and can't wait for our kids to watch (Anne of Green Gables series, Water Ship Down, etc - a lthe oldies but goodies) and DH andI catch an occasional movie with our netflix subscription after bebe bedtime, so...we're not completely, completely free of any screen time, but for the meantime, DD IS. I could not, would not EVER ever put a baby in front of a TV....in my opinion, 2 years old is a little small.

Why watch TV....when you could....

Help in the garden
Play with sticks in the woods
Go fishing
Help mama cook
Play dolly's, trucks, dress up, etc
Squish your hands in some dough
Eat cookies and watch the wind blow
Dance to crazy music
Follow a butterfly

And winter weather is no excuse....you could always...

Bake a pie (or just eat it)
Learn to knit
Play with blocks
Make a snowman
Lick some yellow snow...

There are a thousand things I'd rather my kids were doing. It strikes me as painful that children have to grow up sooo quickly...when I think of the amount of time they have, before they are strapped down with unending commitments and keeping a house, etc...during those few shorts carefree years of childhood, they should be outside, learning to make things, helping mama and dada with some chores...any number of things.

My problem with TV, is that it encourages "nothing" time. You are building anything when you watch TV....your mind is engaged, open and receiving...but in such a way that I don't think, even if you're watching something educational, that you are actually actively learning.

I don't know....I'd rather not see my kids waste all that time with loud noises and blinky flashy lights...the soft light of sun through trees is much better for little brains I think. I didn't watch TV as a kid...my DH didn't either, but played video games. I can't tell you how many times he has told me he wishes he'd done something else with that time.

I know it's "only" 3 hours a day.....but do the math:

That's 21 hours a week.
That's 84 hours a month.

That's 1,008 hours a year!

By the time they are 10...if they start at 2...

That's 8,064 HOURS of their life....what could they do with that time? (well and edit to add: You can't forget the teenage years....from ten to 18 years old, that's another 8,064 hours....I can think of things that a teenager could do with all that time that could be LIFE CHANGING for them or someone else) I'd rather they were sitting around picking their nose, than opening their minds to all those little messages, ideas and flashy images....don't get me started on the number of commercials they see during that time...advertising is the true evil of our time, by my estimation!









Anyway...I know my views are extreme and so I don't judge mamas who have lots of TV around....but, I don't know. Just think about what it all adds up to...it adds up to a LOT of time spent building, creating, DOING NOTHING.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Zero screen time here.
Why watch TV....when you could....

Help in the garden
Play with sticks in the woods
Go fishing
Help mama cook
Play dolly's, trucks, dress up, etc
Squish your hands in some dough
Eat cookies and watch the wind blow
Dance to crazy music
Follow a butterfly

And winter weather is no excuse....you could always...

Bake a pie (or just eat it)
Learn to knit
Play with blocks
Make a snowman
Lick some yellow snow...


First of all you can't be zero screen time for as much as you are online here on MDC, Averysmomma!

Secondly, I don't really like to play with sticks or really play in the woods, either, not that we have any by our house, but if they did there would be bears and mountain lions in em and that ain't my thang.
I am trying to stay away from sweet baked goods because I am overweight and my dd has ECC.
The garden here has been growing like mad but surprisingly no weeds, I guess because of our set-up, so no help needed, although we love to go out and eat peas every now and then. I mean, it't not like the other 10-11/hrs that we aren't watching TV or sleeping that we don't go outside a whole lot. I think you are missing the reality, here. We play in the pool. We go for over-an-hour walks every morning. We have a swingset. We walk around the block. We go to the playground. We make beds in the grass with pillows and blankets.

I would love to knit, but that is not really a 20mos old activity. I do like to make jewelry but again, 20mos and beads= up her nose.

Blech.

Suggestions that I could actually use might sway me, but that list really doesn't inpire me.....


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## busymama77 (Jun 16, 2009)

I WOHM, so DS only watches a little bit in the morning during breakfast - he watches Sprout - Wiggly Waffle or sometimes Sesame Street for about 30 minutes. In the evenings, it varies. We could be watching baseball or The Simpsons or maybe the news and he'll watch a little bit and then we'll eat dinner, play, bathtime, and then he likes to watch The Goodnight Show on Sprout for another 30 mins or so and then it's time for bed. So, overall, each day it's about an hour to an hour and a half and he's 3.5.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
First of all you can't be zero screen time for as much as you are online here on MDC, Averysmomma!

Secondly, I don't really like to play with sticks or really play in the woods, either, not that we have any by our house, but if they did there would be bears and mountain lions in em and that ain't my thang.
I am trying to stay away from sweet baked goods because I am overweight and my dd has ECC.
The garden here has been growing like mad but surprisingly no weeds, I guess because of our set-up, so no help needed, although we love to go out and eat peas every now and then. I mean, it't not like the other 10-11/hrs that we aren't watching TV or sleeping that we don't go outside a whole lot. I think you are missing the reality, here. We play in the pool. We go for over-an-hour walks every morning. We have a swingset. We walk around the block. We go to the playground. We make beds in the grass with pillows and blankets.

I would love to knit, but that is not really a 20mos old activity. I do like to make jewelry but again, 20mos and beads= up her nose.

Blech.

Suggestions that I could actually use might sway me, but that list really doesn't inpire me.....

Hello Sisteesmama!










Yes, I MDC a lot...it's my guilty pleasure! But I go in spurts....year before last I was here moderately, last year I was non-existent, to the point where I forgot my log-in information and had to make a new account. This year, I have had a child who sleeps over five hours during the daylight hours...so I have to be home while she sleeps and in my fatigue (oh the joys of first year parenting while pregnant) HAVE spent more time in front of the computer. But that really has more to do with the way I've been feeling physically...I don't have the energy during the week when I'm alone to do a lot. So, when she sleeps...I sleep or am here!

Again...I know my views are extreme....but I really, honestly and truly believe (and no I'm not ultra fundamentalist religious person or belong to any extremists groups) that TV is evil...I think it is evil. I don't like the messages it sends, I don't like the little seeds and ideas planted into tiny brains by advertisments, I find much of the programming to be mildless and poorly written and I just don't want it in MY kids faces....I truly believe it's bad. Bad for you physically, mentally, just bad bad bad.

Yeah, it's a rigid view, I've got a lot of those these days. I don't apologize for hating Tv so much...but I also don't judge mamas who TV watch because I KNOW my views are slightly irrational. I absolutely, without a doubt, HATE tv. It hurts my eyes, it hurts my ears, it scatters my thoughts and I think it poisons brains. That's all.









I was asked a question...and now I've answered it.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
Suggestions that I could actually use might sway me, but that list really doesn't inpire me.....

How about life?

Life. Connect with people, look at the sky, putz around...anything. From two until 18, at 3 hours a day, we're talking over 16,000 of TV.

That's 666 days. That's TWO YEARS. Two years of mindlessnes. I don't care if my kid sits and thinks for ALL that time...or doodles, or signs a song or does NOTHING...I'd rather they were sleeping for all that time, than watching TV.

Maybe knitting isn't a "2 year old activity"....but if they spend their free time when they're two, three and four watching TV....what are the chancest hat when they reach "knitting age" they are going to wake up one day and say "No more TV for me, I want to learn how to knit". I have a 15 month old...she can't knit...but she helps me cook and a whole host of other things I get done around the house while she is a awake that keep up together, engaged and not mindlessly sitting, gaping mouth, unblinking eyes...as the TV box shoots flashy images and strange sounds into our heads.

Again...my views are rigid, my hate for TV is probably stronger than warranted....but man...TWO? A TWO year old watching TV? That's Craaaaazy to me! Patterns, habits...patterns repeat themselves, habits are harder to break than we realize. A two year old who watches TV, becomes three, then four, then five....it goes on and on. It is a lifelong habit. And a horrible one. Again....MY opinion.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

You're right, I did ask. And I am happy to have the input.

But I actually do like TV. I always have. I watched Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers when I was little and I LOVED it and remember it vividly.

I like watching it now as an adult and like to use to unwind as a break.

I would love if you would share all of these things you and your 15mos old do together. I find that cleaning with her is frustrating because her fave thing to do is take anything/everything down that is within her reach immediately after I put it away. I have tried the bath thing, she is sensitive to temp. and also just the feel of water so that can go either way depending on her mood, same with the pool.
I have very fair skin as does she(and I don't like sunscreen) so during the peak heat of the day I try and have some time in the house where we read books, but often times that ends in her wanting to switch from book to book without reading very much of any of them and if I don't want to do that then she throws a little tantrum and thats the end of that.

I guess I just feel like without TV I am a bad mom. Without the breaks in the day where I can decompress then I feel waay more stressed out and annoyed than if I can have some minutes where things are calm and she is quiet and even interact with her when the shows are on, we pick out animals and sing the songs and stuff, it's just nice to have the scheduled breaks sometimes.

And after this thread I don't feel even a little bit bad anymore, I know what's right for us.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Maybe knitting isn't a "2 year old activity"....but if they spend their free time when they're two, three and four watching TV....what are the chancest hat when they reach "knitting age" they are going to wake up one day and say "No more TV for me, I want to learn how to knit".

I watched lots of tv as a kid, and I still decided to learn to crochet when I was about 10. My mom watches tv...and crochets while she does it (Barbie clothes, which is hilarious, because she doesn't like Barbie...earrings, Christmas ornaments - all kinds of neat stuff). I dropped it, out of frustration, and keep meaning to get back to it. Most of the time, I was only half-watching tv, because I was _not_ about to put down my book long enough to watch a whole show. It's kind of funny that you said your dh wishes he hadn't spent all that time on video games. I wish I hadn't spent so much time _reading_.

Quote:

I have a 15 month old...she can't knit...but she helps me cook and a whole host of other things I get done around the house while she is a awake that keep up together, engaged and not *mindlessly sitting, gaping mouth, unblinking eyes*...as the TV box shoots flashy images and strange sounds into our heads.
umm...your one of my favourite posters here, but I think the part I bolded is a little harsh. DS1 used to watch a lot of tv (more than I wanted him to), and I've _never_, in 16 years, seen him "mindlessly sitting, gaping mouth, unblinking eyes" - not ever - not at anything. He's one of the most engaged people I've ever met.

Quote:

Patterns, habits...patterns repeat themselves, habits are harder to break than we realize. A two year old who watches TV, becomes three, then four, then five....it goes on and on. It is a lifelong habit. And a horrible one. Again....MY opinion.
You know, that really depends on the person. I agree it makes sense to avoid taking the chance, but watching as a kid doesn't always mean watching as an adult. DH's parents watch tv every single night. When he moved out on his own, his tv was in the closet, in case he wanted to watch a movie. In the 8 years he's lived with me, I don't think I've ever seen him turn on a tv program, except the Superbowl every year, and he doesn't even watch all of that. DS1 watches movies, especially when he visits friends, but he happily walks out in the middle of a movie if a friend calls to play Frisbee or hang out in the woods. DD1 would almost always rather colour or draw or do Perler beads than watch tv. Even ds2 (the closest to being a television junkie) would rather play blocks or Lego or scribble on paper a lot of the time.

I'm trying to cut back on the tv (DVD) time around here - but I'm the problem, not the kids. If they're offered something else to do, they'll take it. About the only time that's not true is if they're sick.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
I would love if you would share all of these things you and your 15mos old do together. I find that cleaning with her is frustrating because her fave thing to do is take anything/everything down that is within her reach immediately after I put it away. I have tried the bath thing, she is sensitive to temp. and also just the feel of water so that can go either way depending on her mood, same with the pool.

I've found this many times. People will talk about doing all these things with their kids, but when I try them, the results are...not great a lot of the time. Cleaning with them is okay now, but when they were really little, it was insanely frustrating.

Oh, well. We're easing away from tv, now that ds2 is a _little_ easier to handle.


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## loraxc (Aug 14, 2003)

Quote:

I do however find their recommendation about TV pretty compelling. Mostly that's exactly just because the AAP is such a conservative, mainstream organization. For them to make such a strong and definite statement about TV watching means that they have some very serious concerns. They don't fly in the face of mainstream opinion very often, after all, and they must have known that most of America would just laugh, say "get real," and go back to letting their kids watch hours of TV. And yet they made the statement anyway. I think that's something to think about.
ITA with this.

We are basically a no-TV house, although I have been letting DS watch it for about 15 minutes while I shower and dry my hair (otherwise he holds the shower curtain open or clings to me and cries). This is new and I expect the novelty will wear off soon.

DD watches a VERY occasional movie (like, uh, 4-6 times a year, and only since she was 4). If she is really, really sick I will let her lie on the sofa and watch PBS. She is incredibly imaginative, and also incredibly innocent. She's also very, very good at entertaining herself. I can't swear this is about being no-TV, but I suspect there's a link.


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## GoestoShow (Jul 15, 2009)

.


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## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

loraxc said:


> She is incredibly imaginative, and also incredibly innocent.
> 
> 
> > What does it mean that she is incredibly innocent? I think my 20mos old dd is incredibly innocent, but I would like to clarify!


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## loraxc (Aug 14, 2003)

That was my comment about her being innocent. Hey, I'm not saying your 20mo isn't innocent. That's a baby, basically--of course she's innocent at this age. But my DD is 5. *donning flameproof suit* You'll see one day when you have a 5yo, but some are a lot more smart-alecky, world-weary, and jaded than others. Some of them talk a lot more trash and are a lot more violent than others. Is this all related to TV? Of course not, but I do think there is a relationship, especially when kids are watching movies intended for older kids, broadcast TV, music videos, etc. For instance, DD has never watched death enacted in a movie, nor has she watched kids being rude and calling each other names on TV. She doesn't know any swear words beyond "damn it." She is pretty much complete unaware of sexuality, or the idea of sexy dancing, or of "posing" cutely. She has never seen a music video. She is very much an innocent little girl, and I like that she is still unaware of a lot of these things.


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 

My problem with TV, is that it encourages "nothing" time. You are building anything when you watch TV....your mind is engaged, open and receiving...but in such a way that I don't think, even if you're watching something educational, that you are actually actively learning.

I vehemently disagree with this. My son can tell you a million things he's learned from tv -- from the Kratt brother's shows, to Jack Hannah to the Croc Hunter. He's six, and one of his favorite shows is Nova. We also like to watch shows like the Amazing Race together and we research the different places the racers are. And we're really looking forward to watching The Human Family Tree on National Geographic this weekend.

But he's also still six and loves the Penguins of Madagascar and gets to watch that every morning while he eats breakfast and I shower.









All things in moderation, as the old saying goes.

ETA: And I'm almost always crocheting while I'm watching tv.


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## suziek (Jun 4, 2004)

So, OP, what do you think? You've sparked an interesting discussion. I'd love to know your thoughts...


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Maybe knitting isn't a "2 year old activity"....but if they spend their free time when they're two, three and four watching TV....what are the chancest hat when they reach "knitting age" they are going to wake up one day and say "No more TV for me, I want to learn how to knit".

I had already mentioned that we were TV free when dd was little, but aren't any longer. However, the above is my dd. When she had the motor skills to needlepoint, that was it (around 5). She preferred it above everything for quite a while. Even now at 7, when she watches TV, she'll often have a needle and thread in her hands.

I personally don't think TV is evil because we are picky about what we watch. We mostly watch TV Land - Andy Griffith, Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver... these are all wholesome shows with a good message or are just plain fun. They don't influence kids in any particular way like modern Disney channel does. If people think that TV is evil, they're probably watching the wrong programs. JMHO.


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## Magali (Jun 8, 2007)

My son is 2. We watch tv. We normally download shows we like and watch them as a full series. I hate commercials and this way we never have to see them. There are no limits as to how much he can watch, how much I can watch or how much my hubby can watch. We have a lot of fun watching tv together. That doesn't mean we stare at the tv for 15 hours a day. It just something we really enjoy doing together. We have a full life together and do LOTS of other stuff aside from tv watching. I'm just not going to stress about it, or deny myself, my husband or my son something that we enjoy. I think as long as a family has other interests a little tv isn't going to hurt.

When we aren't watching a downloaded series, we usually have Animal Planet or National Geographic on. My son loves animals and really likes watching them, as do my dh and I. Ridiculously stupid shows like J&K plus 8, The Hills, any reality show and soap operas are never on. Not because we have set limits against them...just cause they are horribly painful to watch







. Same with commercials, they always get muted.

To the OP...I do not think your child is watching too much tv.

And what the heck is wrong with nothing time? Seriously...do we have to be actively building, creating, playing, etc...every moment of the day? My son spends a good chunk of his day doing just that AND he watches tv. And it isn't always nothing time while tv watching. Depending on the content it can be very interesting and educational and sometimes just plain hilarious. I agree with velochic's last words "If people think that TV is evil, they're probably watching the wrong programs. JMHO." If all there was to watch was standard cable fare then we'd probably be tv free. But there is lots of other programming out there and I really enjoy it.


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## nannymom (Jan 23, 2004)

I think it's ridiculous and narrow minded to think that you don't have a full and enriching life just because you watch TV.

I have a super high needs dd who never naps and sleeps less than 12 hours a night we have plenty of time to do a million enriching activities a day and still have time for down time like tv or computer use.

Also, and this will be an unpopular thing to admit here at MDC but, I personally don't enjoy spending every waking second filling my childs life with enrichment. I'm pregnant, I run a household, I have my own intrests, and I'm tired sometimes. So I sometimes need entertainment devices to help me out. That may be "wrong" but it is a reality for a lot of SAHP.

I agree with the posters who have pointed out that like it or not kids can learn from TV. My dd has learned all kinds of things from sesame street and Syd the Science Kid (that show has lit the spark of a scientisit inside of her). As for language development I'm sure there is some validty to the studies mentioned here but my personal experience is a daughter who started talking at 9 months, has not stopped, and is fully equiped with an almost adult vocabulary.

I hope this post doesn't come off as defensive I'm just trying to point out the other side of things.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

I would like to reiterate a few things, since it seems people are having a hard time reading my words the first, second and third times I post them:

1. I understand my views are rigid and because I understand that there is no reason to hate TV as much as I do, I do not judge any mamas who allow for TV time in their home.

2. I understand that not all kids are sitting around slack-jawed, learning nothing when they;re watching TV....I explained that we have a stash of some movies/tv series which we feel would be a shame for our kids to miss out on....Anne of Green Gables, some nature shows we love (actually, Nova Science tapes) etc...again, my views are rigid...I get that.

3. I don't know if I made it seem this way....but I do NOT spend all of my time hovering over my DDs shoulder...first of all, I have stuff to do, sencond of all...that would bug the crap outta my DD. In our home it's basically unstructured, free roam of the house. We do a lot together...but by no means do we spend all of our time together.

Whatever. If so many people hadn't quoted my posts, I would go back through and delete them, obviously my views are f'ing insane and TV watching rocks....whatever.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

And PS.....

Just because a kid is watching a science show and actually learning from it...doesn't mean the only thing they are learning is science related.

Everything your child watches, is taken in by her brain and filtered and then saved in the appropriate place in her subconscious. Even in a science program...less so with things like NOVA....but *especially* with shows geared toward children...there are messages related to social behavior and morals/values embeded in the plot lines and dialogue of the show.

I don't have a problem with science related material...I have a problem with the subtext of these shows/movies. I don't like the mixed up messages to do with gender roles, etc that are stuffed into these kids shows. I don't like all this new fangled bullcrap about "emotional sensitivity" (look at his face, what does he feel...and so on)...it is MY job as a parent to model behavior which leads to emotional sensitivity and we are a very emotionally sensitive household...I just don't like how a lot of the programming these days seems to be really serious, trying to teach skills and values which are MY business to teach my kids.

And another thing...and I always come back to this....COMMERCIALS.

They drive me nuts. First of all (and one of the reasons I hate TV so much)....I am sensitive to sounds and intense visuals. How it is that more kids don't develope siezures as a result of watching these commericals is beyond me, They are SO flashy....they are loud, confusing and absolutely shattering to any peace in the house. They use strange noises and loud fast talking that is disorienting and I don't like it.

Do you realize (and marketing companies are open about this) that they employ child psychologists to better "reach" your children with their advertising??? Because they do. That is disgusting. THey are opening your childs skull, jumping inside and using the colors, language, pitch and images that they need to, to influence your childs thought process in relation to that product.

It bothers me. I don't like it. I'm not saying anything about anyone elses parenting....I'm saying that FOR ME, it doesn't work to have psycho-ninjas running around in my kids head, telling them how to think, consume, and react in social settings.

Whatever happened to sesame street-style counting shows and little diddies about rubby duckies?? Why are shows now trying to teach Chinese to my kids, tell them how to identify and react to uncomfortable social situations and employ the services of highly skilled developmental/child psychologists to sell useless, disgusting products to my child?? TV has always been something which should be limited....but it's the twist it's taken on, it's influence in our culture (which, by and large disgusts me) that makes me think that TV free is the way to be in our home.


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## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

*AverysMomma*: YES YES YES!

We were tv-free until about age 3, and even now at age 7 we watch rarely and ridiculously carefully. (For instance, I would never allow Leave It To Beaver in my home - too unfeminist, for one thing.)

Just because someone's child still goes to the park daily, and watches only PBS shows, doesn't mean that her daily dose of tv isn't harming her.


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## suziek (Jun 4, 2004)

Avery's mom, you aren't alone.

I hate television and all it's spawn I bet as much as you do for lots of reasons.

I don't expect anyone to agree with me, and I know lots of terrific familes that do watch tv. I do think it is worth spending a moment thinking about the long view. There has been some discussion about content, and I do know that content matters. However, I think a far more significant issue is the habit or the practice itself.

It's easy to manage content when kids are little, but my oldest is 9 and I sure wouldn't want to have power struggles with him over what is okay to watch and what isn't. (He's making good choices in other realms so it's not as if he's being shortchanged an experience being discerning vis-a-vis television.)

Now that he is nine he's not at all interested in tv, and gets frustrated if he's at a friends house and that is what his buddy wants to spend the afternnon doing. He has a habit of creativity and activity and sitting in front of television just isn't as fun for him as playing soccer in the backyard or shooting hoops or making birdhouses or reading or painting, etc.

Time is finite, and my children have a lot of activities and responsibilities--swim team, Russian language lessons, piano lessons and practice, soccer, chores, etc. Because they don't watch tv they still have plenty of time to do their own reading, day dreaming, playing tag, pondering insects, and paddle in the pond. They have time to chat, get bored, make art, help me in the kitchen.

FWIW, I have 4 kids and a husband who travels 50 percent of the time so I am often on my own. We have a backyard now, which does make a huge difference, but we have lived in tiny urban apartments, abroad in foreign cities and we have had periods where I have been on bedrest, and prepping for a big move, or trying to deal with complicated legal questions. Which is to say, if people want to live without television, it can be done in many situations (and I do understand that most people wouldn't even want to).

To be honest, it just isn't that hard once you get into it. The rewards are great especially as the kids get older.


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## SparklingGemini (Jan 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *suziek* 
Avery's mom, you aren't alone.


I want to say this too.


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 

Whatever. If so many people hadn't quoted my posts, I would go back through and delete them, obviously my views are f'ing insane and TV watching rocks....whatever.

Because there's no middle ground between "all kids watching tv become slackjawed morons" and your "views are f'ing insane and TV watching rocks", right?


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Seasons* 
Just because someone's child still goes to the park daily, and watches only PBS shows, doesn't mean that her daily dose of tv isn't harming her.

Well, that's just plain offensive. How would you feel if someone were to state that just because a parent raises a child to be tv-free doesn't mean that her extremism isn't harming the child? For the record, I don't subscribe to that belief -- but I do take offense that you believe I'm causing harm to come to my child by sitting and watching Jack Hannah with him.


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 

Whatever happened to sesame street-style counting shows and little diddies about rubby duckies?? Why are shows now trying to teach Chinese to my kids, tell them how to identify and react to uncomfortable social situations and employ the services of highly skilled developmental/child psychologists to sell useless, disgusting products to my child??

Are you seriously equating teaching Chinese with selling useless products? I'm fine with anti-commercialism, and if our lives were different (in various ways I don't feel like going into) we'd consider going TV-free, but how is teaching Chinese any different from the old school-- and new school-- Sesame Street teaching a little Spanish?


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *velochic* 
If people think that TV is evil, they're probably watching the wrong programs. JMHO.

Except that there are also valid concerns about the effect of tv itself - the medium - on a developing brain. That's the part that concerns me most.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
And another thing...and I always come back to this....COMMERCIALS.

They drive me nuts. First of all (and one of the reasons I hate TV so much)....I am sensitive to sounds and intense visuals. How it is that more kids don't develope siezures as a result of watching these commericals is beyond me, They are SO flashy....they are loud, confusing and absolutely shattering to any peace in the house. They use strange noises and loud fast talking that is disorienting and I don't like it.

I'm totally on the same page as you about commercials. We watch a lot of material that is _not_ considered age appropriate. But, we don't watch tv, and commercials are one of the biggest reasons for that. We also prefer to avoid the "hook" for the next show. I can remember many happy hours watching tv as a kid, but I can also remember nagging the heck out of my mom, because I wanted to watch whatever was "coming up next". We don't have that problem, because we don't ever see the ads. (And, I didn't nag because mom would give in. She didn't.) It makes me sick that people actually _try_ to promote that behaviour in kids.

Quote:

Whatever happened to sesame street-style counting shows and little diddies about rubby duckies??
I don't know. Even Sesame Street isn't like it used to be. I know a lot of kids like Elmo's World, but I can't stand it. It makes my head hurt.

Quote:

TV has always been something which should be limited....but it's the twist it's taken on, it's influence in our culture (which, by and large disgusts me) that makes me think that TV free is the way to be in our home.
I think it was overly influential even when I was a kid, and I think it's even more so now. The reality shows, in particular, really bother me.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *l_olive* 
Because there's no middle ground between *"all kids watching tv become slackjawed morons"* and your "views are f'ing insane and TV watching rocks", right?

Hold the phone lady, I never said "morons" and I never stated any belief whatsoever in regard to the "becomings" of kids who grow up watching TV. Some of my favorite people ever are TV watchers, truly, some of the great minds of our time..grew up watching the tube...though I would say...that TV of this day and age (like, what kids are watching NOW) is much much different and getting worse and worse all the time.

My views on this subject are rigid and extreme (there, now I've said it eleven million times) and I don't apologize for that. I find the culture of my people, with very few exceptions, to be disgusting and inherently harmful to the natural and peaceful development of children. Further, I find TV and Pop Culture in general, to be a gigantic piece of that.

In our society, it is what is UNSAID that drives me insane.

In the US we love to eat!! -----> the unsaid: The animals we eat die in fear and are in poor health, generally speaking, while living. They live in gigantic animal factories (ahem, CITIES) and are pumped full of disgusting stuff.

Thank goodness we have access to so much in the way of fresh vegitation! ----> which is sprayed until it's waxy with pesticides and other junk...not to mention that much of it is genetically modified to begin with.

We are so lucky to have access to clean water! ----> which is filled with flouride, aluminum and more prescription medication and estrogen than you could shake a stick at.

Look at all these people, smiling and happy as they shop for trendy clothes in the super mall! ---> clothing, the production of which, acts as modern day slavery for millions of people not lucky enough to live here.

We have access to the best medical care around! ------> Highest infant mortality rate in the developed world, incredible rates of obesity and related, chronic issues, and don't get me STARTED on the way we "treat" children...vaccines, etc.

We live in an age of big huge curtains. We all go along with our democracy and our shiny new cars and we don't talk about what makes this life possible. We don't talk about the fact that child psychologists help advertisers to market products to children...WHY. Why don't we talk about anything that's really happening? Because it makes us happier to eat chicken wings without thinking about where they come from. Because it makes us safer to think "Yay, 1% of our entire population is in prison!" instead of wondering why, if our schools are so great and our society so "together" we have the highest rate of incarceration...I believe it's anywhere in the WORLD. We don't like to talk about the harmful effects of TV watching on young brains...because it's so much easier to take a shower when they are sitting in front of spongbob...so, up goes the curtain.

The bottom line is.....it's not good for you. It's not good for you to sit and watch lots of TV. As for what "lots" means to you, in your home, with your kids....none of my business and I don't judge, because again, my views are crazy and I get it. But it isn't good for you....and the crap that they shove into the subtext of this child geared programming is ridiculous and, I believe, directly impedes your ability as a parent to instill your values into your childrens minds.

We buy and buy, we eat and eat, we slurp down frosty's and roll up our sleeves for flu shots...all without asking questions. What I'm saying is...we live in an illusion....much of what makes up modern life (Our "reality") in the western world is not real. We're not as heathy as we think we are, we're not as free as we think we are and *we spend a lot more time thinking what we think...than we do thinking about WHY we think what we think. It is my belief, that TV has a lot more to do with WHY we think what we think, than anyone ever really takes the time to imagine.*

That's all. Our minds are amazing....they don't miss a thing. There is not an imagine, sound, thought, phrase, song, etc that we take in, that our mind doesn't store in our subconcious....that subconcious is responsible for how we handle life MUCH more than our concious brains....our subconcious is formed by all those little messages and words and sounds and phrases that we take in and then completely "forget" about. The part of our brain which doesn't forget, dictates our general sense of our surroundings and our general sense of the world and how it works, what is true, etc.....so, call it harmless, whatever....I think that it leads to feelings of frustration, general unrest and that it is harmful in those and many other ways. I don'tlike all those little phrases, songs, sounds, images, etc slipping into the subconcious of my child.

But again....those are MY rigid beliefs.

*sigh* Man, it's just not a saturday if I'm not on MDC saying something wacky, huh? I guess I'm just a weirdo! Sorry for spewing my "weird" everywhere.


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
And PS.....

Just because a kid is watching a science show and actually learning from it...doesn't mean the only thing they are learning is science related.

Everything your child watches, is taken in by her brain and filtered and then saved in the appropriate place in her subconscious. Even in a science program...less so with things like NOVA....but *especially* with shows geared toward children...there are messages related to social behavior and morals/values embeded in the plot lines and dialogue of the show.

I'm actually OK with my son learning social behavior and morals from the shows we choose to watch together. When we come across something that our family does or thinks about differently, we talk about it.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
I don't have a problem with science related material...I have a problem with the subtext of these shows/movies. I don't like the mixed up messages to do with gender roles, etc that are stuffed into these kids shows. I don't like all this new fangled bullcrap about "emotional sensitivity" (look at his face, what does he feel...and so on)...it is MY job as a parent to model behavior which leads to emotional sensitivity and we are a very emotionally sensitive household...I just don't like how a lot of the programming these days seems to be really serious, trying to teach skills and values which are MY business to teach my kids.

Never once have I seen Jack Hanna talk about emotional sensitivity. I've never heard him ask for the audience to look at the hyena's face, for example, to see what he feels. I don't seen any gender-bias as there are as many segments which feature Jack's daughters and his other staff -- especially Julie Scardina whom we both adore, and they're doing the same stuff Jack's doing.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
And another thing...and I always come back to this....COMMERCIALS.

Most of the programming that we watch is commercial free, but for those which is not, we have a TiVo and fast-forward. My son is six and has never begged for something he's seen advertised.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
They drive me nuts. First of all (and one of the reasons I hate TV so much)....I am sensitive to sounds and intense visuals. How it is that more kids don't develope siezures as a result of watching these commericals is beyond me, They are SO flashy....they are loud, confusing and absolutely shattering to any peace in the house. They use strange noises and loud fast talking that is disorienting and I don't like it.

This isn't a problem for us. If it were, we would have chosen not to watch. I can certainly understand not wanted to do something that makes you feel physically uncomfortable.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Do you realize (and marketing companies are open about this) that they employ child psychologists to better "reach" your children with their advertising??? Because they do. That is disgusting. THey are opening your childs skull, jumping inside and using the colors, language, pitch and images that they need to, to influence your childs thought process in relation to that product.

Again, we don't watch commercials, but when he's old enough to do so, I will teach him some critical evaluation skills that will be helpful to him in all kinds of situations where someone is trying to convince him of something. Teachable moment.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
It bothers me. I don't like it. I'm not saying anything about anyone elses parenting....I'm saying that FOR ME, it doesn't work to have psycho-ninjas running around in my kids head, telling them how to think, consume, and react in social settings.

Well, I certainly wouldn't like that either, but luckily for me, I don't believe there are any psycho-ninjas in my kid's head.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Whatever happened to sesame street-style counting shows and little diddies about rubby duckies??

It's still on and has many of the exact same segments that were aired when I was a little girl in the late 60s (I was 5 when Sesame Street started). I'm not a big fan of the Elmo's World part at the end, but that's just me. As long as you fast-forward through the sponsored-by stuff at the beginning, you're good to go.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Why are shows now trying to teach Chinese to my kids, tell them how to identify and react to uncomfortable social situations and employ the services of highly skilled developmental/child psychologists to sell useless, disgusting products to my child?? TV has always been something which should be limited....but it's the twist it's taken on, it's influence in our culture (which, by and large disgusts me) that makes me think that TV free is the way to be in our home.

More power to you. I'm sure you've made the choice that fits your family best. But when you make statements like a child must be "mindlessly sitting, gaping mouth, unblinking eyes" "not learning anything" while his parents are "crazy" for allowing his mind to be "poisoned", you need to be prepared for those you have offended to speak up.

I'm not stupid, I know what tv is, what it's good for and what it isn't, my son and I enjoy watching and learning together on a fairly regular basis, and there's no poisoning, harming, or psycho-ninjas involved.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lolar2* 
*Are you seriously equating teaching Chinese with selling useless products?* I'm fine with anti-commercialism, and if our lives were different (in various ways I don't feel like going into) we'd consider going TV-free, but how is teaching Chinese any different from the old school-- and new school-- Sesame Street teaching a little Spanish?

Bolded = No.


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Hold the phone lady, I never said "morons" and I never stated any belief whatsoever in regard to the "becomings" of kids who grow up watching TV.

You're right. I'm sorry I didn't use the actual quote which was "mindlessly sitting, gaping mouth, unblinking eyes". The "mindless" part translated to "moron" in my memory.

And by "becoming" I just meant while they were watching. Which I believe does accurately represent your meaning from the original quote, does it not?


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
*sigh* Man, it's just not a saturday if I'm not on MDC saying something wacky, huh? I guess I'm just a weirdo! Sorry for spewing my "weird" everywhere.

I don't agree 100% with what you've said here (I do agree with a lot of it). But, I personally feel that MDC would be a much poorer place without your "weird" everywhere.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *l_olive* 
*I'm actually OK with my son learning social behavior and morals from the shows we choose to watch together*. When we come across something that our family does or thinks about differently, we talk about it.

Okay.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *l_olive* 
More power to you. I'm sure you've made the choice that fits your family best. But when you make statements like a child must be "mindlessly sitting, gaping mouth, unblinking eyes" "not learning anything" while his parents are "crazy" for allowing his mind to be "poisoned", you need to be prepared for those you have offended to speak up.


I have made the choice that best fits us...and, because I'm all about empowered parenting, I'm really glad that you've found a choice that works for you, too. I certainly understand and respect your right to be offended.

I've very rarely seen a child who was truly interested in what he was watching, not stare with an unblinking eye at it...and yes, have also seen a fair amount of slack jawed, drooling, zombie like behavior....but I can accept that there are children out there who don't completely zone out at the TV.

I wish I could find that link that was posted here a while back..the one which talked about what is happening in the human brain while watching TV.....something about the brain becoming an almost completely passive receptor for the information being funneled into the mind of the watcher.....

Quote:


Originally Posted by *l_olive* 
I'm not stupid, I know what tv is, what it's good for and what it isn't, my son and I enjoy watching and learning together on a fairly regular basis, and *there's no poisoning, harming, or psycho-ninjas involved*.


My definition of a "psycho-ninja" handywork is an idea, moral value or thought process implanted into the brain of a chid by the programming which has been designed and created to implant that very idea, value or thought process. It is the skilled and intentional implantation of a value or thought into a kids head.....they use actual child psychologists to design this programming...to best reach kids and instill these values and ideas. It is an intentional and on going effort on the part of producers or whoever, to produce programming which more effectively influences/engages children.

You said you don't have a problem with the TV instilling moral values in your child...so, don't worry, that means (by my definition) that you don't have a problem with "psycho-ninjas"...so no biggie then, right?

Wow....imagine the great comforts and convenieces allowed to us in this modern age of digital magic! We don't even have to lift a finger to produce unto the world properly developed, emotionally sensitive children anymore!! The TV box will teach your children language and culture, emotional well roundedness and cute little songs about tying your shoes all at once. It's practically genius! We pack them up and send them to school all day, then when they come home they learn some more, in front of the box-mama. erm, I mean TV....it's never been easier to "raise" kids, has it?


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *l_olive* 
You're right. I'm sorry I didn't use the actual quote which was "mindlessly sitting, gaping mouth, unblinking eyes". *The "mindless" part translated to "moron" in my memory.*

And by "becoming" I just meant while they were watching. Which I believe does accurately represent your meaning from the original quote, does it not?

Oh, well, in mine, it translated to = passively consuming the trash coming out of the screen in front of them.

And yes...in that sense, "becoming" does fit....as I think children to be the very opposite of passive creatures in their true form....it is during the process of long stretches of "tube time" that they "become" the mindless (passive), slack jawed zombies, with unblinking eyes.


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
The bottom line is.....it's not good for *you*. It's not good for *you* to sit and watch lots of TV. As for what "lots" means to you, in your home, with your kids....none of my business and I don't judge, because again, my views are crazy and I get it. But it isn't good for *you*....and the crap that they shove into the subtext of this child geared programming is ridiculous and, I believe, directly impedes your ability as a parent to instill your values into your childrens minds.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
But again....those are MY rigid beliefs.

The bottom line is.....it's just not good for you to have such rigid beliefs. It's not good for you to take such black and white stances on issues in which there are tons of gray areas. But I'm not judging, because my views are crazy and I get it. But it isn't good for you...

See why I'm offended now? You're not talking about your family with all the "yous" up there -- your making assumptions about mine.


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
Wow....imagine the great comforts and convenieces allowed to us in this modern age of digital magic! We don't even have to lift a finger to produce unto the world properly developed, emotionally sensitive children anymore!! The TV box will teach your children language and culture, emotional well roundedness and cute little songs about tying your shoes all at once. It's practically genius! We pack them up and send them to school all day, then when they come home they learn some more, in front of the box-mama. erm, I mean TV....it's never been easier to "raise" kids, has it?

Exactly what I've been saying all along!


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## GoestoShow (Jul 15, 2009)

.


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## BroodyWoodsgal (Jan 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *l_olive* 
The bottom line is.....it's just not good for you to have such rigid beliefs. It's not good for you to take such black and white stances on issues in which there are tons of gray areas. But I'm not judging, because my views are crazy and I get it. But it isn't good for you...

See why I'm offended now? You're not talking about your family with all the "yous" up there -- your making assumptions about mine.

It's NOT good for me to have such rigid beliefs....and I struggle daily with the thought, that my beliefs, if I don't DO something about it, could negativly influence my childrens view of this world. It's why we've bought a house deep in the woods in a small town and won't be taking TV with us and don't consume new products unless they're made locally and eat food which has been grown/raised locally as much as possible. I figure, maybe if we remove ourselves from what drives me so completely insane...I'll have an easier time being less angry about it all the time? A first step...but I guess one in the right direction?

I don't want to walk around angry all the time, I really don't, and I hate engaging in conversations about these things because I become so hostile and in my mind I'm so angry and screaming....but what it boils down to for me is injustice.

It's what I talked about a couple of posts back. It's not chicken that makes me nuts...it's that we are so blind to what they are allowed to do with our chicken before we eat it. It's not water that bugs me, it's that people are told lies about flouride and so, slurp it down without thought, when they wouldn't if someone told them the truth. It's not circ that gets me raging....it's the culture myth that keeps it alive and well, while we call people over seas "barbaric animals" for circ'ing girls.

It's not TV....its the fact that SIX COMPANIES own every single channel on TV. There are six mega corporations which own everything you can possibly view on television...and ONE company which owns the top 1200 radio programs in our country. The same programming geared toward "conservative news watchers" is made by the same people who make the programming geared toward "liberal new watchers"....and that is the beginning of that chain of thought...every element of what we view on TV is designed by someone who is not interested in truly entertaining us or educating our children...the purpose of TV, is plugging in and becoming passive. Got to start them young, too, so that by the time they are adults, their view of the "reality" they live in is firmly cemented and they continue the tradition much loved by MANNNNY people in the free world. Come home, plug in, turn off.

But when we're watching American Idol, Homebuilding Shows, the nightly "news", etc....we;re not talking about the food, the water, the circ, the vax, the fact that swine flu is a joke and the vaccine for it is very suspicious, etc.....we are an unplugged society...or rather, unplugged from reality, VERY MUCH plugged into a reality which has been created to distract, calm us down and make us feel happy. And it does just that. You watch what interests you and what interests you makes your brain happy to watch.

That cycle starts in youth. That's all I'm saying. I don't want a passive mind. I don't want to "get used to" that noise and flashing lights and shattered music in commercials...I don't want to accept the reality laid out in TV programs....there are mamas out there with babies dying on their hips, there are a million bazillion people eating chicken that has stuff in it that shouldn't be consumed by ANYONE, One MILLION civilians have died in Iraq, since our "quest to liberate the people".....I won't numb my mind and take in the Daily Show while all of this is going on. I won't even lend the dignity to "news shows" and watch them, pretending they have anything real to talk to me about. I can't bring myself to do it and I won't train my child to view that as an acceptable source of fun, education, new about the world, etc.

Its. Not. Real.....but when it enters your subconcious, it becomes a part of the overall picture of reality you live in.

Look, I've been laid up in bed with an injury and have no baby today as she's spending the day with MIL and SIL....I could get upset and go on and on...but I think I better unplug myself right now and go on about my business, I've been here way too much the last few days.

You can see where I stand....I'm at a cross roads myself. I don't want to parent with negativity and my child is going to be at an age of asking questions about the world soon enough....so yeah, I'm trying to fight it. I want my kids to make up their own minds about the world and I recognize that there is just as much poison in my rigid, cynical views as there is in the TV box these days...I'm trying. I'm really working on processing and overcoming that....but it's hard, when everywhere I look these days, I see the edges of the facade chipping and peeling away....I see so much in the way of lies and injustice in the world...and I'm mad about it and feel frustrated and don't know where to go from there. You know?


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## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

And I'm 100% behind every single thing you wrote in that post because it's about you and your choices, and the reasoning behind them, and not about telling me how wrong I am. Absolutely and completely more power to you! And man, you must type fast.


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *l_olive* 
Never once have I seen Jack Hanna talk about emotional sensitivity. I've never heard him ask for the audience to look at the hyena's face, for example, to see what he feels.

I have seen that on some other shows, though. That's factually correct, some kids' shows do have that kind of thing as a part of them.


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## seaheroine (Dec 24, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AverysMomma* 
\
That cycle starts in youth. That's all I'm saying. I don't want a passive mind. I don't want to "get used to" that noise and flashing lights and shattered music in commercials...I don't want to accept the reality laid out in TV programs....there are mamas out there with babies dying on their hips, there are a million bazillion people eating chicken that has stuff in it that shouldn't be consumed by ANYONE, One MILLION civilians have died in Iraq, since our "quest to liberate the people".....I won't numb my mind and take in the Daily Show while all of this is going on. I won't even lend the dignity to "news shows" and watch them, pretending they have anything real to talk to me about. I can't bring myself to do it and I won't train my child to view that as an acceptable source of fun, education, new about the world, etc.

....I see so much in the way of lies and injustice in the world...and I'm mad about it and feel frustrated and don't know where to go from there. You know?

I don't know...I watched a fair amount of television as a kid and it didn't cause me to have a passive mind. I've always been a bit of a questioner.

Re to many of the political agendas/ignoring major social issues: there are SO many amazing documentaries addressing these crisises on On Demand/Netflix/etc. I've had some shocking exposure to various issues facing worldwide populations by watching random late night documentaries. Lately DH and I have been working to integrate even more environmental practices into our lives since watching Eco-Trip -- I mean, I knew nothing about gold mining, sustainable salmon fishing, etc. other than a brief idea. I knew very little about whaling prior to watching "Whale Wars" and have since been in contact with several organizations in regards to what actually constitutes "humane" whale killing. While no doubt many people watch tv for entertainment only, there is informative and uncensored content out there. I _like_ being exposed to the controversies and arguments. Even c-span on Sunday afternoons during the election was food for a lot of stimulating conversation and digging research for DH and I.

I am personally a voracious reader and perpetual student but I'll be the first to admit that television has actually exposed me to many things I never gave a passing thought about. It hasn't impacted my desire to research or read...it hasn't taken me away from "real life". I'd even argue it has enriched it on many occasions. Watching "House of Babies" and all the natural, midwife attended births while pregnant with DD1 gave me much insight and confidence into birthing naturally. I was scared and seeing woman after woman face their fears triumphantly...well, I thought of many of them while in labor. It helped more than my hypno studies and class...I thought of them as _real_ people who'd shared their intimate births (and I could _see_ the process, not just read about it). I don't know _anyone_ IRL who has given birth without drugs, so for me the show was the place where I could see others on that journey.

I have a tendency to stew and get caught up in thought trains, too...sometimes, for me, the whodunnit of CSI or mind games of Survivor serve as a welcome relief from my worries about the world or schoolwork. It's okay to view it as entertainment too, yk? It doesn't all just have to be syndicated crap. It can have value to a person...and the person can remain a free-thinking individual.

As for commercials, like the PP, we don't watch them at all thanks to our $8/mo DVR. In fact, I don't remember the last time I watched a commercial. It was that long ago.







Even as a child I can remember commercials making me uncomfortable. My parents were strongly anti-materialism and we had many, many discussions about being grateful for what we had and in service to those less fortunate. Thus, seeing the opulence displayed on tv often made me feel _less_ materialistic than otherwise. We didn't ask for things we saw on tv.

Except that Crocodile Mile slip n' slide. Man I wanted that.


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

So if you aren't equating learning Chinese with commercialism, why bring it up as part of your anti-TV posts in the first place?

I mean, I really can totally get behind "I don't want my child to learn commercialism," I can even understand "I don't want my child to learn emotional sensitivity from TV shows" (though it doesn't bother me), but I don't get where foreign languages are relevant one way or another.


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## sewchris2642 (Feb 28, 2009)

I voted no limit but police content. With 8 people in the house, someone is usually watching screen time (all screen time is lumped together--TV, computer, video games, etc. If it's watched on a screen, it's counted). During the day when the younger members are up, content is watched. The more adult shows/movies are watched when the youngsters are in bed. And while screen time is limited for each child, that doesn't mean that the computer or TV isn't used by others when they are awake.


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## CatsCradle (May 7, 2007)

I don't particularly follow the child-rearing philosophies of my parents, but one thing that I learned from them was that things done in moderation (with parental guidance) can be a decent approach to parenting. When I was growing up, we were allowed to watch certain television shows, allowed to eat sweets in moderation and were highly encouraged to make informed decisions about what we put into our brain and our bodies. All of us turned out pretty good and oddly we are all a bit more intolerant of certain pop culture things (like reality television) than our parents were. I would venture to say that all the commercialism that was thrown at us via television didn't have much of an effect on us at all. But, I believe that the reason for that is that our parents actually spent time with us and instilled certain values that are still important to us today. My guess is that if outside sources (television, other kids, society) become the primary or sole influencer of values in your child, then of course they're going to carry those values with them into adulthood.

That being said, we didn't expose DD to any television until she was over 2.5. She is permitted to watch a few television shows (Wonder Pets, Little Bill and Backyardigans) and surprisingly she is self-regulating even when it comes to those shows. They are commercial-free and she usually turns the TV off herself when they are over. DH and I don't have any guilt about this, because her daily life is full to the brim with other stuff and I think we've found a good balance. We both WOH full-time and she is in a Montessori program full-time. When we come home, the evening is full of other activities and often she'll forget about television as long as she is engaged with something else. Some of DD's cousins watch TV all day. Her other cousins don't watch TV at all. For us, it's about setting down rules rather than outright prohibition or unlimited access. We handle stuff like sweets the same way.

To us, achieving a balance is key. As long as DD understands that there is a time and place for everything, and that we may believe and act in ways that some people don't, then I think we have done pretty well.


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## ~PurityLake~ (Jul 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CatsCradle* 
I don't particularly follow the child-rearing philosophies of my parents, but one thing that I learned from them was that things done in moderation (with parental guidance) can be a decent approach to parenting. When I was growing up, we were allowed to watch certain television shows, allowed to eat sweets in moderation and were highly encouraged to make informed decisions about what we put into our brain and our bodies. All of us turned out pretty good and oddly we are all a bit more intolerant of certain pop culture things (like reality television) than our parents were. I would venture to say that all the commercialism that was thrown at us via television didn't have much of an effect on us at all. But, I believe that the reason for that is that our parents actually spent time with us and instilled certain values that are still important to us today. My guess is that if outside sources (television, other kids, society) become the primary or sole influence of values in your child, then of course they're going to carry those values with them into adulthood.

This balanced attitude is what I strive for. I voted, no limit, but police content. However, I don't think there is anything my husband and I watch in the evening that we don't 'let' our children watch as well. I am just against excessive control and arbitrary rules, though, and find that when given choices with explanation of benefits to those choices, our children are quiet wise in making choices. For example, right now my tv is off because my daughters turned it off after watching a movie the younger one picked. They decided they would rather play with each other. Some days, they would rather watch several movies, and other days, they'd rather run and play.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I think sewchris has a good point lumping all screen time together. Of course, it's unlikely a baby or probably even toddler is going to use the computer but as your child(ren) get older, they will. For us, our TV has wi-fi capabilities, and we can find pretty much any TV show online -- so they are almost one-in-the-same. I'm sure there are parents who are so anti-TV that they will be anti-internet, too... b/c if they are so intertwined right now, surely in 5+ years as kids get older, they really will be.

I agree, CatsCradle, all things in moderation.


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