How much and what tv do you let your kids watch

Deanna · 04-09-2002, 06:32 PM

I ws wondering what shows/movies you let your children watch. Or NOT watch for that matter. And how much do they average a day. My son is almost 2 1/2 and could be glued to the tv all day. If he's watching something he doesn't play with any toys, he just sits there. I've cut his tv back; we never watch anything in the afternoon now. In the morning he watches usually from when he gets up (6:30-7:00) until about 8:00 or 8:30. I can't believe he watches two hours of tv! Plus if my husband has it on at night he'll sometimes watch that but will play also, mostly watches what catches his eye. I was just reading that there is a new edition of "The Plug In Drug" (anti tv for kids book) that I'm going to try to find at the library. I've just been beating myself up about this to much I think! Oh and to answer my own question Bradley watches Dora the Explorer (which I actually tape because it's on when he doesn't watch tv), Sesame ST., Clifford, Dragon Tales, Bear in the Big Blue House, Stanley, PB&J Otter, Rolie Polie Ollie.

Deanna

pat123123 · 04-10-2002, 12:05 PM

My son would be happy to watch tv many hours a day. Add on a few more hours of Nintendo 64 and game boy and he'd be a happy camper. Does this mean that's what he gets, ROFL, NO. On the other hand, if I did not step in, DH would let him sit at that screen 8 or 10 hours a day....more on non-school days!

Because he is so easily addicted to the television, I will frequently unplug it and just let it stay that way a day, or two, or three. I do go in spells though, where I let him watch a couple hours of PBS at a time for a few days. I find it's better not too--it just increases his desire to sit there. My personal preference would be no more than about four hours of tv a WEEK. With a dh who was born, weaned, and raised totally with electronic media (tv, videos, games) as his babysitter this is harder to accomplish, but I'm doing fairly well at it. Fortunately, since we get only PBS and ABC dh doesn't watch much tv anymore---he used to watch at least a couple movie videos a day but I've weaned him mostly off that too.

Now, as to what shows? I allow most PBS children's shows (not all though, I don't care for Cyberchase at all, I don't find it to have enough redeeming value for the idiocy of the characters). I also do not allow Calloui (spell?????) that whiney little brat of a four year old boy cartoon. I do allow Dragon tales, Clifford, Between the Lions, Zoom and I compromise and let him watch Arthur though I don't care for it. He is not allowed to watch them all every day though. I do wish that Magic School Bus and Wishbone were still on though! Talk about quality programming for the kiddo's. We watch videos of those when possible.

I do allow less quality tv on occasion. My son adores Godzilla and has about every Godzilla movie ever made in English. He also has a huge stack of Disney movies and various kids movies. Unfortunately, It took me a while to crack down on how much tv to allow and I used to let him watch a LOT more. We are still working through issues that I feel came from this (certain behavioral patterns I don't care for---though most folks would say it's just normal, I feel it's from tv)

Hope that helped a bit

Kimmomo3 · 04-10-2002, 02:15 PM

The TV is on from sun up till we are all back in bed. My kids have Nick Jr. on and seseme street. I would turn it off but they are playing the whole time it is on so I know it is not there life.

In the evening the adults take over the tv and the kids do other stuff.

milach · 04-11-2002, 10:49 AM

That the problem we're having here too. My ds is also 2 1/2 and whenever he is in the house, he wants to watch TV. Thnakfully, we don't have cable or anything, so he's stuck with whatever I put in for videos. He'll watch anything even my excercise tapes, LOL! I try to limit him to one movie when he gets up in the AM and one after dinner, but it doesn't always work out that way, especially when dh is home. Some weekends, that's all ds does all day is watch tv, I'll tell him no, dh doesn't want to listen to ds' screaming so he caves in.

One problem I have with ds is he gets bent out of shape if the TV isn't going, so I'll put a movie on for him. He'll watch it maybe 10 mins and then go play in his room. I'll warn him if he doesn't go watch tv, I'll shut it off. So 9 times out of 10, I end up shutting it off, then he throws a tantrum because it's not on. When the TV's on, I have to fight with him to watch it. When it's not on, he wants to watch it, and I have to fight with him to play. I'm just thankful the warm weather is here and I can kick him outside and he's happy as a clam.

Laura

babymav · 04-26-2002, 10:42 AM

My kids watch PBS OR PLAYHOUSE DISNEY! They show more of an interest in the computer rather than tv.

MANDERS · 04-28-2002, 11:28 PM

My dd watches more tv than ds,but she is also 3 years older than him.They watch about 1.5 hrs a day in the morning,but it is on all day long.I think the thing with the tv being off is they like to have the noise.I know it sounds weird but both o my kids look at me dumbfounded if it is off,like what are we going to do if it isn't on.they aren't glued to the tv,we will play games while ds watches Bear or Rolie polie olie videos and we will all play on the floor when its on.sometimes its on when we are outside.We do have a special ''disney day'' where on thursdays we will pick out some movies in the morning and watch them all together,we pop popcorn have snacks and the kids wear their disney clothes.Can you tell we are disney freaks.But lately I have gotten to where I will turn the tv off after breakfast and say we need to find other things to do to occupy our time,mostly play outside on sunny days.if it rains dd like to get on the computer and play with me and ds.They watch disney movies,aurthur(dd think dw is a brat)clifford,dragon tales,calliou,and she does enjoy cyberchase,which I watch with her and explain how they figure things out.DD watches barney and telletubie in the morning.

NY Mama · 05-14-2002, 08:45 PM

We try and limit ds to two hours a day. Some days I'm successful, some I'm not. He watches, Dragon Tales, Sesame Street, Sagwa, Blue's Clues and Clifford.

I hate Barney and the Teletubbies, so he's never seen either!

CAGmomof2 · 06-05-2002, 08:26 PM

My DD usually watches Veggi Tales, BluesClues,Winnie The Pooh, The Book of Pooh!!

Not all on the same day I try to limit DD intake of TV Watching to 30 minutes a day and that is not easy for me because she loves TV!!

I need to be more enforced on the limit of TV and the Amount of TV and Time she Watches the TV!!

aylasmommy · 06-05-2002, 08:35 PM

Well since I know my daughter at her age (10 months) shouldn't watch any tv (ideally) I try to limit her to around 45 min..and even that much I feel bad about sometimes.

So I try and have her watch just a few minutes of each show she likes..and I don't use the tv as a babysitter anymore while i wash dishes, i let her explore and I just keep an eye on her.

We watch tv when mommy is too tired to run around and play with her..and so we can sit and cuddle, since that's about the only time she lets me anymore.

The shows she seems interested in are Blues Clues, PB&J otter, Rollie Polly Ollie..and most of the animal shows on Animal Planet.

She also will be totally interested in most movies that dh watches which I don't approve of..so I tell him to cover her eyes

SNOWY23 · 06-18-2002, 11:19 AM

Our DD is 2 and also watches Dragon Tales, Sesame Street, Sagwa, Blue's Clues and Clifford and her Dora & Pooh videos! I have been trying to cut back too! She loves me and DH to read her books alot so I dont think its too bad and she does play a bit while they are on like coloring and doing her puzzles!

bamamomto4 · 06-30-2002, 02:03 PM

Our tv is on from the time we get up till the time we go to bed.It's mostly on nick jr or PBS.Katie watches more tv than anyone but she doesn't sit there the entire time.She gets up and down and plays alot.Jackson just watches commercials

Ashley would rather be playing video games but she does watch a few tv shows at night.She still watches nick jr (mostly cause Katie does) and she watches nick at night almost everynight.
I don't monitor their tv time,cause really they don't sit and watch alot of tv.

AmyBoz · 06-30-2002, 08:25 PM

My Dd could care less about the tv. She's 16 months and it can be on and she has no interest in it whatsoever, unless someone starts clapping. Then she turns toward the screen and yells, "Yeah!" and starts clapping. Then, she goes back to playing. I am a tv person, and I have to say that I am glad that she doesn't show an interest in it. I try not to have it on when she is playing because my neices and nephews do not know how to function without the tv and I just don't think it's healthy.