Too much TV time?

I have been at home with my little angels for almost six weeks. Our day goes like this most times: Gma has them from about 4am - 9am. She turns the tv on about 7am. When I wake up we continue to watch until about noon when we go on a walk for about an hour. Then we watch tv until about midnight. Tummy time, feedings, and story time all occur in front of the tv. The chair I use to rock them to sleep is in the family room and when my husband gets home around 5pm or 6pm he wants to watch tv and thats the only time I get to see him since I sleep with the kids on the couch at night to get them to sleep.

I guess I am just hoping that I am not doing some sort of irrepairable damage with all this time in front of the tv. When I go back to work they will be with a sitter that says she does not put the kids in front of a tv.

What are your days like???

Lindia

 

how old are your babies? We also had the TV on a lot during their first 3 months and to be honest they didn't notice it or even look at it. Plus it made the monotony of feeding all the time easier with TV programs to watch. Plus we were in a one bedroom apartment then and they both slept in the living room in front of TV !!!

We got told by our pedi at 4 months to not let them watch TV til 2 years old. At 4 months they had just startednoticing the TV in short spurts.

 

With my first son I spent 90% of my time with the tv on. Now that my ds is 2, I'm out of the house everyday with the twins going to the park, on outings etc. I take it these are your first kids? I wouldn't worry about it. Your life will take you out of the house soon enough! In the meantime.....watch oprah!

Reyna

 

I never let them watch TV. We have a rule that the TV is always off, when they are in the living room.
At this young age their brains can not process the fast pictures yet and it might give them problems sleeping at night, it can also interfere with their development.
Plus, I don't want it to become a habit.
We'll wait until they're at least two years old.

 

We did the same thing when they first arrived. I don't see how it will hurt if they aren't looking at it. Once my girls started noticing it and became more interactive, we shut it off. It's only on now for them for one show 3-4 times per week and dh and I don't turn it on unless they are in bed.

 

Well, if we are doing irrepaiarable damage to our kids then we are doing it together My tv is ALWAYS on. But that doesn't mean they are always watching it. They only have a very few shows they will "watch." Most shows they just like the opening and closing song and will run from wherever they are to see it. They often will glance over when they hear a song or something and I have to admit I do choose what they watch carefully. Pretty much only Disney Playhouse and Noggin and Nick Jr. when they are showing Dora or Diego or Blue's Clues which are all shows my girls really like. They are musical, and educational so I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I also play Einstien dvd's for them and The Wiggles. I know this is a widely debated topic but I'm home most of the time and my girls aren't old enough to do too many things such as arts and craft activities with. I think when they are older there will probably be less tv as we will get them involved in outside activites such as tennis, soccer, dance, gymnastics, etc. But for now there just isn't a whole lot to do. HTH and I wouldn't let anyone make you feel bad for what you do. You are not "hurting" your children. To each's own I say and you do what you have to do to get through your day. As with everything in life you just have to find a balance.

 

When we first get up and after they have there morning bottle/solids i put on the wiggles (LOVE THE WIGGLES)
i try to keep if off, but there are somedays like when it rains all day that i find the tv has been on just about all day, but like said before they hardley watch it just mostly the opening songs.

 

Hi Lindia.
Our tv is constantly on all day as well. The girls are interested in Elmo and Backyardigans and everything else they tend to ignore. They do like to watch my 10 yr old play Playstation 3 though !! LOL
I wouldn't worry about it. We have our Tv, exersaucer, swing and toys all in the same room so they are going to see the TV no matter what. Don't feel like you are doing something wrong. My 10 yr old grew up in front of the TV as well and he hardly watches anything now- he is on the computer or playing video games.

 

We try not to have the TV on much. But I do have them watch Signing Time when I'm home by myself and have to put them both to bed on my own or ocassionally if they are super fussy and I just need a break (maybe a couple times a week), they used to watch it once a day when they were really young. Also there are just times when a game (baseball, basketball, football) is on that we want to watch or the news that we do flip it on so we don't feel completely hostage in our own home. But for 90% of the time we are trying to follow the no TV until the age of 2. However, I know when they are Grandpa and Grandma's the TV is on a bit more...

 

I have the t.v. on too sometimes during the day. Usually, they don't watch it because I don't put children's programs on for them unless I need a distraction. When they do watch, it's because I'm trying to disitract them, like when I'm putting laundry in the dryer, giving one a bath and the other is waiting, things like that. They couldn't care less about the t.v....actually unless they hear Elmo's voice or Barney songs. Other than that, it actually makes them seem bored and they get fussy.

Anyway, my niece, who is now an extremely bright 14 year old, has been in front of a switched-on television since day one of her life and all programs geared towards children (her late elderly grandmother watched her the most when she was a baby). She will be starting the honors program in high school in September, isn't overweight (which is a problem listed as one for kids who watch too much t.v.), and I just adore her. She is more well adjusted than many other kids I've seen her age. And in my opinion, she watches way too much t.v., but it obviously hasn't adversely affected her.

I guess my poiint is like what a p.p. said, you do what you have to do to make sure everyone is happy. watch, in about 5 years or so, the powers that be will say that children who DON'T watch t.v. at a young age are doomed to have developmental problems. Which we all know isnt true.

**I know this says my first post, but I had too many problems logging on under my old name. I'm not new at all....my girls are 6 months old and I've been on TC since I was pregnant! My previous name was K.C. Just in case anyone was wondering, who is this person?**

 

Well, put me in the irrepaiarable damage club. My tv is on all day. We don't sit in front of it all day, but I must have some noise in the house or I go crazy. Even when my girls are right in front of it, they don't watch it much at all.

 

our tv is on all day, too. it is a habit i have always had - i like having it on even if it is background noise. for the first few months they barely notcied it was on - it was more for me.

now that they are a year old, they enjoy watching shows on noggin - backyardigans, blues clues, doodlebops, etc.

i don't know if it will cause any problems later - i know i watched tv all the time as a kid, and i think i turned out ok LOL

i do respect others decision for the no tv rule. whatever works for you and keeps you sane! B)

 

i prefer not to watch tv at all..

while im home.. its off..
my x was a tv a holic.. that being said.. my son enjoys tv.. while im at wk.. it is limited and monitored..

mostly videos that i have approved or sesame streat..

when they were tiny and i was on maternity leave.. i was like if i watch one more show.. ie divorce court i was going to yack..


i prefer to take mine to the park, animal park.. bking play area.. zoo.
museums, lessons will soon come..

just my lifestyle choice..

 

Welcome me to the damaged club My tv is on all the time too and since they spend most of their time in the living room I am not going to give up my tv. They usually don't pay attention to much of it except a couple of shows. Like pp said they really enjoy watching my older ds play PS3. He grew up with the tv and he is fine no harm done To each their own.

 

My oldest is 8 years old and I had the tv on ALL day long. I need the background noise. He is gifted with not even a slight hint of ADHD. Very focused, hyper focused if you will. I have always had the tv on from the moment I wake up until we go to sleep. DH sets it to a timer and we fall asleep with it. My twinkies are 8 months and except for the Dyson commercial with the squeakies and the Mozart/Classical Babies, they don't even notice it. I think Nick was 2 or 3 before he started watching tv as I had it on Court TV/CNN or People's Court all day and at that age I started letting him watch Sesame Street and Elmo beyond Baby Mozart.

 

My husband comes from a family where the tv is never off! and I mean at night too ( a prob when we visit MIL) and I grew up without a tv. I think there are great arguements for and against and you just have to do what seems right for you.

Sometimes when our boys are up at 6 am and won't go back to sleep I'll flip on PBS. I also allow some morning PBS including Sesame street. I try not to have the tv on during the day, I usually put on music for the sound distraction...but I am SAHM and it definately gets lonely so I have been known to catch some Oprah or some HGTV! I will also admit that when I am in desperate need of distraction for the boys they tune right into Rachel Ray! Yikes! lol! :blush:

Oh well! what are we gonna do? Too many professionals telling us too many different ways to do it...will we ever be perfect parents? lol