Anyone else not doing TV until 2?

EuroChick

It seems like most people on here let their LOs watch TV.  This is something that we really try to avoid.  With the occasional few minutes of CNN, the tour de france, or wimbledon DD doesn't watch TV and she has never seen cartoons.  I think when she is two we will let her watch a little on Saturday and Sunday morning as a treat so we can sleep in.  But honestly I think we will have a TV ban during the week until she is in high school.  Maybe I will be whistling a different tune later on but DH and I are on the same wavelength about this one.

Libramom2b

Nope. DS doesn't watch a lot of TV, but I'll throw on a baby einstein video or let him watch the Wiggles in an instant if I am trying to get ready for work etc and DS won't let go of my leg. I fully support the limited TV requirement though when they are old enough to want to watch TV.

Rah

I strived for not until 2 but he started watching right around a year old but it's under a very controlled environment. He doesn't get to see commercials or the news or anything with bad crap on it. He watches baby einstein stuff or Yo Gabba Gabba - he loves watching the kids dance on that show and he laughs and dance - it's really cute. I know it's not an excuse but it's very helpful to let him have that 15-20 minute block so i can get myself ready in the morning before work. My BIL/SIL are die hard sticklers and that's cool - I respect that but after I read more on long term effects it appeared that it didn't help nor hinder the child so I don't beat myself up anymore about it. I'm sure though that less is best.

JustMarried2005

EuroChick:

I think we will have a TV ban during the week until she is in high school.  

Wow!  No, we are not worried about TV.  He doesn't watch any shows per se, but I'm not concerned if he sees it while we are watching something.  He does love commercials though - they usually get him giggling.

We try to get out a lot so TV just isn't something that takes up a lot of his day, but on the flip side, I don't worry about it at all.

If you and your DH don't watch much TV and do other activities instead, I'm sure your daughter will naturally follow your lead so I doubt you'll have to fight her on it. 

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My DH isn't a big TV watcher (just baseball), but I like to watch TV.  We'll have it on while DS plays on the weekends but he really doesn't pay any attention to it.  The only thing he's actually looked at the TV longer than a few seconds was Tour de France. 

I've actually tried Yo Gabba Gabba, Baby Einstein and other Noggin stuff when I've just had a hard day and don't feel like entertaining anymore and he refuses to watch it!   So--I'm guessing it will be 2 for him...

EuroChick

JustMarried2005:

EuroChick:

I think we will have a TV ban during the week until she is in high school.  

If you and your DH don't watch much TV and do other activities instead, I'm sure your daughter will naturally follow your lead so I doubt you'll have to fight her on it. 

We watch almost no television, we only have one TV in the playroom and one in the guest room.  And if we do it is usually a movie late at night so like you said I am not too concerned.  More curious if others are like us.  But if we are at someone else's house I don't flip out if there TV is on.

kelbrian

I think everything in moderation is a good school of thought. Lili watched five minutes of a cartoon today and then fell asleep on my lap. She's not feeling well and that is the first time that she's ever shown any interest in television. 

I don't think her brain is rotting out of her ears yet, but I suppose I'll have to check when she wakes up from her nap. 

EuroChick

kelbrian:

I think everything in moderation is a good school of thought. Lili watched five minutes of a cartoon today and then fell asleep on my lap. She's not feeling well and that is the first time that she's ever shown any interest in television. 

I don't think her brain is rotting out of her ears yet, but I suppose I'll have to check when she wakes up from her nap. 

LOL I didn't mean it that way at all, honestly no judging from my side I promise just curiousity.  I guess we just really limit it because we are afraid things will get out of control.

k8elee03

I agree with Kelbrian and think everything in moderation is fine. My Lily will only watch 10 minutes of anything - max- before she gets bored with it anyway. But when she was sick, she did like to lay on my lap, cuddle, and watch some Big Comfy Couch until she fell asleep. I'm not worried that I've kept her from becoming the genius I know she will be, lol.

But like PP said, if you and your H don't watch much TV, it sounds like it'll be pretty easy for you. And I'm sure there are plenty of people who are like you in this, just maybe not the mainstream.

Tess12

Eurochick--come over to the dark side!  TV is the most wonderful invention in the world.  It allows you to shower, cook dinner etc. lol

We were going to try to do no tv before two, but it wasn't practical.  Particularly now that I'm pregnant, I enjoy the 20-30 minutes a day when she's watching her Kipper DVD or Yo Gabba Gabba.  

funchicken

We're not even sure if we'll do it then.  We got rid of our TV when DD was around 6 months old, and honestly, I don't miss it.

beckys96

I know when DH is at home with DD the TV is on.  I think mostly he turns it to the radio stations and they listen to music.  Over all I would the TV is on a lot when we are home.  The only time she pays attention is when Dora is on - other than that I don't eve think she knows it is on.  I let her watch a Dora at night...usually around bed time - for some down time and we read books...

KittyCatBio

maybe-but i think it will be her choice.  we've never turned on a cartoon for her, i tried a baby einstein dvd once just to see and she was completely uninterested.  it stayed on for about 3 minutes.  when we have the tv on when she's in the room she also ignores it.  maybe when football season starts, she found that sort of interesting.  i CANNOT find noggin on my cable, so i guess we don't have it. 

C Bear E

I thought no TV till 2 was a nice idea. But totally impractical for us. We keep the TV on a lot and ds sees it. We have just recently started to let him watch a few shows (Yo Gabba Gabba and some other Noggin stuff). Most of the time he pretty much ignores the TV though, unless there's a song on.

I wasn't allowed to watch much TV when I was little and I was never allowed to watch cartoons. As a result I would go to my friend's houses and watch cartoons and TV. When I did I was glued to the TV. I'd like to avoid that w/ ds by teaching him that TV is about balance and not a forbidden fruit. 

Rahknight

The only TV on in our house is my eight year old who is allowed to watch cartoons for an hour a day, he and my husband play the Wii sometimes, and my husband will watch tv downstairs when we are upstairs to avoid Tank having any exposure to it...that is with the exception of Georgia Football

Our pediatrician is DIE HARD against tv, but agrees a few GA football games over the span of the yr won't hurt him

VTbride05

We tried..... but Blues Clues allows me to shower in the morning without a screaming little boy. He also loves animal planet. That is all that he ever watches. He has learned a lot from Blues Clues and loves the songs.

rlthomas7

Adam is such an active crazy kid that I rely on 20 minutes of Jack's Big Music Show to empty the dishwasher or prepare a quick meal. If he's not dancing to that, he's climbing in the dishwasher, pulling out dishes and jumping on the dishwasher lid. Jack is on Noggin in the middle of the night, so we've TiVoed all of them and it's a life saver. Adults like it too! 

Carifly

Penny has been around TV, but mostly just sports or the news when my dad or brothers are babysitting her.  She's probably watched about 20 minutes total of Sesame Street (spread out) and that's it otherwise.  I'm not totally against it (I love TV), but we just have so many other things to do that we don't have time to watch TV.  I'm in no hurry to have her start watching shows anyhow.

If I was a SAHM I suspect it would be different though, and she would be watching something occasionally during the day to give me a well-needed break to do other things.

joecubed

DH and I only watch tv to watch specific shows (SYTYCD, L&O DVU), so we actually don't watch very much at all.  Maybe three times a week.  It's never on during the day for us because all of our shows come on after DS goes to bed. 

But, I let DS watch Curious George in the morning while I change his diaper and get him dressed.  He likes the opening song a LOT But, he generally only sees about 5 minutes of it before he's on to the next thing.

flyingsaucer

LOOONG ago, I was a nanny for 2 kids that were not allowed to watch much TV.  Any time they went to a friends house for a playdate, thats all they wanted to do!  When the TV was on at their house, they were like zombies!  I think kids overall watch too much TV, but I think there is nothing wrong with it in moderation as PP said.  DS watches Sesame Street while I get his PJ's on at night.  It keeps me from having to fight him while I get him dressed/undressed

mattnlinz03

We are horrible with the TV.  It is always on in our house, but mostly we are just listening to it.  DS has zero interest in the TV so far.  We even have a ton of Baby Einstein DVD's and he will not sit at all to watch them.  He is a mover and always wants to be playing with something.   

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We're not being sticklers about the no TV rule. DH & I both love TV and movies but I don't want DS sitting in front of it 8 hours a day. We have the TV on in the evenings while we watch Jeopardy, baseball, basketball, nature shows, HGTV etc. DS never sits and watches TV, he'll glance for a minute or two at the ball game or sing and dance when a commercial comes on that he likes the music to. A lot of what DS sees during the shows I don't have a problem with him seeing. (Maybe he's actually learning from all the Jeopardy and nature shows or he's going to be a great DIYer with all the HGTV????? Wishful thinking).

When we're home during the day, I'll turn on Playhouse Disney or PBS early in the mornings and he stops when they start singing but then he doesn't care anymore. If it becomes a problem as he gets older, we'll curb it.

raceyrae

DD has very limited TV time.  She only watches a baby einstein once every day or two.  Occassionally if she's not feeling well, we'll put in a disney movie and snuggle but that's about it.  We don't have the TV when she's awake.  She has not watched any TV cartoons -- I don't even know what station they're on (although she has seen a few when we've been back in WI at my parents -- their TV is on non-stop!).

There are so many other things she can do to entertain herself if I need to clean-up etc. that I haven't found a reason to use the TV.

But we're also a family with only one TV in the bonus room.  None in bedroms (nor will there ever be any), etc.

akayf

we were limiting it to the occasional sesame st. but during the school year, my MIL watches him 2 days a week and he goes to a baby sitter the other 3 days.   MIL watches Sesame Street with him and that's it.   The sitter tends to keep the TV on Noggin or Sprout in the background.   I'm not thrilled over that but the other 2 moms are okay with it so what am I going to do?  

middlemarch26

DH and I don't even watch TV, and so we don't have cable.  We have a TV and DVD player in a closet that we take out for watching movies.  When DS gets older, we'll let him watch occasional cartoon videos, but so far I haven't had any reason to sit him in front of the TV.

 

IckyThump

DH and I have the tv on a decent amount, so DS has been exposed to it. We've only recently started trying to put shows on for him, and he's really not interested. Backyardigans and Wonder Pets didn't really do much for him at all, and Yo Gabba Gabba held his attention for about 5 minutes. I think because he's been exposed to it, it's not really a novelty for him. It seems like it's just background noise for him while he plays. Or whines at my feet.

MrsHK

Not here. We do everything in moderation. DS has never really sat down and watched tv. I don't think anything could hold his attention that long. He has seen an occasional Jack Hanna's animal show on Saturday morning when we're all relaxing in bed extra long. 

MIL and GMIL keep buying DS these videos too. Like Pinocchio and Velveteen Rabbit. I'm sure he'll like them someday, but really who's going to watch these movies now? 

maddie80

Our DS watches a very limited amount of TV.  When we cut his nails, we put on Sesame Street because it keeps him calm and interested long enough to sit still and cut his nails safely.  So that's about 15 minutes/week.  In addition to that, I would say maybe once a week he gets to watch about 15-20 minutes of Sesame St. when I work at home and have to make a work call that can't be rescheduled to naptime.  But, that's it.  We also don't keep the tv on during the day ever - we only watch specific shows that we have usually DVR'd. 

I think with TV you have to look at how much they're watching, what they're watching and if it's age appropriate etc., and if it's an interactive activity.  If you are watching with your DC and talking to them about what they are seeing (animals, kids, Elmo, whatever), I can't see how a little bit once in a while can hurt.

princess4u81

DD gets to watch a little bit in the am and pm, but some days she doesn't watch it at all. It allows me to get a few things done without upsetting her