TV and infants?

GSwans

My LOs love to look at the TV (i assume for the colors, movement, etc.). At what age did you feel like you didn't want t he TV on too much anymore? What I mean is, when do you think that it starts to be a replacement for playing, etc.?

Haven1

Excellent question.  When this article came up on Yahoo yesterday, I fowarded it to DH at work.  The part that cracked me up was the 3-6 month board was all "I neeeever let my LO watch tv!"  Well, gold star for you ladies.  You clearly don't have twins.

My boys usually wake up at 7 and I wake up at 6. Rarely they too wake up at 6 and then we have a problem.  I'm not ready, bottles aren't ready, and I'm not able to play with them on the floor.  You know what gets them to sit still without screaming while I scramble around?  ESPN.  And I'm not an inch above it.

We are trying to make a better effort to play with them in the evening instead of snuggling on the couch.  It's hard since they tend to be fussy and DH's warm soft tummy and tv lights are more appealing than me up in their face trying to make them laugh.

So in conclusion, I'm no help.  I'm sure our boys watch too much tv just because we're such tv people.  We don't prop them up to watch it regularly, but I know we could/should be playing with them more.

Kimmy08

I used to have the TV on all the time for background noise before the girls were born. I have since limited my TV watching and spend a lot of my day reading, singing, and playing with the girls. I just turn on music on Pandora if I need some background noise.

I don't think a couple minutes of watching TV is really going to make a difference. I think when you plop them down in front of the TV for hours, that is not good.

I am lucky in the fact that the girls will happily play with their toys and keep each other entertained while I pump or try to get things cleaned. Not every baby is happy to do that. You do what you have to do.

MaygenDL0ve

Haven1:

Excellent question.  When this article came up on Yahoo yesterday, I fowarded it to DH at work.  The part that cracked me up was the 3-6 month board was all "I neeeever let my LO watch tv!"  Well, gold star for you ladies.  You clearly don't have twins.

My boys usually wake up at 7 and I wake up at 6. Rarely they too wake up at 6 and then we have a problem.  I'm not ready, bottles aren't ready, and I'm not able to play with them on the floor.  You know what gets them to sit still without screaming while I scramble around?  ESPN.  And I'm not an inch above it.

We are trying to make a better effort to play with them in the evening instead of snuggling on the couch.  It's hard since they tend to be fussy and DH's warm soft tummy and tv lights are more appealing than me up in their face trying to make them laugh.

So in conclusion, I'm no help.  I'm sure our boys watch too much tv just because we're such tv people.  We don't prop them up to watch it regularly, but I know we could/should be playing with them more.

HAHA!  Just wanted to say thanks... read this and got a great giggle  I can relate to them loving to snuggle on hubby more than me.  They snuggle on me and try to devour whatever is closest to their mouths. 

Hibiscus2007

I think it mostly has to do with your personal feeling about TV watching...Our family watches alot of TV.  DS goes to daycare but I am home with the triplets and I have it on most of the day in the background.  The babies don't really pay attention to it, unless my son is home and we turn on cartoons. 

I am guilty of turning on "Super Why" in the midst of 3 screaming babies just to get them to calm down and stop crying, I have to say sometimes that is a lifesaver when there is only one of me and I can't calm them down...I guess you just do what you have to sometimes.  I used to worry about it but not so much anymore, we still play and sing and do activities together...its not like we all just veg in front of the TV, I think its all in how you balance it.

thiswillbe

We really try to avoid having the TV on at all, and have since they were born. It is exhausting to be "on" every minute the babies are awake, but I feel good about how much we interact with them (one of the studies I read talked a lot about how parents are less verbal with their kids when TV is on in the background). That being said, I have been known to pull up the Wiggles "hot potato" video on my phone while they're undergoing uncomfortable medical procedures, so I'm not a total purist.

We're trying to do the no-TV thing until at least 2 years.

smeyer

I'm not a big tv watcher so it stays off during the day when I'm home with the babies. DH, however, is a tv watcher and likes the background noise. Still, we try not to let them watch it too much and are more apt to leave the tv off until the babies go to bed. I will say that the iTunes visualizer feature has helped me calm a screaming baby or 2 on a few occasions - turn on some Baby Einstein "classical" music and the visualizer and I have 2 happy campers. I try not to use it too often - I don't want my trick to lose effect!

janjag

I was pretty good about limiting tv exposure until recently.  With being pg, and moving my good intentions went out the window.  Unfortunately my girls LOVE looking at the tv.

Mostly I keep it on Music Choice, which doesn't have moving pics, so they ignore it. 

Sesame Street in the morning while I change diapers, get them dressed.  PBS has saved my tush a million times lately as TV's the only thing that will get Vivienne to *sort of* let me change her diaper. 

DH has TV on more than I do, and he's alone with them sometimes, so they get ESPN too.

TwinMama83

My kids are obsessed with Yo Gabba Gabba on Nick Jr.  I don't leave the TV on for them 24/7 but I have a couple of episodes DVR'ed and if they are really REALLY fussy and I just have to pump or make bottles or throw a load of laundry in... I'm not above turning on their favorite show and parking their bouncy chairs in front of the TV.

Luvie13

our girls have never watched tv.  except for the 2-3 minutes that they sat still to watch some of "rudolf" that was on the other nite.

 that said....you do what you have to.  don't let anyone judge you for allowing or not allowing your kids to watch tv.  twins/trips are so different than having one baby and you've got to get through the day!

 

amanda31H

Haven1:

The part that cracked me up was the 3-6 month board was all "I neeeever let my LO watch tv!"  Well, gold star for you ladies.  You clearly don't have twins.

Peeing my pants!!!!!!!!

My girls LOVE the television.  I have a picture of them watching football and laughing like fools.

I try to keep it to a minimum- for example they get 1 Baby Einstein DVD a day, and it's always at 6:30, right before DH gets home and I'm SPENT.  In the morning I usually watch the Today Show, but they are busy doing tummy time, playing with toys, etc.  In the afternoons we listen to music.

My mom raised four kids (I'm the oldest) and by the time the third and fourth came around, I'm pretty sure the TV was on from 7 am on.  She would make us go outside and do mandatory outdoor time, etc.  but I don't think she was too hung up on it.  Oh, and the third and fourth kid in our family are freaking brilliant, go figure.