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tv time question
I am curious to see if DS watches more or less tv than other kids his age. He would gladly sit and watch all day everyday if we let him. On the weekends when we are home or on my vacations from school. I'd say he watches 2-3 of hours of tv per day, along with play time, drawing, some computer games, etc. I feel like it's too much for a 3 year old, but DH disagrees. His point is that he's at school 50 hours a week, not watching tv so a few hours on the weekends is fine. On weeknights after school he watches about an hour or so between 5pm and bedtime. I know television is one of those "everything in moderation" kind of issues, but I wondered how my little tv addict compares to others.
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Re: tv time question
My kids would watch it all day too, if we let them. We have a rule of no TV in the mornings on weekdays. I would never be able to get them out the door! In the evenings they can watch TV while I'm preparing dinner, and it goes off when dinner is ready. This can range anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on what I'm making of course, but it's usually about an hour. This has worked out great for us. They get a dose of TV, and they stay out of my hair and out of the kitchen. When the TV isn't on and their left playing on their own, they get absolutely insane and by the time dinner is ready, I am totally wiped out and stressed.
On the weekends, we let them watch an hour or so in the mornings, and then if we're home at night, we will watch a movie as a family. There are times we allow way more than usual, like when one of us or one of them is sick, or if we need to get something urgent taken care of and we need them occupied.
30 minutes in the morning. 30 minutes in the afternoon. If that. And they usually don't even sit that long to watch.
Add in an extra 30 minutes if mama needs a shower... like today.
If they are sick or for special occasions (family movie night) we do more. But we're not really a tv watching family all around.
Since he goes to DC, we don't turn it on in the morning at all and he doesn't watch at all during the weekday (I'm assuming!), but when we get home at night, he is usually watching a pre-recorded episode of Sesame Street while DH gets dinner ready - that usually 30 min - 1 hour each night. Then on the weekends, we usually watch some cartoons in the morning (maybe 30 min - 1 hour), then it depends on what we are doing for the day. If we are home most of the day, it's probably "on", but probably actually watch something DS would want maybe one more hour during the day - and then again at night to occupy while we (who am I kidding, I mean DH!) get dinner ready.
DH is more pro-TV than me. I would rather see DS play with toys - and I will sit on the floor and get toys out with DS if he gets restless. It seems like DH's "go-to" with DS's restlessness is turning on the tube. I don't particularly like it, but I pick my battles. I sometimes "gently encourage" DH to play with him instead. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. :-) I remember watching a lot of TV growing up, but I also remember playing outside a lot, and I turned out ok, so it can't all be bad!
This is my issue as well. DH immediately turns to the tv and/or computer games to entertain DS.