Honestly how much tv does your lo watch a day?

vanessaNOV2 · February 2011

I know everyone is different and they have thier reason. Ds watches around 1hr a day. My SIL allows her daughter to watch 2hrs for entire week. Just curious about everyone else.

KateLouise · February 2011

We frequently have the TV on when LO is up and about, but she never actually sits and watches it.

Occasionally she'll glance at it if some music or noise grabs her attention but generally it's just background noise to her.

If she becomes focused on the TV then I turn it off.

I don't have a big problem with her watch child appropriate TV, but I think at this age it's so easy to limit their TV viewing and so I turn it off.

Also I work full-time and so my time at home with her is very precious. She is also a very independent, easily entertained child. So I haven't hit a, "I need a break, here watch some TV" wall, which I can imagine if you had a more demanding child or different lifestyle could be a part of your TV watching decisions.

I guess what I'm trying to get to is, my child doesn't watch TV. But I'm not trying to say, I'm a better parent than anyone else or that I'm some kind of holier than thou parent. It's partly just how things have panned out for us.

lulupinkerton · February 2011

I have recently gotten into some pretty crappy habits. I let her watch Sesame Street while I make her breakfast. She watches about 20 minutes. She'll eat breakfast either sitting next to me on the couch (if she is eating something that I feed her) or we go to the kitchen and listen to some Dolly Parton and get our breakfast on!

The next time I have TV on during the day is to watch General Hospital. DD dances when the theme song comes on. That is both scary and cute.

She might watch a Baby Einstein DVD while I make dinner if I am having a craptastic day.

I have noticed that she is becoming more aware of the TV and kind of zones out.

Ruh-roh.

ETA- She will be watching NASCAR races. That's how we roll.

lulupinkerton · February 2011

KateLouise:
We frequently have the TV on when LO is up and about, but she never actually sits and watches it.
Occasionally she'll glance at it if some music or noise grabs her attention but generally it's just background noise to her.
If she becomes focused on the TV then I turn it off.
I don't have a big problem with her watch child appropriate TV, but I think at this age it's so easy to limit their TV viewing and so I turn it off.
Also I work full-time and so my time at home with her is very precious. She is also a very independent, easily entertained child. So I haven't hit a, "I need a break, here watch some TV" wall, which I can imagine if you had a more demanding child or different lifestyle could be a part of your TV watching decisions.
I guess what I'm trying to get to is, my child doesn't watch TV. But I'm not trying to say, I'm a better parent than anyone else or that I'm some kind of holier than thou parent. It's partly just how things have panned out for us.

And what I am trying to say is that your DD is so adorable. She looks sweet as a button.

4realyo · February 2011

my LO has never watched tv

WeddingInGreece2008 · February 2011

My DD is obsessed with TV so I have to try and monitor how much she is watching. And by obsessed I mean she says "goodnight" to the TV before she goes to bed. She also says good night to the plant so I don't know what that really means. I let her watch Sesame street in the morning and Thomas the Tank Engine in the afternoon. I am trying to cut down but its hard because I work from home and have DD here full time. I think we will cut out Tv altogether when she starts preschool...

lindylogana · February 2011

TV is usually on in the background as noise. I turn on DD's shows maybe for an hour total but she doesn't pay too much attention to them except for the "hot dog" dance during Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I can't wait for winter to be over to go outside.

Phillychickadee · February 2011

DS had no interest in TV until about 19 months.

Now he watches a show in the am while I shower and sometimes another show in the pm if he is fussy while I am trying to make dinner. So we are around an hour.

shopgirl78 · February 2011

I let my older kids watch after school and after daycare, for about an hour or so. It allows me get dinner ready.

They also watch Saturday morning until they go off. They may not be paying attention the whole time.

My LO really isn't interested in TV. My oldest son wasn't either until he was almost 2. DD on the other hand has always been a TV junkie but she is so smart, not burdened by it. Before she was 1, she loved the Baby Einstein videos.

SaranJonathan · February 2011

I let her watch it nightly while I get dinner ready. Saying that she watches and plays at the same time. She is no way just sitting there watching tv without playing too. Maybe I am a bad mom but dinner needs to be made, clothes folded. etc. She does better playing alone with it on.

curlychic · February 2011

I have the TV on pretty much all day long as background noise. Otherwise, I hear weird noises in the house and get freaked out.

DS never pays attention to it, unless some noise catches his eye. Even then, once the moment is over, he goes back to playing with his toys.

jersangl · February 2011

During the week she watches about 10 mins in the morning and 10 mins at night.

The weekends, its on and off throughout the day. Probably watches an hour in the morning, a half hour in the afternoon and maybe another hour in the evening

ssmith325 · February 2011

In my case, it's next to impossible for Georgia NOT to watch some tv because I also have a 4.5 yr old.

The tv is in the living room, and there's no way I can keep them separate KWIM? The baby would have to be banished to the bedroom LOL (although sometimes I play with the baby in her room if DD#1 is watching tv)

I have it on for about 1/2 hr in the a.m while DD#1 gets ready for school....and maybe another 1/2 hr while I make dinner. It's just easier that way, otherwise Georgia is hanging off my leg in the kitchen and that's dangerous with the stove / oven on.

That being said, she rarely just sits and "watches" it....usually she glances over for a bit, then goes off to play.

Meh, tv is not the devil.....unless you use it to parent your child for hours on end.

** I am referring to kids programming ONLY, there's a lot of crap of tv that kids should never see**

Abinormal · February 2011

One of the benefits of daycare is that my daughter watches very little TV during the work week. On weekdays, I prefer to interact with her in some way during the two hours that I spend with her in the evenings and so, the TV is typically off until she goes to bed. The weekends are a different story. On the weekends we almost always have the TV on if we are home. Lately, I've been turning it onto Nick Jr. in the morning when DD wakes up and then just leaving it on that channel all day. She doesn't actually sit and watch a full show, but I like the idea that if and when she pays attention, it's a show that is appropriate for a child. I don't plan on being super strict about TV, but there are things that'll happen before she's allowed to watch when she's older. For example; chores, homework, playing outside, etc.

Princess_Lily · February 2011

I grew up in a tv household, so IMHO TV isnt "the devil" but needs to be used in moderation. Otherwise your kid will grow up like Jim Carrey Cable Guy.

DS will watch sprout or playhouse disney during breakfast, he loves MMCH. Then during the day we will either be out in town, or home. When on kids programming will be on in the background...I dont like having other programming on. The local programming will not kids appropritate programming.

MsAlyss · February 2011

I'm a SAHM. I can't stand to have the tv on when I'm home...the background noise makes me antsy.

LO watches one 30 minute Baby Einstein dvd about every other day...while I'm in the shower, or need to get something else important done without interruption. He loses interest after about 20 minutes & moves on to toys or books, so I have to act fast

I wish he would watch a little more. We're flying to Hawaii in 6 months - a total of four 6 hour flights & I'm kinda hoping he starts to like them more so he's occupied on the flights.

DTNZ4Ever · February 2011

Probably about and hour to an hour and half. Typically while I'm making dinner. Especially this week. My dog had hip surgery this week so I need to do sone PT with him and try to keep DS from exciting the dog. But DS is at daycare from 7-5ish so he really pooped and just wants to relax. Weekends we watch about an hour a day. Mind you it is Sesame Street, Elmo's World DVDs, Curious George, Blue's Clues. I DVR these so we have them on hand.

asyph107 · February 2011

We have the TV on pretty much all the time for background noise. He will actually sit and watch it before breakfast, before dinner and Thomas right before bedtime bath, and books. So maybe 2 hours a day. I work full time so, honestly having him watch TV and/ or play helps make it so I can actually get dressed for work and keep everyone fed. I am not anti TV in anyway, just important to us that the shows are kid shows. He loves Elmo anything. When DH watches him while i work on Saturday I can only imagine that they watch sports, other TV pretty much all day. Except when they are in the yard playing, which is not often right now in the winter. I

Que*Syrah · February 2011

He watches about 20-30 minutes of sesame street everyday.

sunnybrook. · February 2011

I don't believe LOs under two should watch tv.

That being said, reality set in and desperation prevails When my LOs are cranky or clingy when I'm trying to prepare their breakfast or dinner, I let them watch about 20-30 minutes of tv. Sometimes more. On the days I'm not feeling well, the tv is on a lot more. I don't watch day time tv so unless the tv is turned on specifically for them, they're not watching it.

TMDMJAOCT07 · February 2011

I have the tv on in the morning from time to time to watch the news (thats the only time I really find out whats going on in the world, I don't like watching the news before bed, to many sad/scary stories!)

And after her nap, I'll turn on Mickey Mouse, and she'll watch a few minutes of it while she has a snack. Then its usually on the rest of the night, but more so back ground noise and she doesn't really pay attention to it, unless something (usually a commerical) catches her eye, but that only lasts a few seconds, because we're so busy playing.

I'd say she watches maybe 20 minutes total a day. And thats not even every day.

llc730 · February 2011

When we first get up I put on the Today Show mostly for background noise. She totally doesn't pay attention to it except when they scan the crowd out in the plaza. She claps and waves back to the people that are clapping and waving. I think it is adorable. Other that that I put on something toddler appropriate while I shower. If there is nothing appropriate on I just put on the Toddler music channel which seems to amuse her just as well. As far as TV she actually plays attention to I would say 20-30 minm most days during the week. On the weekends she doesn't watch any.

Soap1 · February 2011

Before DS2 came along probably only 20 minutes per day (one episode of Yo Gabba Gabba before bed). Now probably an hour to an hour and a half. But I have to do something to keep him occupied while I'm nursing!

kcisthebombdotcom · February 2011

Before I was a 2u2 mom, DS watched one show occasionally.

Now that I am a 2u2 mom, he watches a heck of a lot more tv. I let him watch mickey mouse clubhouse in the morning so I can take a shower. Then I let him watch an episode or 2 of Yo Gabba Gabba when necessary, like if he's fussy while I'm feeding DD.

We probably do about an hour a day as well. However, it's never kept on as background noise so that's all the exposure he gets.

mrs.n22 · February 2011

Between 5-6 hours a day. Depends.

groovygrl · February 2011

we play a yo gabba gabba video in the morning when they get up & we're getting ready for work. So it pretty much depends on what time they wake up & what time we have to leave on a given day, could be anywhere from 20 min to 1 hr, although they're not staring at the tv the whole hour usually (esp DD, she walks away & does other stuff more than DS).

on weekends esp if weather is bad we will sometimes put on a video after lunch for a little bit.

only1erin · February 2011

i don't know exactly how much b/c when we're home the tv is normally on.....sometimes ds watches, sometimes he's playing, etc. right now sesame street is on but he's playing w/1 of our dog ropes.

MrsJWeaver · February 2011

We watch the local news while she takes her morning bottle, maybe 5 mins. I sometimes have the tv on when we get home from work but she doesn't watch much since she is playing. We will have slightly more tv time come baseball season. DD is usually in bed by gametime but for afternoon games it will be on and she watches. We started taking her to games at 6 weeks and she pays attention for a decent amount of time. Even when we catch the sports of our local news she pays attention to the baseball stuff.

My DH tends to put on kids shows more often and especially on the weekends lately. We are working on clearing out a bedroom to make a room for the new baby. He wants to get stuff done and if she wants our attention but we are doing something that needs both of us the tv helps for 5-10 mins while we finish our task. Once one of us can break away we play with her taking turns to get the everyday cleaning and chores done.

2-Step · February 2011

He watches about 30 minutes while I get ready for work in the morning and another 30 minutes or so before bed a few nights a week. We don't have a TV in our main living room so we play up there a lot in the evening, but if he is getting fussy and needs some downtime we'll go downstairs to the TV room and relax and put on a show for a bit or during the day on the weekends. Somedays he watches a little more if DH or I are watching a show, but he is usually playing and not watching most of it.

wewillservehim · February 2011

The only things that catches DD's interest on the tv is Baby Signing Time so she watches that if I need to keep her occupied while I make dinner.

So about 30 mins on an average day.

liv97 · February 2011

i pretty much think its the devil, so none at all, hopefully for at least several years.

nycteach · February 2011

4realyo:
my LO has never watched tv

This. She's just not interested at all although at times it would be nice if she was just a little bit interested.

MelissaMc22 · February 2011

I am SAHM, and it is so much harder to limit TV when you have an older child too. DS 1 is 3.5 and watches 1 show in the morning, a movie during his brothers naptime.( he gave up his nap at 3 years old) and maybe a show or two in the evening when necessary. So, including the movie, that would be about 3 hours. I wish it was less, but we are stuck inside and spend plenty of times doing other things as well. It will be much less when its nicer outside.

Sometimes DS 2 watches DS1's shows, sometimes he plays. I usually let him watch a baby Einstein video every other day or so.

ablou · February 2011

I have the TV on in the morning until lunch. It's on Today Show while we do breakfast & he plays, then we watch Ellen (he's playing & watching sporadically. He loves to dance & loves the games, but when she's interviewing, he doesn't give a damn), then I get DH up (he works nights), and I go upstairs & have some time to myself & watch The View. After 11, the TV goes off. Bean usually has a bit of a meltdown between waking up for his nap, and that's when I absolutely park him next to me on the sofa Sesame Street (which I record in the morning), which we discuss while watching.

smilelari · February 2011

I think we've turned the TV on for him 3 times total. He is in full time DC and there is not TV there. I imagine that if I were a SAHM the TV would be on for 30 minutes or so a day.

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