S/O TV watching

Lena122 · February 2012

DH and I always have the TV on even if we're not really watching it (although we do watch it quite a bit). Obviously DS hangs out with us while we watch. At what point do you think this becomes a bad habit since I don't want DS addicted TV?

frasey · February 2012

were kinda in the same situation. i dont have any suggestions but would love to hear what others say!

namara5532 · February 2012

I too have the same problem. I'm entirely too entranced by the television because it was used as a babysitting tool with me growing up. I make a point of giving DS my full attention when he has 'awake time' (when he's content to sit there and just look at me), but I do wonder if I don't give him enough stimulation when I'm trying to watch something. I want TV time to be a special treat for him, not the go-to activity.

I guess I'm hoping it'll be easier to not have the TV on with him when he gets more interactive and wants to actively play. I need to not watch so much TV myself anyway as it just drains my day of productivity.

FebruaryMom2012 · February 2012

I'm in the same boat! I don't want my DS just to lay there and stare at the ceiling while I watch tv. I try to cuddle and have tummy time w/ him. But he's only 4 weeks and still not doing much.

excited16 · February 2012

Turn it off!! If things are too quiet put on some music instead. Schedule your tv shows and watch when your baby is asleep. Otherwise there's really no hope and you will definitely have TV addicted kids

textbookcase · February 2012

I sah and homeschool, so the t.v. is off during the day. H usually watches it when he gets home and we usually watch a few shows that we have DVRd when the older girls go to sleep. It's always been this way and our older girls aren't addicted to the t.v. at all. We've always had a limit on how much screen time they get. When H is watching t.v. while the girls are still awake they aren't sitting in front of it with him. They are doing crafts, playing in their room, playing outside, in the kitchen with me.

mintea · February 2012

excited16:
Turn it off!! If things are too quiet put on some music instead. Schedule your tv shows and watch when your baby is asleep. Otherwise there's really no hope and you will definitely have TV addicted kids

Her baby is a month old, I don't think the mom watching TV now while the baby is so young will make her "definitely have TV addicted kids."

Her child doesn't even have the visual capacity to properly see the TV. I certainly am watching a ton of TV right now because my baby is a newborn and I am healing-- meaning we are pretty much couch-bound for most hours of the day... and her eyes are usually closed so we can't do too much interacting.

The question is at what age does cutting it off become important because the baby starts watching it. I am also curious to hear if anyone knows when a baby might start engaging with a TV and thus you'd want to shut it off.

MrsLeanna · February 2012

IMO, never. My older DD is almost 4 and she has grown up like that. Once she got old enough I would put her channels on - Disney, Sprout, NickJr and they were / are on all day long. Since TV has been a part of her normal routine and life she doesn't pay attention to it too much, she plays and goes about her business with it on in the background. I think if the tv was never on then she would see it as something special and then stop what she was doing to watch. The only times she really sits and watches it is in the morning when she first wakes up and when she's winding down before bed. And her teachers are always telling me what a great vocabulary she has and how well she expresses herself so I don't think it has hurt her in any way.

Cebs222 · February 2012

WHen my daughter is having her play mat time I'll put on sprout or something more educational and targeted towards younger ones. If i notice that she's like gluing her eyes towards the tv and not her toys then i do turn it off and put some music on instead. I def. don't think that just because your little one sees tv during the day that he/she will be addicted.. I think it's how you use it. Your obviously not sitting LO in front of it going- WATCH- lol. but if you realize as LO is getting older that your using it at a young age to keep him/her occupied maybe go out and get some new motor toys, or change out the toys hanging on the play mat. I prop up books ( safe distance away) from her as well. she likes to look and focus on those. and when it comes down to it..some of these TV shows are great educational tools. There are certain shows that i wait to be on and I'll sit with her and talk with her while its on and repeat things. She is already trying to move her lips as i slowly do vows for her so i'm not concerned. :-)

MBDbaby · February 2012

it MUST be all the changing colors/lights and such. Baby Ava will turn her head to watch n unless I turn it off, she's watchin! She likes to watch sports with her dad from time to time, but otherwise, tv is a no-go here. Id rather her be stimulated with hands-on activities, like looking at pictures while I read to her, or watching my lips move when I sing to her n play with her tootsies! To my understanding, month 4 is when certain habits/ routines become devolped, esp with bedtime/naptime, so I'd assume this may fall into the category. Favorite shows? The hubs and I watch on demand shows after shes down for the night. Best of Luck! Wink

DarthNBJenni · February 2012

There will come a point in time where you wish your kids would sit still and watch tv, lol. My girls usually watch an hour a day, and little man ignores it for the most part. He's too busy watching his crazy sisters.

led2009 · February 2012

MrsLeanna:
IMO, never. My older DD is almost 4 and she has grown up like that. Once she got old enough I would put her channels on - Disney, Sprout, NickJr and they were / are on all day long. Since TV has been a part of her normal routine and life she doesn't pay attention to it too much, she plays and goes about her business with it on in the background. I think if the tv was never on then she would see it as something special and then stop what she was doing to watch. The only times she really sits and watches it is in the morning when she first wakes up and when she's winding down before bed. And her teachers are always telling me what a great vocabulary she has and how well she expresses herself so I don't think it has hurt her in any way.

This. DD 1 doesn't actually watch it very much it's more of background noise for her. It's on a lot but she usually ignores it and is playing with her toys. IMO, it's no big deal. Especially in the winter. With a newborn it's been hard to get out and play outside unless DH is home, so it's been on more. Hopefully as DD 2 gets older and it gets warmer we'll be outside more but the Tv will still be on a lot when we're inside. DH is one of those people who turns it on as soon as he's in the door.

nothingbuthappy · February 2012

With my 6 yr old I never had the tv on until she was a yr....then I'd put it on for limited times and was set on things like "no news, no crime shows/anything violent", etc. she was only allowed one half hour three times a day until she went to preschool (without her being home nearly as much I didn't have to pay attn to the amt she watched).....and she is the biggest tv junkie! It makes me nuts....she would watch alllllll day if she could!

With that said, the only rules with this LO is no violent tv/news once he's old enough to pay attn :-P

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