tv/screen time at babysitters

rjnp78 · May 2014

I don't want to be 'that mom' ..but I am thinking I'm going to ask that my baby be facing away from tv as much as possible while at the sitters .. anyone else have this issue/concern??
as a family nurse practitioner i am well aware of all of the professional recommendations regarding screen time .. and logically it makes sense to me that the developing brain should not be exposed to such rapidly changing and stimulating images ..there is solid research that this can lead to issues including attention problems ..
and don't get me wrong .. i love tv ! and as a child gets older than age 2 limited amounts of tv are just fine and a huge help !
my babe is at sitters 3 days a week and i am quite sure it's only on whe her school age son is home .. it's not hard to turn the bouncy seat or play mat etc , and it is my child .. but I hate to seem ridiculous ??

sdlaura · May 2014

Our in home provider sometimes puts a Disney show on for a rainy afternoon or that sort of thing and it doesn't bother me. If it were everyday or for hours, it would.

MissDemeanor · May 2014

After reading a previous thread I turned LOs swing away from the tv, to look out the window. LO is equally happy with that. Oddly, when putting LO down in the bouncy seat, on the play mat or whatever, I automatically orient it to face the tv. I think it's just a habit, as we usually set up the room that way, I wouldn't face the recliner towards a corner or something. My point is that I was doing it without really realizing it.

I think it is perfectly ok to mention to your sitter that whenever possible you would like LO to avoid being in front of a screen. You can always just say "I was reading an article talking about screen time for LOs and it got me a bit concerned. From now on, could you please make sure LO is facing you, looking out the window, etc, when the tv is on?"

RondackHiker · May 2014

@ivedonethisb4‌

Are you planning to have her go somewhere else for care when she gets older? I would want her somewhere she will get physical and mental stimulation .

boogerbearoriginal · May 2014

RondackHiker said:

@ivedonethisb4‌ Are you planning to have her go somewhere else for care when she gets older? I would want her somewhere she will get physical and mental stimulation .

This.

That does not sound like a great arrangement long term. If your MIL allows/encourages all day TV with one kid, she's going to do the same for yours.

boogerbearoriginal · May 2014

OP - there is absolutely nothing wrong with clearly/explicitly saying the quantity of media time, and what type of media. You are paying this person to watch your child, don't be afraid to be upfront with your expectations and rules. It will actually be better for everyone in the long run.

Another thing to consider talking about besides TV time is touchscreen devices. A lot of people think nothing of letting kids play with things like iPads all day however research is now showing that those devices which use swiping/tapping only negatively impacts their fine motor development. As LO gets older, don't be afraid to be clear about what shows are ok and what are off-limits.

From what I've read, it's not so much that TV is harmful it's that it's time spent away from activities that are beneficial so their time would be better spent playing/coloring/etc. And before 2yrs, they really get absolutely zero benefit from TV because their brains aren't wired for that type of stimulation. The first few years children need human interaction, especially for speech development.

funchicken · May 2014

Sakura0019 said:

I'm that mom... I watch a lot of TV while nursing and stuff so I don't mind the background noise... but I don't let him face the screen. DH does... and I tell him it's not ok EVERY time.
^^This! I finally asked DH of he wanted LO having issues like my sister's step-son who has ADHD. He turns LO away from the TV now I don't think it's unreasonable for you to ask the sitter to turn her away from the TV. It may be a bit harder for her to avoid it as she gets more mobile, but at least the discussion about how much TV you want her exposed to has already been started.

FWIW, I don't think TV causes ADHD, and it's kind of crappy to blame parents for a neurobiological disorder that they don't have any control over. Maybe you didn't mean to sound judgy in the comment about your sister's stepson, IDK. My oldest has ADHD, and we followed all of the recommendations about screen time when she was little--we didn't even have a TV until a couple of years ago. Sometimes things just happen even when you tried to do everything right.

Okay, stepping off my soapbox now

I agree with the PP that screentime for littles takes away from time that could be better spent playing and interacting. I limit it with the two older girls and avoid it with the baby. I wouldn't hesitate to talk to the sitter about it.

RondackHiker · May 2014

@ivedonethisb4‌

But once your little is bigger and playing and would benefit from walks and playgrounds and books... How will she balance that with him watching tv all day? I wouldn't want it on all day, even if she plays at the same time. It's still not good for them.

funchicken · May 2014

@Sakura0019‌...no worries. I was tired and cranky yesterday

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