Watching tv and dvd's

[Sharlee]

How many hours of television and/or dvd's you let your kids watch a day, and if they do, what show's do they watch?

My DS, 2 watches about 1-2 hours, which is usually Play School, Wiggles, Hi-5 and Brum. He also spends most of his day outside or inside playing and attends kindergym and has plenty of friends. Has an afternoon sleep for about 2 hours.

I know a lady whose kid watches tv from the time he gets out of bed, about 7am until his morning nap at about 10.30am then most of the afternoon. Some days he doesn't have an afternoon sleep. He doesnt' participate in any activies with other kids and hasn't any siblings yet. He can watch Toy Story 3 times straight. Travels the country to see Hi-5 and the Wiggles. When my boy tries to play with him (he is the same age) the boy just wants to hit my boy either with a toy hammer, cricket bat etc.

If I compare my DS to this other kid...my boy appears hypo but DH assures me he is just a healthy, active boy :o

[Rell]

Your Ds sounds like a normal 2yr old to me. I would much rather see a child runnning round having fun then sitting in frount of the T.V.
MY dd (3 1/2) watches about 2 hours of T.V a day and its always ABC kids. Having playing by thenselves helps them develop a great imagination. My DD has a friend who watches too much T.V and as a result has very little imagination, she doesn't play well at all with my DD because she doesn't know how to play with other kids.

[DeLiteFull]

we can't all be perfect!

[Shazbutt]

I'm kind of ashamed to say, but DD has been watching an awful lot lately as she's been a right royal poo, and i just need some time to myself!

Normally she watches ABC Kids in the morning and of an arvo until Playschool finishes, i don't really mind ABC as some of its educational, and no violence etc...

[WeThree]

i dont let the kids watch tv in the early morning before school, but once the older ones have left for school my 2 yr old, usually watches an hr or 2(although just cause its on doesnt mean he is always watching it, it is often just 'background whilst he plays with his cars, dolls etc) whilst i get stuck into the housework, unless we have playgroup or are going to the shops or something. he then usually watches another hr at 'rest time' he doesnt often sleep anymore in the day, but if we have had a big morning out and about i still like him to have a rest, and i will put a dvd or something on for him, and get him to lie down for awhile. some nights, specially on the weekend we let them watch a movie, and funniest home videos, stuff like that :)

[Ana Gram]

TV is on pretty much all the time in our house. If DD takes an interest in watching the tv, I turn it to something she can watch otherwise she is just playing and taking very little interest in the tv.

[Supermum]

As a rule I'd prefer the children didn't watch tv during the week as they have loads of energy to burn and if they don't use it, they become incredibly crotchety!

On the weekends they'll get a DVD a day.

[Shazbutt]

I should have also said that Mac doesn't always WATCH the tv, its on as a background, and generally she's eating brekky, or playing with other things, drawing etc.

[Malin]

Your boy sound like a very healthy child, I'm sure he is not hyper these days a very happy, that sings and plays and talks a lot seam to get comments like that way to often.
Only you know how much tv your child should watch, I do agree, spending all day long every day watching tv may be too much.
Tv do has it good points and bad, depends how it's watched, best is if parents watch the tv with their children so things can be explained.

We like to watch play school, great ideas for crafty stuff to do together later on.
Animal shows we love animals, we get sent Swedish tv show they are "real life" show tv, showing kids how to cook, sew, build very real stuff, and it's children pressenting the shows. To me it's a great help to keep the language.

.

It's really hard to say if the tv is the only problem your are having with your sons play mate, some people just don't connect with each other.
I'm not too surpriced as some younger children don't always play that well together in their same age group.

I think first there got to be a very strong connection between child and parents, once a child have that trust, he will then connect very, very easy with other people...

The hitting may only be a face, I can relate to that one as my son never hit a child before he was 2 1/2 I was naive to think he would not go through that, I boy I was so wrong...
Once other children been playing ruff with him, he copied that behaviour too.

Take care
Malin

[Sharlee]

we can't all be perfect!


So if you are - please tell me your secret. :p

[draught]

My DD's watch TV for about an hour in the morning - usually Nick Jnr - Dora the Explorer and Hi 5, while we do breakfast, I shower, log on to the computer, get ready for work etc. It is normally off by 7am. I try to keep it off during the day until about 3/3.30 when playschool gets a look in.

That being said, if I need to occupy them while I do something, or take an important call, or if someone is sick, or it is raining and I am out of creative ideas, the TV gets a look in. I usually stick to ABC kids - but you do have to check the content there too as some of the shows are aimed at older kids; Nick Jnr (cable); or DVDs of the Wiggles, Spot, Teletubbies, or Hairy MacClary.

We do a lot of playing in the garden, reading books, dancing around the house, going out to parks, and other play, so I don't mind using the TV as part of the day - just not the major part of the day.

[meshan]

I have a real dilema with this. Shannon watches ABC kids in the morning for about 2-2.5 hours. He will occassionaly watch a DVD in the afternoon too.

I have been fighting the urge to put the TV on to much. I find if he is being really ratty if I ignore him for awhile he settles down after about 20 minutes and gets into his own little games.

I don't think TV is all bad though. He loves the Wiggles and that has given him a real love of music and dancing, we pick up some great craft ideas for playschool that we often repeat later in the day or week.

I think anything in moderation is fine and as long as it is not violent or inapropriate adult TV