Anyone else not letting their kids watch much tv?

This is NOT a judgmental post, so I hope it doesn't come across that way. I'm just curious if any other twin parents out there are trying to keep their kids away from tv for as long as possible and just what do you do with them instead?!

DH and I decided that we wanted to wait as long as possible to let the twins watch tv. That being said, they do watch baseball or football occasionally if they are in the room when it's on and I have let them watch this one "short" from Playhouse Disney that I taped - It's Choo Choo Soul's ABC song -a few times, but really that's it. No movies, no Baby Einsteins, no cartoons. I think as they're getting older, it's harder to keep them entertained without tv but I don't want to become dependent on it either. Anyone else trying to do the same?

Oh, I should add that I do let them watch slideshow DVDs that I have made out of pictures of them as babies until now set to music. They love this!

 

We don't let them watch tv either. Their play area is in a different room than the tv so that helps. Sometimes when we are in the other room with the tv and I start to notice them watching it I will shut it off. DH and I both grew up not really watching tv and we wanted to do the same with our kids. We havn't had to much of a problem yet - or I havn't needed to use the tv for backup yet - which might change soon being my are only 1 My two do watch the computer screen when I have the webcam set up so they can interact and meet their grandparents that live far away.

 

Like I said in a different thread, we didn't really watch any TV until about 6 weeks ago or so. We were pretty firm in not wanting to have them watch any TV at all until at least 2 years old, and honestly the few times they were arond TV they never showed much interest in it, definitely not enough to sit still for 30 minutes to watch a whole episode of anything. (I even tried it last fall when Natalie was first starting her nebulizer treatments because I thought it would be a fun new thing and she would be entranced and would adapt to the neb more easily, but it didn't hold her interest -- so we just read books while doing the neb and that was just fine.) Then about 6 weeks ago they really wanted to start coming in my room with me while I was getting dressed for work, so I started letting them sit on my bed and watch TV, generally it's been Dora but lately they have started getting into the Backyardigans too. I still feel pretty strongly that I don't want them to spend a lot of time vegging out in front of the TV, but for us this seems to be working pretty well. I think they are actually learning some skills that are new, especially from Dora, which is pretty interactive.

For us we do not have a TV in their playroom, so it has been pretty easy to keep it separate. They didn't know what they hadn't ever experienced, so it didn't occur to them to want to watch TV, KWIM? And we just kept them entertained them with toys, books, singing, etc. Which is still what we do for most of the day. Since the TV time is pretty scheduled for just the morning and only in my bedroom, they don't even think about it when we're in the playroom doing other stuff.

Good luck!

 

I wouldn't say never, but we are really trying to limit it in our house. I usually try to have the radio on in the background while they are playing. I am not of the mindset that all tv is bad. I learned a heck of a lot from Sesame Street when I was a kid! But I do notice that when the telly is on, they stop playing and watch it like little zombies. I really want to keep them physically active. I'll put it on when I'm making dinner or doing something where I need them to chill out, or if we're winding down for bed.

 

we only have one tv in the house and that's in the living room. the tv usually stays off till after they go to bed. i'm hoping we'll keep it like this for a couple more years. there are so many other things to do and learn from!

 

No TV is probably better.. my ped said no TV until 2 or 3 I think.. but we watch it all the time unfortunately. It's the only way I could get 25 minutes of no crying when they were 2 months old, and unfortunately the trend continues. But kuodos to you for holding out!!


Stacy

 

We do not plan to let them watch TV until 3 years old either! Right now, they really have no interest in it so it's not a problem sticking to the rule.

 

Mine don't watch much TV. They didn't watch any at all until 18 months or so, then we started letting them watch this one particular Sesame Street DVD that it turns out they LOVE. They beg for it constantly, which sort of reinforces my desire not to let them watch very much TV at all. But we do turn it on when we really need to entertain them, like when someone is sick or especially whiny, or when I'm cooking dinner. And they are learning the ABCs from it.

It is easier for us to manage without TV because I work FT and A&S are in daycare M-F. They don't watch TV there, and they're not home for that many waking hours on weekdays. The weather here is usually good and we are outside a lot on weekends. I imagine we'll be watching more TV in the winter. They also watched it a lot (that same DVD, over and over and over) when Sarah had the stomach flu while we were on vacation. It was the only thing that made her happy.

I'm not sure what we're going to do over football season -- I love football, and last year they pretty much ignored it, but now when it's on, they tend to watch. I might have to suck it up and just watch at naptime and in the evening.

 

I usually don't let my kids start watching TV before the age of 2. What's funny is that when my 2 yo watches Sprout in the evening or Wonderpets in the morning the boys will glance at the TV, then go back to what they're doing. The only 2 people that are addicted to TV in this house are DH and DS1.

 

I completely applaud your desire to keep the kids away from the TV. From my personal perspective, I like to have a little bit of TV WITH the kids. We watch Sesame St. and Baby Einstein (and the like) together so that we can talk to the kids with it. I like the fact that they have skits with the alphabet and numbers. Stuff like that is important to me and I like that they get it in different voices/tones so that we can reinforce.

It is a personal preference but I think that a moderate balance is OK. Saying "no" to something entirely seems a bit too drastic. Everyone makes their own parenting decisions and this is a big one!

 

In this case I think the parents behaviour will be what the kids do.
We only get 2 channels so no one watches a lot of TV in our house, we are very choosy about what we watch and personally, I don't like to take my children to my MIL's house, where 5 adults and 2 kids live because they always have the TV on to just anything and there is always someone watching TV (they have 3) and just watching a show because that is what is on, not because they wanted to watch that show. I think that kind of TV watching is what is harmful and what I want to keep my kids away from.
With the girls, TV (usually DVDs, because of the two channel thing!) has always been and still is "wind down time". They never stayed awake through a Baby Einstien until they were almost 2 and they still often fall asleep while watching one of their DVDs because we put it on before nap time as a transition between active play time and nap time. So they see one DVD a day. On a weekend if we don't have some places special to go and it's pouring down rain (hurricane season!) I might let them watch another one even if they already saw one that day. They watch them in English and other than me they don't get much English exposure so I allow it as language practice.

 

Nope...my kids watch tv and their fav shows are Yo Gabba Gabba, Spongebob, Wow Wow Wubbzy, Diego/Dora and PBS has lots of shows like SuperWhy that teaches the alphabet and words..in fact they recognize the letters on their puzzle and point to them during the show when they ask which letter is so and so. I grew up with tv and still played lots of sports, did very well in school and most of my friends/family's kids watch tv too it's never been a concern of mine. The most important thing for me is to have a routine that is the only thing I can say I have worked hard to keep.

 

I try to limit it but it is a running battle with dh. They don't watch more than 30 minutes a day & they didn't start that until after they were 2. Before 2 they only watched when we were in hotel rooms on vacation. It helps that we only have the very most basic cable - no Nick jr or Disney Channel. DH is teaching them Japanese & he has several children's language videos that teach Japanese via immersion - he watches with them & speaks to them in Japanese. I know he pops in a DVD for them whenever I go anywhere because the girls are little tattletales - as soon as I get home one of them will run to me & say "Daddy let me watch a video! I watch more than 30 minutes today!"

DH bought them all the Einstein, Dora, Blues Clues, Sesame Street, Brainy Baby, Curious Buddy, etc DVDs on the market - I would guestimate that they have at least 300 DVDs - but they have never watched the vast majority of them. I tell him to stop buying them since I am not going to let them watch them...but I get at least 2 packages a week where he buys them off ebay. One day I am going to list them all back on eBay & sell them!

I think you are doing the right thing to limit TV & videos. I don't think children are necessarily "harmed" by watching TV, but they can certainly learn more from playing & talking to real people.

 

I do not let them watch live TV but I do let them watch DVDs- Baby Einstein, Disney movies, Kids Songs, Barney, Thomas etc... We try to limit it to no more than 1 hour per day. Some days are more and some days are less.

 

my kids watch no TV -- (except in Gymboree when I shop and when we watched Toy Story on vaca -- the kids watched 10 min)

not eager to start until 2 yrs and will definitely limit their qty of TV as they grow older.

there's been a Huge debate recently about our kids' losing their ability to play creatively and deal with boredom -- much of this is attributed to TV/video and the marketing that surrounds it. (ie: if you already know the back story for a bear named Pooh, then you won't come up with one on your own) It's very interesting. I grew up with little TV (cable came while I was growing up) and I always came up with interesting things to do to fill time. I want my kids to have the same inclination.

Teri D

 

I do think moderation is the key but I do admire the parents who don't allow their children to watch TV before the age of 2. For us, it wasn't something we ever considered and frankly now I think my kids watch too much TV. We are working on limiting that and in hindsight we could have been better about it.

 

Although we don't let them watch a whole lot when DH and I are in charge (Wiggles when they wake up, a Baby Einstein DVD when I'm trying to get dinner accomplished), my nanny has been letting them watch way too much TV.

They turn 18 months next week and I am taking it as the opportunity to start restricting the TV they watch when she is here. No more than an hour (which would be their morning Wiggles and just one other 30 minute program). I'm also going to give her a daily activity schedule with suggestions on what things they should be doing. She's kind of on her last legs with us, and if she goes back to her lazy ways of too much TV and never taking them outside after our discussion on Monday, then we're getting an au pair and I'll have a very detailed, spelled out childcare handbook waiting for the au pair.

 

I would say that mine get to watch 30 minutes about 4 times a week and they get to watch DVDs whenever we go on a car trip over 2 hours long. I try to save the 30 minutes for when I'm making dinner or really need to get Elizabeth to nurse and take a nap.

 

I grew up watching TV as well. I will let my children watch. But I will also insisted on going outside when it is warm out. When I am in a room w/ a TV I have it on mostly for backround noise. I just can't be in the room when it is quiet.

 

I'm of mixed opinions on tv. I think that tv has become so much more educational than it was when I was little. You've got "Little Einsteins" with classical art and music. You've got Dora and Diego teaching Spanish. Plus everything that really seems to incorporate numbers, shapes and colors.

What's worked for us is that I limit what they watch most days. I keep it to less than an hour. Some days, like today, we didn't watch anything. But then, if we have days and days of horrible weather, sick kids, or long car trips, I'm totally ok with turning on the tv and letting them watch some extra. They are still learning something. But if it's nice outside, we're at the park, zoo or backyard. We go to different storytimes as long as we're not sick. It's a happy medium that's worked for us.

Marissa

 

I'm with Marissa. We do watch TV and some days it's more than others- like on Monday, it was raining and so nasty out, so we played a lot but also watched a lot of TV. They adore Diego, and Sesame Street. I think esp Sesame Street has some great stuff. Generally, I never have the TV on for MY shows until they are home in bed. But there are exceptions. I let the boys watch the musical portions of Oprah yesterday because Justin Timberlake was playing the piano. Conrad spent the rest of the evening "playing" various things that could stand in for a keyboard. It was really cute.

I totally respect not doing the TV "thing." I do recommend, though, that if your kids ever do start watching much at all, having Tivo or a DVR is a HUGE help in terms of avoiding commercials.

We watch football, too, but we pause just as the commercials start each break so we can fastforward them. Those commercials always have scary creatures or dead people or CSI ads with gunfire. It drives me crazy!

 

My guys did not watch anything until after they turned two.
I still don't let them watch TV....too many commercials are just too intense (IMO).
On occasion they get to watch DVD's; Thomas, Bob or Elmo.