Did anyone make it to no TV or screens until 2?

[Anonymous]

No... we only made it to 18 months. But we’re playing the long game. They are 10 and 6 and still only watch 30 min on weekdays and 1 hour on weekends. And most of that is social (with the family)

[Anonymous]

Even 30 years ago people didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL. Laughing aside, the only parents I know who did have actual mental health problems.

That’s a very unkind and judgmental comment.

I kinda feel like “no screens,” is the same as “breastfeed exclusively for the first year” and “sleep in the same room for the first year.” Sure, yeah, sounds good when your aren’t a parent. And then reality sets in and you just want to sleep (or make dinner without your DC “helping.”)

[Anonymous]

I mean we can't see our families so doing video chats is the only way for kiddo to connect with his grandparents. I am not going to feel bad about that at all.

[Anonymous]

Anecdotally my parents were super strict about screens with me but totally let my younger sister do whatever. She's frankly a genius doing doing her MD/PhD so those episodes of Wishbone at 1 clearly didn't harm her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anecdotally my parents were super strict about screens with me but totally let my younger sister do whatever. She's frankly a genius doing doing her MD/PhD so those episodes of Wishbone at 1 clearly didn't harm her.

I let my kids have screens but your logic is way off. You can’t prove a negative thus you can’t say what she could have been without TV. Could she have had more imagination, been more athletic and healthy, been more compassionate, been happier? Even been smarter...

We really have to stop this faulty logic on things like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL. Laughing aside, the only parents I know who did have actual mental health problems.

That’s a very unkind and judgmental comment.

I kinda feel like “no screens,” is the same as “breastfeed exclusively for the first year” and “sleep in the same room for the first year.” Sure, yeah, sounds good when your aren’t a parent. And then reality sets in and you just want to sleep (or make dinner without your DC “helping.”)

But some parents do all three of those things. It’s not like they’re impossible. Unlikely, in terms of screens, but clearly not impossible.

My observation is the defensiveness and angry posturing at the mere question. Especially here where the OP clearly stated she wasn’t no-screens-before-two.

[Anonymous]

Freshman year of college, they’ll line up the kids who were screen-free babies in one spot and the ones who weren’t in another.

Kidding of course. But I’m not a screens person and I think the teens who are addicted to their phones started somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Freshman year of college, they’ll line up the kids who were screen-free babies in one spot and the ones who weren’t in another.

Kidding of course. But I’m not a screens person and I think the teens who are addicted to their phones started somewhere.

I think you give anyone a phone and social media as a teen and they’re addicted whether or not they watched little baby bum at 1 or not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Freshman year of college, they’ll line up the kids who were screen-free babies in one spot and the ones who weren’t in another.

Kidding of course. But I’m not a screens person and I think the teens who are addicted to their phones started somewhere.

I think you give anyone a phone and social media as a teen and they’re addicted whether or not they watched little baby bum at 1 or not

I put on the songs from LBB for dd (but I don’t show her the videos) and I’ve memorized them all and I occasionally sing them in the shower. Lol.

[Anonymous]

No shows until 2.5 or so with our first, but we definitely did videochat (which I believe AAP doesn't count as screentime/says is fine for babies) and starting around 1.5 we let her watch videos of herself on our phones sometimes.

[Anonymous]

We were screen free until schools started computers in second grade. It was no big deal. If kids has asked for screens, we might have considered, but they just weren't around so it never came up. they did watch shows or movies when visiting friends and relatives but sometimes snuck off to read, particularly if a cousin was watching part of a series and not a stand alone movie.

Honestly now with youngest in fourth grade, we'd probably still be low screen except for this pandemic. Everyone is pretty fried at the end of a screen intense week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were screen free until schools started computers in second grade. It was no big deal. If kids has asked for screens, we might have considered, but they just weren't around so it never came up. they did watch shows or movies when visiting friends and relatives but sometimes snuck off to read, particularly if a cousin was watching part of a series and not a stand alone movie.

Honestly now with youngest in fourth grade, we'd probably still be low screen except for this pandemic. Everyone is pretty fried at the end of a screen intense week.

Meant to add that I day this not to brag, but life was actually easier in many ways since screens weren't an option. At restaurants we'd have a notepad and crayons or a book, or just talk, so there was no whining about using the phone. At home, books or toys were the default. Kids still are big readers even though they have access to do much on their laptops.

[Anonymous]

Tv free for all three kids until 2 or well after for the first. Video chat was the only screen time for them. They still only get 20 mins on each weekend day at 2, 4 and 5.

I don't know how much it all matters but really didn't find it that hard to do once we decided to do it. We have never had a tv in any main living area so that may have helped. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Made it without screens until 3yo. Screen time is still very limited (~10min/day) and Covid did not change it for us.