Going TV Free - Have you done it with your kids?

[Anonymous]

Really want to avoid TV until son is 2 years old. In fact, I'd love to get rid of it altogether because it sucks up so much time. Has anyone managed to successfully follow the AAP guidelines of no TV before 2 years old? How did you go about doing this?

[Anonymous]

Did it no problem. We never started, and it was never an issue. There are so many activities - reading, building blocks, balls, play tools/cooking utensils not to mention being active outside of the house. You also should be careful not to watch TV yourself when your son is awake. If you have a nanny or other caregiver, you need to be clear that you have a firm no-TV policy.

[andrewevan]

We have twins who are 16 months and we went no TV from the start. Not even Baby Einstein as a crutch when the crying goes nuclear. It was not an issue. Now they are not even interested in the TV when it is on.

[Anonymous]

We did it too. It really wasn't difficult at all. We never started. He's over two, and doesn't even know to ask. We don't watch ourselves until baby is in bed, but wouldn't have time anyway. He sometimes catches the tv at a playmates' house (rarely), but it doesn't create any problems because he's never had it at home and so we're in a different context. It's really no big deal.

[Anonymous]

None of us watches TV, so it was not an issue.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't that successful with going cold turkey, but I did do some of what previous posters said:

--no TV watching of my own programs when the baby is awake (TIVO/DVR is a very cool invention and I think very helpful for parents). This is hard for my parents to even understand, because they can't believe I don't watch the Today Show or something in the morning at breakfast. We read the paper instead and listen to the radio.

--When I did decide that he was going to watch 1/2 an hour of Sesame St. or the Good Night Show on Sprout (usually on weekends at 5pm when I've run out of stuff to play), I would have something Tivo'd so that I could just play it for him like a DVD. He usually only "watched" 10 minutes, with me in the room.

Good luck. I do hate when the TV is on just as background noise, even for adults. It really limits conversations and just thinking to yourself sometimes.

[Anonymous]

We did it as well. Just never turned the TV on for him. Every now and then it is on and he will watch for a few minutes but other than that he has no interest. I just never let myself put him in front of the TV. He is now 28 months.

[Anonymous]

We had no TV until DS was about 3, and it just wasn't that difficult to do with respect to the kid. You just don't introduce it. (I will state that obvious that it can indeed be more difficult for parents and caregivers seeking a break and the anesthesizing effects the TV often brings).

I think my kid is older than PPs so far(5 yrs), and I want to tell you that it gets harder to have a firm "no TV" and no DVD stance as your kids get older. They get to be better negotiators, they wear you down with (often decent) arguments, they have playdates with kids who discuss DVDs, they notice and discuss movie posters at bus stops showing G-rated movies they want to see, etc etc.

So, I guess, keep an open mind. The same authors of the No TV Before 2 studies have gone on record saying some children's programming is fine for older preschoolers.

[Anonymous]

I'll just echo what previous posters said -- you just don't watch TV yourself when they're around, which is the only challenging part. But, since most kids < age 2 are in bed by 8pm, that's not really such a hardship. Unless they are exposed to TV in their daycare setting (which hopefully is within your control), they do not know what they're missing. As the PP noted, it is when they are older that it gets more difficult, but making it to age 2 is really not that hard. The only complaints I get is from our houseguests! Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I never thought of my tv watching before. DS plays on the floor, crawls all over and pretty much ignores the tv. I do watch the news at times through out the day. If DS is not paying attention should I still have the tv turned off. He is NOT watching the tv but it is on. I never thought that might be an issue.

[Anonymous]

Well, take it for what it's worth, but some preliminary studies indicate the background noise alone disrupts the brains of tiny ones (probably adults too though that wasn't in the study - I am with the PP that HATES it when people must have TV on in the background at all times).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never thought of my tv watching before. DS plays on the floor, crawls all over and pretty much ignores the tv. I do watch the news at times through out the day. If DS is not paying attention should I still have the tv turned off. He is NOT watching the tv but it is on. I never thought that might be an issue.

Actually, according to one piece I read, it's worse than say, 1/2 an hour of age-appropriate tv. So we don't watch it at all before bedtime.

[Anonymous]

10:46am here. I do think that there is a period at the beginning where infants are oblivious to the TV. I frankly watched tons of TV while breast-feeding in the early days. It was only after my son started staring at it that it went off. Though the PP raises a good point about the downsides of constant background noise.

[Anonymous]

we avoided all TV for our son for 2 years, then a string of illnesses hit me, and as a desperate SAHM, i let him watch sprout TV-needless to say, he now can sing the theme songs for several sprout shows=i'm really bummed i broke the seal, but at least i only allow age appropriate, good programming that i've seen myself, and its definitely not every day, but now that DS is almost 3yo, he also enjoys getting movies from library=we seem to be watchign much more in these cold winter months-i'd say to those with young babies, DONT start, avoid it as long as you can, the commercialism and shows are like crack for toddlers-it'll hook them quickly!!!

[Anonymous]

Are there any SAHM or SAHD who are responding to this post? I was just wondering if you could give me some more suggestions of what you do during the day when doing things like showering/cleaning up/getting dinner ready. We try not to watch too much TV, but it has become a bit of a crutch when I am showering and cleaning up after dinner. So - we wake up around 7 - he usually cuddles in bed with us and then runs around a bit. Around 8:30/9 I jump in the shower and he watches about 1/2 while I shower and get ready. Usually by this time he is running and 'helping' me get ready. We usually do a morning activitiy till about 11-11:30 like playgroup, gym - something. He eats dinner than takes a nap. At around 2:30 or so he will wake up. Then we usually go out and either take a walk - when it is not FREEZING!, or get dinner or something like that. He eats at 5 - then after dinner we take a shower. DH gets home at about 6:15 - DS sits with us and has a snack when we eat dinner and then around 7 he will usually watch a little TV. Sometimes he will also play ball or build with legos with DH. Can someone who is a SAH give me their typical schedule. It would be nice to see the times mapped out. TIA